Vermont Governor Phil Scott focused on rural economic revitalization grants during his weekly briefing today.
The Republican visited the Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium in St. Johnsbury where construction is underway on a 6,000-square foot, three story science annex. More than $400,000 in funding for the $4.7 million project came from the state’s Capital Investment Program, which has allocated over $10 million for projects using American Rescue Plan Act funds to support economic recovery.
Governor Scott stood next to the construction site to announce the launch of a new Community Recovery and Revitalization Program.
“The $40 million economic program we’re launching today include investments similar to the one we’re highlighting here today at the Fairbanks Museum. The construction you see behind us received money from many sources. One that helped get it over the finish line was the over $400-thousand they received from the state’s Capital Investment Program. These are the types of projects that across this state will help revitalize our rural economies. And we hope this program will help keep the momentum going, to fix up old buildings, allow businesses to expand, create more housing and child care and allow municipalities to set themselves up for a bright future.”
Department of Economic Development Commissioner Joan Goldstein says the two grant programs, including the new one announced Tuesday, will make a difference in growing the state’s economy while addressing some critical issues including housing and child care.
“The Community and Revitalization and Recovery, we call it CRRP for short, will provide grants to for-profit, nonprofit and municipal applicants. That is the largest difference between the prior Capital Investment Program and the program we’re launching today. The funding is intended for projects that will make capital improvements or capital expansion that spur economic recovery and revitalization in communities across the state.”
Eligible projects must assist industries most affected by the pandemic including arts and entertainment, recreation, hospitality, agriculture, educational services. Grants are also available for capital expenditures that support child care, affordable housing, and municipal water and wastewater systems.
Commissioner Goldstein said the application portal for the grants is open.
“The applications will be on a rolling basis but we do have prioritization. We will only review in the first thirty days applications that are from BIPOC owned or managed businesses or nonprofits or from communities that are not in the metropolitan statistical area. In plain English that means applicants that are from Caledonia, Orleans, Essex, Addison, Bennington, Lamoille, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham and Windsor counties. So trying to get to the communities outside of the northwestern part of the state. We are thrilled that municipalities can now apply for these grants in addition to the businesses and nonprofits.”
The award amount under the new program is up to 20 percent of the project cost or 1 million dollars, whichever is less.
