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Vermont Business Magazine Funding is now available from the Vermont Women’s Fund at the Vermont Community Foundation for programs that address systemic barriers to economic wellbeing and recognize the disproportionate impact of these barriers on women and girls based on race, gender identity, sexuality, class, age, and ability. The competitive grant program will award grants of up to $15,000. The Vermont Women’s Fund awards single or multi-year grants that support programmatic expenses for pilot or established programs and/or general operating costs. It is committed to addressing the needs of women and girls across all areas of the state and prioritizing statewide geographical representation.

Vermont Business Magazine Polly, the Vermont-based leading embedded auto insurance platform for automotive retail, today released its Q3 2025 Quarterly Embedded Auto Insurance Report, revealing that dealerships integrating an insurance solution into their sales process continue to see higher F&I gross profitability than those who do not have one.

by State Representative Gina Galfetti (R-Barre Town) Buckle up, it is that time of the year again--the time when your duly elected State Legislators return to Montpelier to face the challenges that are at hand. And I am writing today to let the people know that some of us hear you loud and clear. Governor Scott proposed a sweeping education reform bill, and many of us went out on a limb to give it a shot. What has happened thus far is that the special committee comprised of a mix of legislators and non-legislators that was tasked with drawing new districts over the summer refused to do their assigned task, with Democrat members that are in the majority refusing to do it. That is the reality of what happened over the summer. And let’s face it: not everyone is going to be happy with school and administrative consolidations, because at the end of the day the idea is to save taxpayers money, which means we need to optimize, streamline, and cut. Yes, I said it: CUT.

Vermont Business Magazine On the fifth anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, joined Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) in introducing a pair of bills to prevent January 6 rioters from receiving payouts from the federal government. Roughly 400 people who the Trump Administration pardoned or granted clemency to after their involvement in the January 6 attacks are currently seeking millions of dollars in taxpayer funds because they were prosecuted for their criminal actions.

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Health Commissioner Rick Hildebrant, MD, provides the following statement on yesterday's update by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the federal Childhood Immunization Schedule: “In Vermont, vaccine policy will continue to be guided by scientific evidence and informed by trusted medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics. Vermont will continue to follow its established Childhood Immunization Schedule.

by Maggie Lenz and Gwynn Zakov Lawmakers returned to the State House on January 6 to gavel in for the 2026 Legislative Session. As Act 73, the so-called education transformation initiative moves into its first full legislative session since passage, most of the public conversation continues to focus on governance and redistricting. After months of study and hearing widespread public opposition to forced consolidation, the Redistricting Task Force declined to propose new maps. Instead they recommended a model built around shared services and cross-district collaboration, all voluntary. Governor Scott has made no secret of his (to put it mildly) dissatisfaction with this outcome. The administration, including Education Secretary Zoie Saunders continues to push for a significant reduction in Vermont’s 119 districts. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s physicians and other medical professionals reaffirm our unwavering commitment to evidence-based preventive care for children and adolescents in response to recent changes to the national childhood immunization schedule. On January 5, 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced revisions to the federal childhood vaccine recommendations. These changes reduce the number of vaccines routinely recommended for all children and shift several immunizations—including those for influenza, rotavirus, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and others—to categories of “shared clinical decision-making” or recommendations limited to specific high-risk populations.

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Treasurer Mike Pieciak announced the completion of the first year of operations for Vermont Saves. The program is an affordable retirement savings option provided through the Treasurer’s Office for employers and their workers. In its first year, Vermont Saves helped over 5,200 Vermonters begin building retirement security, with over $4.5 million collectively saved and participation from nearly 1,300 employers statewide. 

Vermont Business Magazine John Dwyer, Chief Executive Officer of EastRise Credit Union, based in Williston, has formally announced his intention to retire effective June 5, 2026, concluding an exceptional 38-year tenure with the organization as President and COO and serving as CEO for the last 15 years. Throughout his distinguished career, Dwyer demonstrated purpose-driven leadership, achieving significant milestones in membership growth, community impact, accountability, and organizational development.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott today issued the following statement: “As we begin the 2026 legislative session, I welcome Vermont’s legislators back to the State House and thank them for their continued service to Vermonters. Today also marks the fifth anniversary of the January 6th riots at the U.S. Capitol, a very dark day for our country. My feelings haven’t changed, and I continue to believe it could and should have been avoided. “As I reflect on the causation, it’s an important reminder that fear, anger, and deeply held beliefs can be manipulated and elevated to the point of destruction and violence. It’s also a reminder that our democracy depends on respect for the rule of law, peaceful political disagreement, and the integrity and accountability of the institutions created to serve the people, as well as the officials elected or appointed to uphold them.

Vermont Business Magazine On the fifth anniversary of the January 6, 2021, insurrection, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont) released the following statement: “The attack on the Capitol itself happened five years ago, but the threat to our democracy continues today. Whether our democracy will endure is still an open question. “Donald Trump caused the insurrection. He invited rioters to come to Washington; he encouraged the mob to attack the Capitol; he was the major instrumental cause in bringing them to the Capitol that day. Now, President Trump is rewriting history and erasing the insurrection. His enablers in Congress turned their backs on justice, standing with the President as he pardoned and commuted sentences for the rioters who attacked police officers and spread lies about the outcome of the 2020 election.

by Amy Spear and Megan Sullivan, Vermont Chamber of Commerce Each year, the Vermont Chamber of Commerce sets legislative priorities grounded in one core objective: advancing the Vermont economy. As we enter the 2026 session, Vermont stands at a defining moment. Affordability pressures, demographic decline, and rising operating costs are converging just as our state needs more workers, more housing, and greater predictability to sustain economic growth. Our work toward long-range strategy began with the Vermont Economic Action Plan, a statewide blueprint shaped by more than 5,000 Vermonters. The plan established a clear vision for a stronger and more affordable future, grounded in data, pairing community insight and measurable targets. It also signaled a pivotal shift in how Vermont approaches economic decision-making. Instead of reacting to problems as they arise, we now have a long-term framework that can guide policy choices and align efforts across the public and private sectors.