Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Community Bank’s community development program has been nationally recognized with a 2024 ABA Foundation Community Commitment Award from the American Bankers Association Foundation. Community Bank was chosen for its efforts in the volunteerism category and was presented with the award during ABA’s annual convention Oct. 29 in New York City. In 2023, Community Bank broke records for volunteerism and philanthropic investments across its network of more than 200 branches in Upstate New York, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Vermont and Western Massachusetts.  Last year, more than 500 bank employees served on nonprofit boards and committees and spent more than 16,000 hours volunteering to help customers and community members. 

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Federal Credit Union successfully completed its 2025 Giving Tuesday campaign, donating a total of $15,000 to Vermont non-profits. The campaign was administered by the Vermont Federal Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable foundation established to uplift the Vermont community and bolster organizations dedicated to aiding those in need. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Windham Foundation, a nonprofit based in Grafton, VT that works to enhance Vermont's economic, cultural, and civic life, is pleased to announce the recipients of their most recent round of grants. Twenty-four Vermont-based nonprofits received a total of $71,000 in financial support. Funded projects included efforts to address food insecurity, youth-led barn and trails restoration projects, a community nurse program and out-of-school educational opportunities. 

Vermont Business Magazine Small businesses are the heartbeat of our community, all year long. During the Season of Small Business, the Vermont SBA encourages every American to show their appreciation for these tireless engines of our economy by choosing to shop, dine, and entertain small. We ask you to choose to shop locally in Vermont for unique gifts this holiday season and support the small businesses in your community!

Vermont Business Magazine Staff at Vermont Legal Aid and Legal Services Vermont are celebrating management’s recognition of their union, United Justice Workers-VT, AFT-Vermont. Over the summer and fall of 2024, nearly 100 professional and non-professional staff at the legal aid non-profit organizations Legal Services Vermont and Vermont Legal Aid organized their union, United Justice Workers-VT with AFT Vermont. Across both organizations, staff work side by side to fight for low-income Vermonters facing civil legal problems, such as eviction, foreclosure, disability services, bankruptcy, and other legal issues commonly afflicting disadvantaged groups in Vermont.

Vermont Business Magazine Beginning today, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM) welcomes applications from Vermont agricultural and forestry businesses for Trade Show Assistance Grants (TSAG). These grants provide businesses with funds to exhibit and sell their Vermont products at trade shows targeting out-of-state buyers. Trade shows are opportunities to promote Vermont’s incredible food, forestry, and agricultural products to people from around the region and the world. They provide excellent opportunities to network with wholesale buyers and expand into new domestic and international markets. Funding may be used to reimburse up to 50% of the following expenses: travel; marketing assets and booth design; registration fees; booth fees; furnishings; utilities; shipping/freight; and other marketing costs (samples, printing, etc.). Trade show(s) must target buyers outside of Vermont and be in the business to business/wholesale format. Direct-to-consumer shows are not eligible for TSAG funding. 

Vermont Business Magazine Today, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak announced that Charles Dillard, AICP is serving as the Director of Burlington’s Office of City Planning. Most recently, Dillard served as Burlington’s Interim Director and Principal Planner in the Office of City Planning. Dillard’s appointment was confirmed in a unanimous vote by the City Council on November 18, 2024. Dillard holds a Master’s in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina, and a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from the University of Toronto. Prior to joining the City of Burlington, he worked as a planner in both New York City and the City of Raleigh, North Carolina.  

Vermont Business Magazine After two decades of tireless advocacy for small businesses in northern New England, New Hampshire State Director Bruce Berke and Vermont State Director Shawn Shouldice will be departing from their posts at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The nation's leading small business advocacy association, NFIB announced the news today about the veteran lobbyists, familiar faces in the legislative halls and committee rooms of Concord and Montpelier, and a restructuring of the organization's efforts following their departures at the new year. The association also announced that its former Minnesota state director, John Reynolds, will assume a new, consolidated position directing its activities in both states.

Vermont Business Magazine Holiday spirit filled The Palace Theatre in Manchester, N.H. Wednesday as the New Hampshire Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities (SCCNH), the official charity of New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS), held its 15th annual Grant Distribution Ceremony. Grants were handed out to 36 local nonprofits totaling $120,000 in front of the festive backdrop from “A Christmas Carol.” Since 2009, SCCNH has distributed more than $2.1 million, supporting nearly 1.5 million children throughout the region.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Weekly unemployment claims continued their steady climb last week as they have since the end of summer.  For the week ending November 30, 2024, new claims were 599, which is up 164 claims from the week before and 88 more from last year. They were 181 at the end of September. Overall, the month of November US jobs report beat expectations. The U.S. economy added 227,000 jobs in November, marking a sharp rebound from the previous month. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected an increase of 214,000 jobs for the month. Jobs growth for October was revised to 36,000 from 12,000. The US unemployment rate came in at 4.2% for November, as expected.

Vermont Business Magazine Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) today released the following statement after the Government Services Agency (GSA) – the arm of the federal government responsible for overseeing federal buildings – announced this week its decision to dispose of 87 State Street, Montpelier’s federal building that was damaged in the July 2023 flooding. Prior to the flooding, this building was home to the U.S. Post Office, the Courthouse, Department of Agriculture, the Small Business Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service. Centrally located in the Vermont state capital’s walkable downtown and easily accessible to local public transportation, the building served as a hub of activity and service for Montpelier residents and all of central Vermont. 

Vermont Business Magazine PC Construction of South Burlington recently accepted a National Project Achievement Award from the Construction Management Association of America. The CMAA award recognized PC’s work on the BETA Technologies’ Manufacturing and Assembly Facility, which supports the manufacture and assembly of the electric aerospace company’s battery-powered aircraft and electric charging infrastructure. This facility, which was completed last year, included the construction of a new, 188,500-square-foot high-bay building located directly adjacent to the Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport runways. The fully operating facility includes aircraft manufacture and assembly space, office and employee spaces and support areas. Work included substantial site preparation, blasting and excavation, a parking lot and utility road, and a 2.7-acre geothermal field, which is one of the largest in New England.