Updates from VCRD - September 2026

Dear

In the 30 years VCRD has been supporting communities, we have seen Vermonters come together to strengthen civic life, spark local initiatives, and create new possibilities in housing, childcare, public infrastructure, and other projects that improve quality of life. Again and again real progress in small towns, villages, and rural places happens because local people step forward with energy, ideas, and determination, even when the challenges are steep.

If this resonates with you, the Community Leadership Summit is for all of you – the people who show up, who make things work, and who believe in what’s possible. This day is both a celebration of your commitment and an opportunity to support you. At the Summit, you’ll connect with others who are making a difference and gain tools, resources, and inspiration to carry your work forward.

If you’re unsure whether you’re a “leader” or whether this Summit is for you, it is. With twenty‑eight panels and workshops, there will be something for everyone. We offer a sliding‑scale registration fee, and scholarships are available upon request.



See you at the Summit!

The VCRD Team

The newly revised Leadership Guide will be available at the Summit!



The Vermont Community Leadership in Action Guide has been revised and will be available for no charge for all Summit Participants who want one. This year’s Summit is grounded in the guide with sessions that share practical tools and strategies for leadership and for advancing community projects. Because the Guide reflects a wide range of community‑identified priorities, leaders working on issues from climate resilience and housing to local economies, volunteer engagement, recreation, and community spaces will come together as speakers, presenters, and storytellers to share their experience and insight.

When the guide was first designed, our goal was to give new, emerging and experienced leaders a starting point with tips and strategies to frame local issues and move community and economic development projects forward. The revised guide expands on this foundation with timely topics relevant to today’s community leaders – such as Ethics in AI – while continuing to include evergreen topics such as facilitating in demanding moments, developing childcare and housing projects, and more.

The revised guide will be available in both hard copy and digital formats, and we will also offer a regularly updated online list of curated resources and contacts. You can access the current version of the guide on our website here: vtrural.org/guide/. The new version will be available on that page in the next few weeks. Register for the Summit today to pick up a hard copy for free!

VCRD's 2025 Annual Report

Read VCRD’s 2025 Annual Report for an overview of our work serving communities, building local leaders, and supporting local actions for growing the climate economy, improving youth opportunity, strengthening our working lands enterprises, and more.

VCRD is compiling stories as we approach the 30th anniversary of the Community Visit Program. Many thanks to Emily McClure, overall chair of the Craftsbury Community Visit, and Sharon Moffat, chair of the School Community Partnership Task Force, for sharing their reflections for this story.

How Craftsbury Turned Community Need into Lasting Childcare Solutions

Craftsbury’s Saplings childcare project is a story of a small town turning collective needs into real, lasting change through sheer community grit and imagination. What began after the 2015 Community Visit as a simple recognition that families were struggling quickly grew into a full‑blown movement, powered by young parents stepping into leadership and seasoned locals quietly guiding from behind the scenes. Together, they built a nonprofit from scratch, secured space and funding, navigated permits, and kept the community informed and energized, even as they weathered site changes, leadership shifts, and unexpected hurdles. A feasibility study revealed the need was even greater than anyone thought, expanding the project’s ambition and deepening local investment. Saplings opened in 2017 and is now exploring a new location to grow from 19 to 42 children served daily. Saplings shows how transformative things happen when a community casts a wide net for leaders, keeps people engaged at every step, and allows grassroots ideas to evolve into durable, homegrown solutions that strengthen families and the local economy.

Community Visit (CV) program
Engages towns in democratic community decision-making for their future community and economic vitality.

Wardsboro Turns Up
September 17 | October 15 | November 5

On September 17, Wardsboro community members will gather for the 1st step in VCRD’s Community Visit process – a 3-meeting process to help the community identify and implement key priorities for the future. At this meeting, participants will attend forums to share their ideas for Wardsboro’s future and enjoy a free community dinner with live music. Can’t attend in person? Join the Virtual Forum at 7pm covering all topics. Find out more, including information about Steps 2 and 3 at: https://bit.ly/WardsboroTurnsUp.

Climate Economy Resilient Communities Program
Supports communities working on local resilience and climate action solutions.

Peacham is Building a Town-Wide Approach to Energy Resiliency
In response to rising fuel prices and with an eye toward long-term energy resiliency, VCRD is supporting the Peacham Energy Committee (PEC) as it leads community conversation about people’s energy needs and concerns. Through tabling at the transfer station and attending meetings of local groups, PEC is sharing available resources and gathering ideas for how neighbors can support one another and stay safe this winter. The Committee has met with Aging Well In Peacham and other community groups to help residents lower heating costs and connect them with available assistance. This includes promoting the Window Dressers program, which provides low-cost window inserts to improve home efficiency, and sharing information about the Peacham Emergency Relief Fund, which can help households manage unexpected with unexpected fuel emergencies.

Climate Economy Innovation Fund 
Provides small grant funding to local climate innovators for their projects.

Climate Catalyst Innovations Fund is Accepting Applications

Applications will close October 14th at 5pm.

Applications are now open for the Climate Catalysts Innovation Fund (CCIF), a small catalytic grant program for local innovative climate projects. In the 5 past rounds, this fund has awarded 109 local innovators with over $345,500 in collective support for community-led climate and energy projects. Last year, CCIF recipient COVER Home Repair of White River Junction built a solar trailer that provides power to everything from work site tools to sound systems during events. See the full press release here.

