Community News

State Hazard Mitigation Plan Update - Input Requested

The State is in the process of updating our State Hazard Mitigation Plan - which identifies how Vermont will adapt to our changing climate in the next five years and is seeking input. If you would like to join the conversation, here are the four options to get involved:

•  Orientation: A virtual workshop orientation will be offered on Monday, March 27 from 2pm to 3pm. All are welcome, whether you have been previously involved in state hazard mitigation planning or not. The orientation is geared towards those who want answers to questions such as “what is hazard mitigation,” “where is Vermont in the planning process right now,” or “why are we doing this?” A recording will be available after the live event. Attendees of the live session will be able to participate in a Q&A session. Register here.
•  In-person Workshop: The Hazard Mitigation Action Workshop will be held in-person on Friday, April 7 from 9am to 4pm. This will be a whole day event, with the option to attend just the morning or afternoon sessions depending on which focus areas you plan to contribute to. We will be developing the hazard mitigation and climate adaptation strategy for the 2023 State Hazard Mitigation Plan through a collaborative planning process. Agenda and details will be shared after registration. Register here.
•  Virtual Workshop: The virtual workshop option will be an abbreviated version of the in-person workshop on Tuesday, April 18 from 10am to 3pm. The virtual option is meant to provide an opportunity for those who cannot attend in-person to contribute ideas, or for those who did attend the in-person session to provide further input. Agenda and details will be shared after registration. Register here.
•  Feedback Form: The feedback form for the 2023 State Hazard Mitigation Plan is always available if you are short on time or otherwise can’t join us for a workshop. The form will remain open until the end of May 2023. Find it on our website here or the direct link.  

 Contact Caroline.Paske@Vermont.gov if you have questions. More information can be found on our website here. 

Vermont Works for Women Trailblazers Program comes to Barre

Beginning March 27, and lasting to May 11. The Green class will meet Monday and Thursday evenings and all day Saturday for seven weeks. This free, hands-on program trains women and gender-expansive individuals in core construction and renewable energy skills. Participants will complete an internship with local Vermont employers and receive ongoing job search support from VWW. Trailblazers is free and open to women and gender-expansive individuals ages 16+, no experience necessary! More program information here.

Learn more at our upcoming virtual information session on March 7 at 6:30 PM. Register online here. Questions? Contact Jillian Scannell at jscannell@vtworksforwomen.org.

Vermont Community Broadband Job Posting

The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) is recruiting a Community Economic Development Manager to assist Communication Union Districts (CUDS) in leveraging existing funding to create additional financing opportunities. Full details here.

Request for Qualifications (RFQ) – Clean Water Partners

The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission is the Clean Water Service Provider for the Winooski River Basin. CVRPC receives Water Quality Restoration Formula Grant funding to facilitate water quality improvements through the identification, development, engineering, design and construction of non-regulatory, phosphorous reduction projects as envisioned by Act 76, the Clean Water Service Delivery Act. The CVRPC is issuing this RFQ to identify (pre-qualify) Municipalities & Organizations willing to serve as Clean Water Project Partners to provide Project Management / Implementation services. Qualified Municipalities & Organizations will enter into a Master Agreement with the CVRPC for a three-year period (6 April 2023 – 5 April 2026). The CWSP will issue multiple project solicitation rounds during this period to identify and prioritize non-regulatory, water quality restoration projects for funding. To access the RFQ and additional information, see Pre-Qualification for Project Implementors at https://centralvtplanning.org/programs/watershed/winooski-cwsp/

AARP VT 2023 Community Challenge Grant Applications

Local eligible organizations and governments across the state are invited to apply for the 2023 AARP Community Challenge grant program, now through March 15 at 5:00 p.m. Grants fund quick-action projects that help communities become more livable in the long-term by improving public spaces, transportation, housing, civic engagement, diversity and inclusion.

The AARP Community Challenge is accepting applications across three different grant opportunities, two of which are new this year. All projects must be consistent with AARP’s mission to serve the needs of people 50 and older. Priority will be given to proposals that are inclusive, address disparities, and directly engage volunteers age 50 and older.

·       New this year, capacity-building microgrants paired with resources, such as one-on-one coaching, webinars, cohort learning opportunities to improve walkability and starting or expanding a community garden.

·       Also new this year are demonstration grants, focused on transportation improvements and the other portion of will focus on promoting awareness of the benefits of accessory dwelling units as a housing solution.

·       AARP’s flagship opportunity supports projects that improve public places; transportation; housing; diversity, equity and inclusion; digital connections; community health and economic empowerment; new this year community resilience; and civic engagement.

Community Supported Agriculture Grants

Are you an early childhood educator or after-school program looking for creative ways to support local farms and promote nutrition, food access, or culinary education for the children and families that you serve? The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Grant, offered by the Farm to School and Early Childhood Program of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food Markets, will partially reimburse child care providers or after-school programs for CSA or farm shares purchased from Vermont farms.

The maximum grant award for this funding opportunity is $1,000. The grants will reimburse programs for 70 to 80% of the cost of a CSA or farm share. Examples of how grantees can use local food purchased through the CSA grant include serving CSA food in meals and snacks, sending them home with children, or using them in cooking activities.

The Request for Applications is available now. The application will open in WebGrants on March 10 and close on April 7 at noon. Request for Application: HERE