Current News

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Community Foundation announced today that a new grant program will provide up to $10,000 directly to farmers affected by the devastating flooding this summer. The Farm Disaster Relief Grant Program will be funded with up to $1 million from the VT Flood Response & Recovery Fund 2023, which has raised more than $6.1 million and awarded more than $2 million since it was created by the Vermont Community Foundation last month. The Farm Disaster Relief Program is designed to help farms that sustained damage stay in production or return to production. More than 18,000 acres of farmland was affected by flooding that washed away soil, spoiled crops, and damaged greenhouses, barns, and equipment. The disaster threatened a way of life and an economic sector that is the backbone of many rural communities.  

Vermont Business Magazine The M&T Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB), today launched the second phase of its Amplify Fund which provides support to nonprofit initiatives in legacy People's United communities that benefit low- and moderate-income communities and underrepresented populations. This new request for proposals (RFP) seeks nonprofit collaboratives focused on advancing equity using a racial equity and social justice lens in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, southern Maine, Long Island, and New York's Westchester County.

Vermont Business Magazine Disasters often bring out criminals looking to prey on survivors who appear to be easy targets for their scams. Survivors should be aware that fraud and scams can occur anytime. FEMA encourages survivors to be alert and report any suspicious activity or potential fraud by scam artists, identity thieves and other criminals. Anyone who suspects fraud, waste, abuse or mismanagement involving disaster relief should call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, email [email protected] or write to: FEMA Fraud and Internal Investigation Division, 400 C Street SW Mail Stop 3005, Washington, DC 20472-3005.

by Brian Lowe, Executive Director, Vermont Council on Rural Development The Vermont Council on Rural Development is a tremendous organization, and it has been a privilege to lead the organization for two years. The work supporting people and communities across the state is always important, the VCRD team is talented, dedicated, and thoughtful, and the Board has outstanding leaders who bring valuable perspective to the mission. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Vermont Department of Economic Development (DED) in Berlin today announced that businesses and nonprofits that suffered physical damage from the July floods have been awarded $400,000 in Business Emergency Gap Assistance Program (BEGAP) grants to date. The $20 million BEGAP program is intended to support the reopening of businesses impacted by the floods. The governor also announced that the two "Vermont Strong" license plates will be ready to order by early next week and will include an incentive from Darn Tough Socks. FEMA also will be sending temporary housing units to Vermont to assist flood victims. And the governor reminded everyone that Saturday is Recovery Clean Up Day.

Vermont Business Magazine Black Knight, Inc (NYSE:BKI) today reported its "first look" at July 2023 month-end mortgage performance statistics derived from its loan-level database representing the majority of the national mortgage market. Vermont remains below the national average in non-current mortgages and has seen the second fastest decline in non-current mortgages in the US. Vermont hit its lowest level in 2004 (2.24%) and its highest in 2012 (9.63%). While the national delinquency rate edged up 9 basis points in July to 3.21%, it was down 12 basis points year over year and remains within 12 basis points of March's record low. Meanwhile, serious delinquencies (90+ days past due) continued to improve, falling to 468K – the lowest level seen since the pre-Great Financial Crisis housing market peak and down 161K (-26%) from July 2022.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Arts Council has awarded more than $40,000 thus far in emergency relief to individual artists whose livelihoods were significantly and adversely affected by the summer’s downpours that flooded basements, homes, and studios. A total of 21 eligible applications were received during the first round of the Council’s special flood relief grant program. The Council was able to offer at least partial funding to all eligible applicants, a total of $35,259 in grants. In addition, a special grant of $5,000 was awarded to Clemmons Family Farm to distribute funding directly to impacted artists in its Vermont African American/African Diaspora Artists Network. 

Vermont Business Magazine Lawson’s Finest Liquids, the award-winning Vermont craft brewery with a commitment to quality and sustainability, is now accepting applications for its 2024 Sunshine Fund. Created to assist nonprofits that support the environment and the people of Vermont, the Sunshine Fund is at the heart of the brewery’s Social Impact Program, known as the SIP. A total of 24 local organizations will be recognized by Lawson’s Finest’s Sunshine Fund awards in 2024. Each Sunshine Fund awardee becomes the partner “On Tap” in the brewery’s Waitsfield taproom for two weeks during the year and receives 100% of Sunshine Fund donations during that period. Vermont-based, tax-exempt nonprofit organizations who have not been selected as Sunshine Fund recipients in previous years are eligible to apply now through August 31. 

Vermont Business Magazine New research has revealed the best states for business growth, with Georgia taking the top spot. Business consulting firm Venture Smarter analyzed data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics to discover the business growth rate in each state based on the number of establishments in December 2021 compared to December 2022. Top of the list is Georgia, with a business growth rate of 13.50%. Montana and Vermont are in joint fourth place, with both states seeing a business growth rate of 10.20%. Vermont citizens can take advantage of several business incentives, such as flexible profit distribution, which allows companies registered as LLCs to choose various ways to distribute profits. 

The Vermont State Police has identified a suspect in the March 30, 2023, shooting death of 21-year-old Tamico Williams of Hartford, Connecticut. The shooting occurred inside a residence at 14 Birge St. in Brattleboro. An arrest warrant on a charge of second-degree murder has been issued for Elias J. Lopez, 18, of Hartford, Connecticut. He is currently in custody at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in St. Albans on an unrelated federal charge. The Windham County State’s Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont will coordinate service of the arrest warrant. Lopez has been jailed since Thursday, Aug. 17

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and non-profit partners Center for Whole Communities (CWC), Rights and Democracy Institute, and the Vermont Law School Environmental Justice Clinic recently released an Environmental Justice Community Engagement Report. The report presents on-the-ground community research and data collection that will support DEC and other state agencies and non-profits in conducting their community outreach with an environmental justice lens.

Vermont Business Magazine Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) released the following statement today following Guatemala’s presidential election: “This weekend, the Guatemalan people cast their ballots in a runoff election to determine their future president and the future of their country. I am encouraged that Sunday’s election was carried out in a peaceful, orderly manner. Despite flagrant attempts by some government institutions to interfere in the electoral process, Bernardo Arévalo, who ran on an anti-corruption platform and pledged to tackle poverty and injustice in the country, won overwhelmingly."