Vermont Council on Rural Development As the days grow shorter and the air turns crisp, Vermont’s villages and valleys are settling into the rhythm of the season. Vermonters are gathering for community suppers, tree lightings, and craft fairs, moments that remind us how much strength and joy come from being together. Here at VCRD, we’ve been reflecting on the year behind us and signing our annual fall appeal letters, a small but meaningful tradition that reminds us how many people make this work possible. Each signature is a note of gratitude for those who believe in the power of community, collaboration, and shared purpose.
As we look toward the new year, we’re inspired by what Vermonters continue to build together: hopeful, resilient, and deeply connected communities. These everyday acts of connection remind us that local democracy isn’t something that happens just at the ballot box; it's built in our towns, day by day, through the ways we show up for one another.
Read on for news and updates from our work this past season. We hope you’ll consider supporting VCRD this year with a financial contribution. Your partnership helps Vermonters take the lead in shaping their communities and our shared future.
Denise Smith, Executive Director
VTI 2nd Cohort Announced
Vermont Council on Rural Development, The Preservation Trust of Vermont, and the Vermont Community Foundation are pleased to announce the second cohort of communities selected for the Village Trust Initiative (VTI). Now in its second year, VTI is a partnership supporting rural communities undertaking transformational revitalization projects in their historic villages. Communities selected for the second VTI round include:
- Belvidere - Multi-use community hub project in former school (Lamoille County)
- New Haven - Historic Society & community space in former train depot (Addison County)
- Orwell - General store project & community hub (Addison County)
- Rupert - General store project & community hub (Bennington County)
- Sharon - Multi-use church and community center project (Windsor County)
VTI is made possible with a $10 million Congressionally Directed Spending award from Senator Leahy’s office in 2023 and provides selected communities with substantial planning and implementation funding. Find out more about VTI here.
2025 Climate Catalysts Leadership Cohort is a Wrap!
Nine dedicated Vermonters participated in the 6-month leadership development and networking program which concluded in a final gathering on November 4th at REclaimED in Poultney, VT, where fellow Climate Catalyst Danny Lang is Executive Director. Throughout the six months, the group explored the Vermont climate action landscape, developed vision statements, identified partnerships, engaged with storytelling experts, and used frameworks for working through sticking points with community projects. This group joins the Climate Catalysts alumni network of over 80 Vermonters working on local projects in their communities. It was invigorating and heartwarming to be in community with these individuals and know that though there is much work ahead, there are many folks dedicated to local place based solutions. See more about the Climate Catalysts program here.
Our Community Leadership Guide is Getting an Update - Send us Your Feedback!
It’s been almost five years since we released the Vermont Community Leadership Guide and we’re gearing up for an update! The Guide is designed as a starting point with tips and strategies to help new, emerging, and veteran leaders frame local issues and move community and economic development projects forward. If you’ve used the Guide in your community, we’d love to hear from you: submit your feedback here by December 15th, 2025! https://forms.gle/fWVnPkNHg9mNtvaU8.
2025 Community Leadership Summit Report
On August 11 2025, hundreds of community builders from across the state came together with over 95 presenters and panelists to gain skills and build connections. The Summit Report shares some highlights, including the Forum Notes on: What Rural Communities Need to Prepare for the Future and Building Social Connections Within Your Community. Other Summit resources including the Program, Speaker Bios, Participant list, and Slides and Resources shared by presenters and panelists, can be found here.
Read our 2024 Annual Report for an overview of our work serving communities, building local leaders, supporting local actions for growing the climate economy, improving youth opportunity, strengthening our working lands enterprises, and more.
Support Us with a Year-End Gift
At VCRD, we believe that the best solutions to the challenges we face come from the ground up, from neighbors gathering in town halls to local leaders stepping up with bold ideas. VCRD helps Vermonters take charge of their future by building community-driven networks, strengthening civic engagement, and supporting towns as they lead from within. Local democracy is alive in Vermont, and it needs your support. We hope you will consider a year-end gift today! Your donation helps us serve rural communities directly and advance strong rural policy in Vermont. Thanks to all who have partnered, led, funded, and contributed to our work. We couldn’t do it without you!
Highlights and Updates from Towns We've Recently Worked With
Our Community Visit (CV) program engages towns in democratic community decision-making for their future community and economic vitality. (Visit our interactive map of CV’s through the years here).
In September, we completed the Sunderland Community Visit process where community members chose two priorities for action - create and improve community spaces and increase food access, and expand outdoor recreation trails and access - and signed up for local task force groups to move them forward. Read the report and learn more.
We have just launched our next CV process in New Haven. On November 6th, over 130 New Haven community members came together to brainstorm ideas for action in 4 facilitated forums and enjoyed a free community meal with live music. The community will come back together on December 11 to review the ideas that were brainstormed and choose top priorities for action. ALL New Haven community members — residents, business owners, those that work in town, students and families, and anyone who cares about New Haven — are invited to help shape the future! Learn more at: https://bit.ly/NewHavenTogether.
