12 minute read
Recovering Stronger
Building resiliency and closing the opportunity gap
“The $13 million of emergency grant inquiries last year crystallized our role in the pandemic. The conditions that already set many Vermonters back before they got to the starting line were accelerated as jobs were lost, families struggled with child care and remote school, people were isolated physically and socially, and many small businesses and nonprofits closed their doors. The grantmaking made possible by the remarkable commitments of hundreds of
Vermonters and Vermont businesses was
designed to flexibly respond to the changing circumstances of the crisis. It helped fill the gaps in basic needs such as food and shelter, and set the stage for a lasting and resilient recovery that closes the opportunity gap across the state.“
—Sarah Waring
Vice President for Grants and Community Investments
Warriors of Connectivity
RURAL CONNECTIVITY: Connecting to the internet is now more than ever a basic need. Solving the broadband challenge means addressing affordability for families and small businesses as well as the limited infrastructure that leaves some regions unserved.
As the world went remote last year, Ellingwood White was among the warriors who recognized the role libraries would play to prevent Vermonters from falling further behind, ensuring they could continue to work and learn, and keep them connected. “On any given day, we had teachers trying to teach remote classes, students trying to access classes, people applying for Medicaid for their elderly parents, unemployed people looking for jobs, Veterans seeking benefits, and people of all ages doing telehealth,” she said.
It was exactly those Vermonters who were most at risk of seeing the opportunity gap widen during the pandemic. In response, the Vermont Community Foundation, in partnership with the Vermont
Department of Libraries, targeted grants to support community connectivity and broadband access at libraries in Vermont’s nine Communication Union Districts (CUDs). Although Canaan was outside of a formal CUD at the time, the Alice M. Ward Library was one of more than 100 libraries that received $1,500 grants to upgrade equipment, create safe indoor spaces through improved air filtration, and establish computer lending programs.
The pandemic made clear that connectivity is core to resilience in today’s world.
Public-private partnerships like this one that bring resources, creative solutions, and funds together are critical to expanding access to the 70,000 Vermonter households that do not currently have reliable internet. However, it is not only a question of infrastructure. The Community Foundation’s support of the nine CUDs also includes funding to build business models, hire for critical staffing needs, and leverage state and federal dollars, so that equitable access— household by household—is front and center in designing connectivity for the future.
In the meantime, rural connectivity warriors like Sharon Ellingwood White are better able to provide high speed internet access to patrons who are otherwise at the end of the line and—in her words— “make sure nobody walks away until they are served, safe, and connected.”
Pictured on Page 5: Kathy Smith teaches class from her car outside the Alice M. Ward Memorial Library during the pandemic.
Mountain Bikes and Entrepreneurs: The Case for “Placemaking”
RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: The pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of concentrating economic activity in a particular place. Expanding rural business creation throughout the state is critical for recovering from an economic downturn.
When Zac Freeman, co-founder of the Rochester/Randolph Area Sports Trail Alliance, mountain bikes the newly built trail behind Vermont Technical College, he’s thinking about more than the fresh air and exercise. For Zac and other entrepreneurs in the outdoor sector, expanding and improving recreational opportunities in Vermont is key to creating the kind of vibrant communities that attract economic growth.
The exact recipe for entrepreneurism in Vermont is a combination of bustling downtowns, reliable internet, outdoor recreation, affordable housing, and inclusive communities that embrace diverse new ideas. But we know that many people first come to Vermont to experience our mountains, lakes, forests, and trails, then choose to stay
as they become rooted in our strong sense of community.
“People rediscovered a connection to the outdoors in record numbers during COVID-19, highlighting that outdoor recreation is central, not ancillary, to our quality of life,” said Jessica Savage, recreation program manager at the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.
Additionally, the pandemic showed the world that concentrating business in urban areas is not the only model for success.
COVID-19 exposed the inherent vulnerability of an economy dominated by consolidation. As supply chains were disrupted around the globe, people turned to local businesses, both out of necessity and in support of their neighbors, demonstrating how a strong local network of interconnected small businesses can weather a storm. The case has been firmly made for working where we live and play.
