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GROW Grants Will Enhance Workforce Recruitment

January 12, 2024

GROW Grants Will Enhance Workforce Recruitment

Twelve partner organizations were announced as recipients of funding through the Grants for Relocation Outreach Work (GROW) program, an initiative that the Vermont Chamber championed funding for in the last legislative session. The grant, administered by the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing, will have a positive impact on workforce recruitment and retention. It is an essential step forward to addressing Vermont’s demographic crisis. The GROW grants are divided into two tracks – the Regional Relocation Network Track and the Outreach Track.

Regional Relocation Network Track: Grantees will complement and support the State’s relocation lead generation and distribution system on ThinkVermont.com. Grantees will be required to connect with and follow up on generated leads of potential residents interested in moving to their area.

Addison County Economic Development Corporation
Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation
Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce
Montpelier Downtown Community Association
Northern Forest Center
Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region
Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce
Vermont Professionals of Color Network

Outreach Track: Grantees will organize events and/or conduct activities that promote their region to prospective residents and/or help new residents feel welcome in their new community. Events can target recently relocated families and individuals or potential new residents to support their relocation to Vermont. This track could also include the creation of regional marketing assets to assist with outreach.

Addison County Economic Development Corporation
Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation
Chandler Center for the Arts
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce
Montpelier Downtown Community Association
Southern Vermont Deerfield Valley Chamber of Commerce
Northern Forest Center
Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region
Southwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce
Vital Communities

January 12, 2024

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House Overrides Bottle Bill Veto

January 5, 2024

House Overrides Bottle Bill Veto

The House voted to override a veto on last session’s “bottle bill,” setting a new trajectory for beverage container management and raising concerns for manufacturers, distributors, and retailers alike. The bill has the potential to disrupt existing recycling infrastructure with an increase in handling fees and the required participation in producer responsibility organizations. The widened scope of the bill could strain current systems, leading to inefficiencies and increased financial burdens on taxpayers.

The bill rewrites the state’s recyclable beverage container redemption law, redefining the scope of “beverage” and “container,” to incorporate an extensive range of liquid products. It includes the introduction of a 5-cent refund on water and sports drink bottles while imposing a 15-cent deposit on wine bottles by 2027. Additionally, it mandates that manufacturers and distributors take part in a producer responsibility organization that is tasked with managing the collection and disposal of these containers.

January 5, 2024

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House Commerce Committee Hears Economic Data from Vermont Future’s Project

January 5, 2024

House Commerce Committee Hears Economic Data from Vermont Future’s Project

The first testimony of the session in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee was from the Vermont Chamber’s foundation, the Vermont Futures Project. Kevin Chu, the Executive Director, presented data on the need to increase the Vermont population to 802,000 by 2035 and housing inventory to 350,000 non-seasonal units by 2035. Members of the committee agreed that we need a new story for Vermont, one that encourages more people to live and work here.

Legislators, many of whom connected with the Vermont Futures Project in recent months during the statewide tour to inform the 2024 Economic Plan for Vermont, expressed enthusiasm for finding innovative solutions to recruit people to live and work in our state. The Vermont Chamber will be working with legislators this session to identify and advance policy solutions to our workforce crisis. In particular, we will continue to advocate on the need for a sustained multi-year investment to expand our image beyond a travel destination. This must be additional funding so that it complements the revenue from our tourism economy, instead of restricting it. This strategic approach to elevate Vermont’s achievements to combat our declining demographics will pay dividends for Vermonters, communities, and state revenue.

January 5, 2024

RECENT ADVOCACY NEWS