Current News

Agency of Commerce and Community Development The Agency of Commerce and Community Development is requesting businesses that endured damage as a result of any of the July 2024 flooding events to complete the Department of Economic Development's Flood Damage Survey for Businesses. This data will be used to help us advocate for future relief and recovery programs for businesses and nonprofit organizations. The goal is to understand everyone's circumstances so that we are better able to quantify the aggregate need at the community and industry levels. 

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott, the Agency of Human Services, and the Agency of Education announced today that Vermont’s Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (SEBT) program online application is now available for families to apply at summerebt.vermont.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s SEBT program helps feed eligible school-aged children during the summer vacation months by providing a $120 per child benefit to purchase groceries. Vermont has already issued $4.3 million in SEBT benefits to nearly 36,000 school-aged children in over 21,000 households since mid-July. These families were identified as eligible benefit recipients because they already receive Medicaid with a qualifying income, 3SquaresVT, or ReachUp benefits. Households were notified of their eligibility in early July and all benefits were available on their EBT cards by July 31.

Vermont Business Magazine On October 23, 2024, Common Good Vermont will convene Vermont’s nonprofit community, allies, and partners for the first Vermont Nonprofit Summit at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier. Registration is now open, with special early bird pricing available through August 31. This new event will bring together nonprofit leaders from diverse sectors to share innovative ideas, best practices, and collaborative solutions to address pressing challenges in our state. 

SBA Vermont District Office The Small Business Administration is hosting a free webinar at noon on August 7th about its guaranteed loan programs. SBA guarantees loans making it easier for small businesses to get the funding by reducing lender risk. Funds can be used for most business purposes, including long-term fixed assets and operating capital. Amounts range from $500 to $5.5 million. And recently, SBA announced plans to launch a new, streamlined contracting certifications experience called MySBA Certifications, enabling customers to apply for and manage multiple federal contracting certifications in one place. The new certifications tool — slated to open for new applicants in September — is a key component of the SBA’s multi-year transformative modernization of the agency’s customer experience.

Vermont Business Magazine U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today led Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) in introducing the Digital Integrity in Democracy Act, legislation to increase accountability of social media platforms that knowingly host false election administration information. The bill aims to strengthen voting rights protections by carving out a narrow exception to Section 230 immunity for social media platforms that intentionally mislead voters and amplify election-related misinformation.  

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas reminded members of the public of how to find results for the upcoming Statewide Primary Election. Unofficial Statewide Primary results are reported to the Secretary of State by Vermont cities and towns after polls close on the evening of August 13 and posted on the Secretary of State’s website.  Results will be unofficial until the Canvassing Committee meets to certify the results on August 20. 

Vermont Business Magazine Average gasoline prices in Vermont are $3.41 per gallon, down 1.9 cents per gallon from last week's $3.43/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $2.99/g while the highest was $3.55/g, a difference of 56.0 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has fallen 3.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.44/g today. The national average is down 5.6 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 37.2 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets Are you helping the agricultural community recover after the recent flooding events? The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets has compiled resources, guidance, and contact information that can support agricultural recovery from flooding. You can find the Post Flooding – Technical Assistance Toolkit and other compiled resources online. Within the toolkit, you will find a variety of resources such as next steps for farmers, technical assistance opportunities, mental health resources, enterprise specific guidance, financial assistance programs, and more. In addition to the full-length toolkit, one pagers with key information are available for targeted and brief reference.

by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine Housing and workforce availability are the primary factors currently affecting the Chittenden County economy. This situation mirrors trends seen in many regions across the state and nation. Limited housing and a tight labor market contribute to rising costs and hinder economic growth potential. Still, there is no question that the region is experiencing what otherwise would be considered, especially in historical terms, a thriving economy. What concerns those we spoke to is the future. While there is plenty of capital infused by the federal government in response to the pandemic, and while incomes are relatively high and unemployment is absolutely low, future growth could be limited.

Vermont Agency of Transportation This weekly report is a list of planned construction activities that will affect traffic on state highways and interstates throughout Vermont for the week of August 5, 2024. Please remember to drive safely in all work zones. Lives depend on it.    

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and members of his cabinet will begin the next round of the Capital for a Day 14-county tour in Washington County on Wednesday, August 7. Governor Scott first launched this initiative in June 2018, and he and his cabinet visited all 14 counties over the following 10 months. Capital for a Day gives local constituents, municipal government leaders and other partners the opportunity to connect directly with state leadership and staff.

Vermont Business Magazine The Middlebury Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, the oldest writers’ conference in the country, will hold its 99th session starting Wednesday, August 14, and running through Saturday, August 24. Held every summer since 1926 on Middlebury’s Bread Loaf campus in Ripton, the conference remains one of America’s most respected literary institutions. Ten days of workshops, lectures, classes, and readings provide writers with rigorous practical and theoretical approaches to their craft. The mountain campus has attracted many renowned authors and poets such as Robert Frost, Carson McCullers, John Irving, Terry Tempest Williams, Ted Conover, and Julia Alvarez.