That’s why the Vermont Community Foundation joined the State of Vermont’s Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative last year to support six communities-—including Rochester—that are working to develop and capitalize on their outdoor assets. Investing in recreation infrastructure, as well as vibrant downtowns, brings more people to Vermont, helps employers attract and retain talent, and creates a strong sense of place.
While Zac Freeman builds trails in Rochester, others are working to revitalize downtowns and village centers with pocket parks, cultural programs, events, and winter markets, thanks to $1.5 million in grants through the Better Places program, a statewide program supported by the Community Foundation in partnership with the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.
Supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs directly with grants to business incubators like Do North Coworking, Black River Innovation Campus, and Generator and through partnerships with Vermont Startup Collective and the Center on Rural Innovation—and indirectly by investing in the qualities that make Vermont an attractive place to live—are the path to economic resiliency.
Opposite Page: Mountain bikers enjoy a new trail in Randolph. Expanding recreational opportunities is key to creating vibrant communities that attract economic growth.
Relentless Collaboration:
Feed Vermonters, Support Farmers
FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCE: At a time of national disruption, our local food system stepped up to ensure all Vermonters were fed. We need to capture and expand on the lessons learned to support the longterm viability of our farms and ensure our families are fed.
Last spring, amid the early uncertainty of the pandemic, Vermont dairy farmers faced a problem. Changes in demand had created a surplus of raw milk, and the farmers were left with few options other than to dump the milk and absorb the lost income. At the same time, the Vermont Foodbank was seeing nearly a 100 percent increase in demand. Working with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and a number of other partners, the Vermont Community Foundation granted $60,000 to the Vermont Foodbank to bridge the divide. Rather than going to waste, the milk was sent to Green Mountain Creamery and HP Hood, who together processed 42,000 cups of yogurt and 11,500 gallons of milk, all of which was donated to the Vermont Foodbank.
“The 42,000 cups of yogurt is not the whole story,” said Allison Mindel, chief philanthropy officer at the Vermont Foodbank. “The collaboration drew attention to other small farms, attracting additional investments to connect local dairy farmers with community needs. We were able to tell small family farms in Vernon and Waitsfield that someone was willing to buy their product, while providing Vermonters with fresh, locally-produced food.”
This kind of “relentless collaboration” between government organizations, nonprofits, philanthropy, and individuals contributing to the cause is central to better connecting our local food system with local need—not just in an emergency, but every day. “We are all part of the same system,” said Mindel. “No one organization can end hunger in Vermont alone.”
Equally important to in-state collaboration is support for expanding to new markets for Vermont products in other northeast states. As demand for regional food products rose dramatically during COVID-19, the Community Foundation and the High Meadows Fund partnered with the Vermont Food Hub Collaborative to launch Vermont Way Foods, which brands and markets Vermont food products to regional customers beyond Vermont’s borders. These new markets provide an additional path to long-term economic viability for Vermont farmers, producers, and restaurants.
Strengthening connections both within and outside of Vermont leads to improved health outcomes for Vermonters, a reduced environmental footprint, security for farmers, and a stronger economy. When Vermonters have access to healthy, nourishing food, they can show up to school ready to learn, to work ready to contribute, and to life ready to meet their potential—all fundamental to closing the opportunity gap.
Below: Dairy farmers sent raw milk to Green Mountain Creamery and HP Hood, which made yogurt for the Vermont Foodbank.
Supporting Students,
Advancing Economic Mobility
LEARNERS IN TRANSITION: Dislocated workers in low-wage jobs and recent graduates were hard hit by the pandemic. We see an opportunity to provide clarity around pathways to education and career training that lead to promising jobs in today’s market.
College had always seemed out of reach to Nick, something only students with college savings accounts and internet at home could dream about. Graduating last year amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, Nick took a full-time job as a personal care assistant, shelving his creative ambition and hopes of someday becoming a graphic designer.
