Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Northfield Savings Bank Foundation (NSBF) is pleased to announce two community partnerships and financial support of $200,000 to be utilized over the next two years. Vermont Professionals of Color (VT PoC) and Elevate Youth Services will each receive a contribution of $100,000 to advance their respective services to our mutually served communities. In its partnership with VT PoC, NSB Foundation is directing funding to developing an interactive digital platform that welcomes BIPOC residents of Vermont into an opportunity to discover, connect and interact with their local area, making valuable links to shared community. 

Vermont Business Magazine Kittell, Branagan, and Sargent (KBS) has debuted on the prestigious INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) Top 500 Firms for 2024 list. This achievement highlights KBS's dedication to excellence and places it among the top-performing accounting firms in the United States. Published annually, the IPA 500 rankings are determined based on U.S. net revenue and involve a detailed analysis of responses to the INSIDE Public Accounting Survey.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the Rural Homeownership Continuity Act of 2024, legislation to fix the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Section 502 Single Family Housing Loan Guarantee mortgage assistance program to provide more financing options so rural families can become homeowners. The bill would amend the Housing Act of 1949 and update Section 502’s liability process to help more low- and moderate-income families in rural communities purchase homes using the loan program. The Rural Homeownership Continuity Act of 2024 is supported by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), Housing Assistance Council, and the National Rural Housing Coalition. 

Vermont Business Magazine FirstLight, a leading clean power producer, developer and energy storage company, today announced a new power purchase agreement with Burlington Electric Department (BED). Through the agreement, which kicked off in July, FirstLight will deliver Burlington over 54 gigawatt hours (GWh) of hydropower and associated VT-1 renewable energy credits through 2025 from FirstLight’s Shepaug Generating Station in Connecticut, the state’s second largest source of renewable energy and largest hydroelectric facility. The new partnership between FirstLight and BED supports the City of Burlington’s commitment to 100% renewable power sourcing and its Net Zero Energy goal.

Vermont Business Magazine In a rapid effort to preserve the dance programs shut down by the unexpected closure of the University of the Arts (UArts) on June 7, Bennington College summoned its forces, in collaboration with the UArts dance program, and will welcome students and faculty from the shuttered college’s BFA program this fall. This unprecedented union, executed in just six weeks, means that former UArts dance students will be able to continue their studies without interruption. Altogether a total of 38 former UArts BFA dance students and 28 Low-Residency MFA students are enrolled at Bennington College. The speed and dexterity with which Bennington was able to respond to the crisis is due in part to the immediate and generous donation of $1 million from Barbara and Sebastian Scripps, $250,000 from the Ford Foundation, and additional funds from the Transformational Partnerships Fund. 

Vermont Business Magazine Earlier this summer, the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) Board of Commissioners awarded just under $10 million from Vermont's newly launched Rental Revolving Loan Fund (RRLF). These awards will fund development of 265 apartments for middle-income households in nine Vermont communities across the state. The RRLF was created as part of Vermont's Housing Opportunities Made for Everyone (HOME) Act, which was signed into law on June 5, 2023. The Act created RRLF to incentivize the creation and preservation of rental housing for middle-income households earning between 65%-150% of the Area Median Income (AMI). A middle-income two-person Vermont household making 100% AMI is currently defined as having annual income of $82,000-$95,000 depending on location.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine For the week ending July 27, the Vermont Department of Health reported that there has been a continuing growth in the number of cases in Vermont, but there have been only 4 COVID-19 related deaths since the beginning of June. COVID fatalities are at 1,159 since the beginning of the pandemic over four years ago. The weekly report also shows that hospitalizations and general "syndromic" cases remain low but have increased somewhat in the last few weeks to about 10 people being treated at a Vermont hospital each week. The number of COVID cases is elevated and has quadrupled from the beginning of the summer, with a weekly total now of 234. Along with the case numbers, wastewater monitoring has shown spikes in virus in Burlington and Montpelier.

Vermont Business Magazine Colchester-based Age Well is thrilled to announce that it has received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award from Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California, which honors alumni who have achieved recognition for their philanthropic or volunteer service to the university and to society. The Distinguished Alumni Award 2024 Recipient is Jeffrey Mbarushimana, DrPH(c), MHA, LSSMBB, ACHE, Age Well’s Director of Resource Navigation. As a graduate student at the University, Jeffrey has been sharing news and information with his doctoral advisors and professors at the university, regarding the work that Age Well does. They have done their own research about Age Well and at their recent Public Health Service Appreciation Reception, honored the organization with a Distinguished Service Award. 

Vermont Business Magazine After a thorough executive search, the Vermont Natural Resources Council is pleased to announce that Lauren Hierl has been selected as the organization’s new Executive Director. Hierl will officially begin her role on August 19, 2024. VNRC is looking forward to welcoming in a new era of growth while celebrating the strides current Executive Director Brian Shupe has made during his 13-year tenure leading the organization. Since stepping into the Executive Director role in 2011, VNRC has doubled its staff and budget while expanding its mission. VNRC’s strategic partnership with Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV) also began during Shupe’s tenure. Hierl currently heads up VCV, making her uniquely qualified to build on VNRC’s strengths and work to strengthen the organization. 

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) announced today that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) of the USDA has awarded $577,325 to the State of Vermont as a part of the Organic Certification Cost Share Program. The application is now open for certified operations to apply for these funds. Certified organic operations may receive reimbursement of up to 75% of their direct certification costs paid between October 1 and September 30 annually, not to exceed $750 per certification scope. There are up to four eligible certification scopes (crops, livestock, wild crops, and handling), which must be individually inspected for organic certification to be eligible for reimbursement.

Vermont Business Magazine Due to the increase in the number of cases of raccoon rabies reported in Vermont since March 2024 and their proximity to Québec, the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs will be distributing vaccine bait in the Estrie and Montérégie regions from August 7 to 24, 2024. The aim of this vaccination operation is to limit the risk of raccoon rabies being reintroduced into Québec. It will immunize raccoons, skunks and foxes against raccoon rabies, which will help to protect human health. Rabies is a contagious, fatal disease that can infect all mammals, so it can be transmitted from infected animals to humans. The Estrie and Montérégie are the border regions with Vermont and include Sherbrooke.

Vermont Business Magazine A Vermont Superior Court judge yesterday denied the City of Burlington’s motion to dismiss a police use-of-force and discrimination case, clearing the way for the ACLU of Vermont’s lawsuit to move forward on all claims. The case stems from a 2021 incident in which Burlington police and paramedics needlessly escalated an interaction with Cathy Austrian’s child (“J.A.”), used excessive force and injected him with ketamine, and forcibly removed him from his bedroom and home. J.A., a Black teenager with a documented history of complex trauma and behavioral and intellectual disabilities, was fourteen years old at the time of the incident.