The Vermont Chamber continues to advocate for the full balance of the FY2021 appropriation for the economic recovery grants to remain available to businesses for its original purpose, disbursed from VEDA in a forgivable loan program. The current version of the omnibus economic development bill would repurpose the $26 million left over for the Capital Investment Program and brownfield revitalization, and appropriate $20 million of federal relief funds to the VEDA forgivable loan program, leaving struggling businesses $6 million short. At a time when more Vermont businesses are reporting even more financial difficulties than earlier in the pandemic, this program cannot be shortchanged.