When Nick learned that graduating high school students in Vermont could take a free class at the Community College of Vermont (CCV), he felt his dreams rekindle. He signed up for a graphic design class—a field recognized as a “best bet” career training program by the McClure Foundation in partnership with the Vermont Department of Labor for its potential to lead to a good-paying job.
Nick was among more than 600 Vermont high-school graduates who took advantage of the McClure Foundation’s gift for graduating students, which was complemented by an additional $700,000 in grants by the Vermont Community Foundation to boost programing at state colleges and provide stipends to students who enroll in CCV’s Early College program. In a year marked by a record number of deferrals and declining enrollment at community colleges nationwide, enrollment at CCV doubled in 2020, inspiring several million dollars of follow-on investment in free courses for Vermonters and offering insight into how Vermont can close the opportunity gap.
Igniting that spark of possibility and helping students like Nick attend college is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet in advancing economic mobility and bolstering Vermont’s workforce.
By supporting “best bet” career paths and expanding programs available at our state colleges, we can keep more young people living and working here in Vermont. Making education and training after high school accessible—regardless of where you were born or your family background—is one of the most powerful mechanisms we have to create opportunity for Vermonters.
Pictured: More than 600 Vermont high-school graduates enrolled in a free class at CCV, more than doubling enrollment in 2020.
Anti-Racist Schools, A More Welcoming Vermont
WELCOMING, EQUITABLE, ANTI-RACIST COMMUNITIES: As demographic trends show more diversity in Vermont’s future, we recognize the importance of creating communities where current and new Vermonters feel welcome and set up for success.
Following the murder of George Floyd last year, a group of students at Bellows Free Academy in Fairfax got together to discuss what they were feeling and experiencing, both as high school students and in response to events unfolding around the country. With the support of their principal, John Tague, the students formed the Fairfax Racial Justice Alliance, a student group dedicated to anti-racism and inclusion in their school, eventually raising the Black Lives Matter flag and identifying areas for improvement
across disciplinary policies, mental health resources, and curriculum.
Vermont about equity and racial justice has led to strong student voice in our schools,” said Mike McRaith, assistant executive director of the Vermont Principals’ Association.
“In many areas, student groups are pushing a broader conversation in the community, creating an opportunity for us to learn, engage, and move forward together.”
Those conversations, and the work happening in schools across the state, are essential to creating welcoming, anti-racist communities in Vermont. Last year, the Vermont Community Foundation granted $150,000 to the Vermont Principals’ Association, Vermont Superintendents Association, and Vermont School Boards Association to support efforts to improve equitable practices and outcomes for all students.
“Not only is this work the right thing to do,” said McRaith, “it also honors the goals of public education to create engaged, knowledgeable citizens who will be the leaders of tomorrow. We have a lot of problems in the world, and we need everyone’s talent and energy contributing to a sustainable, equitable, and vibrant future. When we push students out of the school system, we lose that potential.”
Changing school culture is one of many foundational ways Vermont can become more welcoming and inclusive to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals. Our statewide institutions are vital leverage points for addressing systemic racism, and present an opportunity for communities to engage and address racial equity, diversity, and social justice. As part of this strategy, the Community Foundation also supports BIPOC-led organizations including the Vermont Professionals of Color Network, Clemmons Family Farm, JAG Productions, and Atowi, which are creating welcoming spaces, leadership opportunities, and youth-focused programs in their communities.
Doing so is a pragmatic as well as a moral imperative for the future of Vermont. As in the schools, when people are pushed out of businesses, local government, or out of Vermont altogether, we lose the potential to build up a stronger, more resilient Vermont. Breaking down those barriers will not only help Vermont recover from the pandemic, but will also serve to close the opportunity gap, attract new and diverse ideas, and create communities where everyone feels safe and welcome.
Pictured Below: Youth in Montpelier run along the Black Lives Matter mural on State Street in Montpelier. Student groups are pushing broad conversations about race in Vermont communities.
