Vermont’s Long Term Recovery Groups. VCRD photos
Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Vermont Community Leadership Award: Vermont’s Long Term Recovery Groups (LTRGs) and the many dedicated volunteers who rose to support their communities during the catastrophic floods of 2023 and 2024.This award was presented yesterday at VCRD’s 6th Community Leadership Summit where community leaders from across the state gathered to share skills, connect, and build a stronger Vermont together.
Each year, VCRD presents the Community Leadership Award to individuals or groups who exemplify dedication, integrity, and honorable service to rural Vermont, and whose work has had a transformational impact on their communities. This year’s award honors not just one leader—but an entire network of leaders across the state whose actions represent the very best of grassroots community service.
Born out of urgent need, the Long Term Recovery Groups united local nonprofits, faith-based organizations, government partners, and businesses to assist flood-impacted individuals and families. These groups have played an essential role in coordinating volunteers, sharing critical information, and securing resources to meet the unmet needs of Vermonters rebuilding their lives after disaster.
“They epitomize the very best of community service,” said Shannon Barsotti, Chair of the Board of Directors of VCRD. “Their action-oriented, collaborative approach reflects the heart of Vermont - people helping people. Through their tireless efforts, they’ve brought hope and support to thousands when it mattered most.”
VCRD is honored to recognize the following Long Term Recovery Groups as recipients of the 2025 Community Leadership Award:
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Barre Up
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Community Resilience for the Waterbury Area (CreW)
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Helping Our People in Emergency Coalition (HOPE)
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Kingdom United Resilience and Recovery Effort (kuRRve)
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Lamoille Area Recovery Network (LeARN)
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Montpelier Disaster Recovery Network (MoDRN)
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Mountain Town LTRG
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Recovery After Floods Team (RAFT)
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Rutland Regional Disaster Committee (RRDC)
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Upper Valley Strong
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Black River Good Neighbor Services (BRGNS)
These groups were recognized during the 2025 Vermont Community Leadership Summit on Monday, August 11th at Vermont State University in Randolph. To learn more about the summit or the award, visit www.vtrural.org/summit.
Vermont Council on Rural Development
The Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of the locally-defined progress of Vermont's rural communities. VCRD is a dynamic partnership of federal, state, local, nonprofit and private partners. Actively non-partisan with an established reputation for community-based facilitation, VCRD is uniquely positioned to sponsor and coordinate collaborative efforts across governmental and organizational categories concerned with policy questions of rural import. The organization has facilitated over 90 Community Visit processes, resulting in hundreds of locally defined projects including new childcare centers, wastewater infrastructure, downtown redevelopments, and much more.
8.12.2025. Randolph, VT — VCRD
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