Our Municipal Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) offers free facilitation and technical support to help underserved communities build capacity and access resources.
Through MTAP, VCRD facilitated a community engagement process with Windham to help the community identify and prioritize goals, foster local leadership, connect to resources, and develop and realize achievable action plans. Through 2 public meetings, community members chose two priorities for action - expand community events and skill exchange and expand housing options - and signed up for task force groups to move them forward. Read the report and learn more.
Our Climate Economy Resilient Communities Program supports communities working on local resilience and climate action solutions.
Over the past few months, we have been working in Plainfield with a three-part Resilient Communities process to bring people together to set common visions, establish priorities, and line up for action around those goals. Building on the amazing efforts already underway, ten priorities emerged with the top two - Create a Housing Strategy and Create a Resilience Hub - building detailed action plans and connecting to resources. From here forward, all action is focused at the local task force level with follow up support from VCRD and resource providers as needed. See more here: https://bit.ly/PlainfieldForward.
Early in 2025, through their participation in our Resilient Communities process, Johnson formed task forces around food access, recreation, college/town connection, and downtown development to enhance recovery efforts and build resiliency after the impacts of recent flooding events (read the report and action plan here). Today, the Johnson Food Access group is an official town committee - Johnson EATS! They have already hosted two community meals and will be hosting a third in partnership with the Student Government Association at the Vermont State University Johnson on November 13th. The Town of Johnson was selected out of a national pool to participate in the EPA’s Recreation Economy for Rural Communities program. This program will help plan, align, and enhance Johnson’s recreational assets that build economic opportunities and vitality in the town. The Town is also working on a visioning and community input process for Legion Field, a critical community asset that supports many events and functions adjacent to the elementary school and relocated library. They are off to a strong start and we look forward to seeing what comes next!
To view past VCLN workshops, visit: vtrural.org/leadership-network/workshops/.
VCLN Workshop Series:
Uncertain Times Office Hours: Learning from Practitioners
Nonprofits and Community Groups are seeking ways to come together, to collaborate, and to share services as we face uncertainty. Join Vermont nonprofit practitioners already collaborating and sharing services for a one-hour office hour. Come with questions, challenges you are facing, requests for tools and templates. Each office hour will have a specific focus, from how to share benefits, partner on operations and services, and collaborate on programs. (Co-sponsors: Common Good Vermont, Vermont Council on Rural Development, and Leaves of Change VT)
1) Shared Services: Operational Back Office
December 5 | 12-1 PM | Virtual
Want to know how current nonprofits started sharing services? Want to know what should be included in agreements to share services? Ask questions of the nonprofit practitioners who manage shared services and meet other nonprofits interested in sharing services. Register here.
2) Collaborating and Partnering
January 12 | 12-1 PM | Virtual
Beyond sharing services, nonprofits can partner to deepen impacts, ensuring clients receive the support and services they rely on. In this time of reduction, how can partnerships help ensure programming doesn’t come to a stop? Come with questions for practitioners who have worked in, formed, and managed collaboratives. Register here.
“New Haven Comes Together” Community Visit Process
November 6 | December 11 | January 15
On December 11, New Haven community members will come back together for the 2nd step in the Community Visit process – a 3 month process to help the community identify and implement key priorities for the future. Participants will review, discuss, and prioritize ideas for action. Through dot-voting, community members will whittle down a list of action ideas to a few priorities and then sign up to join local task forces to move those priorities forward. Learn more at https://bit.ly/NewHavenTogether.
The Vermont Creative Network
The Vermont Creative Network brings together people working in every corner of Vermont’s creative sector – artists, entrepreneurs, community organizers, business leaders, and more – to share ideas and experiences, build relationships, and amplify our collective voice. Through networking events, webinars and workshops, and statewide convenings, they connect Vermont creatives to strengthen practices, businesses, and communities. See the list of their upcoming events here.
Survey for Working Lands Businesses and Service Providers
VCRD is the convenor and backbone of the Working Lands Coalition made up of organizations united in support of the Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI). WLEI, housed at the VT Agency of Agriculture, manages and invests over $1 million annually into farm, forest, and value-adding businesses that are at the foundation of the working landscape that benefits all Vermonters. WLEI is seeking feedback to help inform future funding opportunities. Farm and forest businesses, service providers, and producer associations are encouraged to take the survey as they work to make WLEI more accessible and equitable.
NEK Together 2025
November 18, 9am to 1pm @ Highland Center for the Arts. Cost: $25
The NEK Collaborative (NEKC) is hosting its annual gathering to bring leaders and engaged community members from across the Northeast Kingdom together to focus solely on the NEK and help set its work for 2026. The NEKC works to improve the quality of life for all residents of the NEK through coordinated economic and community development. Find out more and register here.
Vermont Council on Rural Development
9 Bailey Ave., PO Box 1384 Montpelier, VT 05601
(802) 223-6091 | https://www.vtrural.org
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