“I’m so grateful to VCRD for providing COVER with the grant funding to make this solar trailer project possible,” said Conor Teal, Work Crew Leader at COVER. “It’ll make our worksites safer, more efficient, and hopefully inspire our volunteers and other contractors to move towards installing solar power systems at their workplaces or in their homes.”

Applications will close October 14th at 5pm. To apply and learn more about projects that have been funded across the state, visit the Innovation Fund website. For more information, contact Laura Cavin Bailey at laura@vtrural.org or 802-234-1646.

The Village Trust Initiative (VTI)
Offers expertise and funding to small towns working on transformational revitalization projects in their village.

Reading Community Trust Purchases the Grange

The Reading Community Trust (RCT) is celebrating the purchase of the historic Reading Grange in the village of Felchville! The VTI team is thrilled for Reading and is excited to hear they are showing up weekly to clean up and take care of their new building. The Grange is a significant building within the village center that sat vacant for several years. Excitement is building as the group works to reactivate this historic space. "It's a major milestone and it feels great," said RCT Vice President Christina Hedberg about closing on the Grange building this July. "It was a lot of work and took a long time to get here, but it’s exciting and energizing to be able to get to work on the fun parts of this project."

Other VTI Updates

VTI will be announcing its third and final cohort this fall. Stay tuned for updates in the next newsletter. In the meantime, check out the great progress and work of our current VTI communities by visiting their websites:

• Benson Village Trust: general store project (Rutland County)
• Greensboro Community Trust: church and parsonage adaptive reuse project (Orleans County)
• Lunenburg-Gilman Community Trust: Gilman Middle School reuse project (Essex County)
• New Haven Community Trust – Historic Society & Community Space in former train depot (Addison)
• Orwell Store Community Trust – General store project & Community Hub (Addison)
• Reading Community Trust: Multi-use community hub project (Windsor County)
• Rupert Village Trust – Community center project (Bennington)
• Sharon Community Trust – Multi-use church and community center project (Windsor)
• Snowsville Community Trust: Snowsville housing and community space project (Braintree, Orange County)
• West Fairlee Community Trust: Bean Hall Community Center project (Orange County)
• Wolcott Community Trust: schoolhouse rehabilitation project (Lamoille County)

Vermont Community Leadership Summit

Stories. Skills. Action

Join hundreds of community builders from across Vermont for a full day of connection, learning, and inspiration. The newly revised Vermont Community Leadership in Action Guide will anchor workshops, panels, group discussions, and networking throughout the day. 

Sessions will explore practical tools and strategies for leadership and facilitation skills, community engagement and volunteerism, local economic vitality, advancing community projects, and more. Whether you’re a longtime local leader or someone just starting to get involved, you’ll find space to learn, share, and gather ideas you can bring home to your community. All people who care about their town and the future of our state are encouraged to attend. Visit our website to learn more about breakout sessions, speakers and their bios, and the link to register: vtrural.org/summit. 

Interested in sponsoring? Find out more about Sponsorship Opportunities or reach out to denise@vtrural.org for more information. 

Summit Spotlight: EVERYDAY: Big and Small

The Summit includes some fantastic speakers including Bess O’Brien, American Film Producer and Director. Bess will host a snippet of her new documentary EVERYDAY – Big and Small, which highlights Vermonters creating connection, resilience, possibility, and joy in their communities and then lead a discussion on how Vermonters pull together and create miracles to create positive change. The documentary is touring Vermont from Sept 25 - Oct 11. For tour dates and a film trailer, click the poster above.

Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) Grants Opening in October | https://workinglands.vermont.gov

Applications are opening for a new round of WLEI grants for farm, forest product, and local food businesses as well as service providers and producer associations that work with these types of businesses.

• Business Enhancement Grants will be open October 9 - December 10.
• Trade Show Assistance Grants will be open December 4 - January 20.
• Service Provider and Producer Association Grants will be open September 17 - November 5.

All grants will have an informational webinar at the beginning of the application period. Read through the overview of each grant here and contact working.lands@vermont.gov or 802-917-2637 with any questions.

VLCT Town Fair | https://vlct.org/town-fair-2026

October 7 | 8am-4:30pm | DoubleTree, South Burlington

Join municipal officials from across Vermont for the VCLT's annual flagship event for learning, networking, and celebrating the people who serve Vermont’s cities and towns. This year's theme, Celebrating 250 Years of Local Leadership, honors the dedicated local officials, employees, and volunteers whose leadership has shaped Vermont's towns and cities for generations. As Vermont and the nation commemorate 250 years, we'll reflect on the enduring effect of local government while exploring the opportunities and challenges that will define the next chapter of municipal leadership. Together, we'll celebrate the past, strengthen today's communities, and inspire the local leaders who will guide Vermont into the future.

VCDA Fall Conference 2026 | https://vtcda.org/fallconference2026.html

Cutting the Strings: ​Getting to Know the Flexible Funding Sources Beyond Grants

October 14, 2026 | 9am-4pm | Vergennes Opera House

Vermont communities are often asked to do more with less. Moving a good project forward means navigating a maze of grants, restrictions, applications, and timelines. The conference will explore tools beyond traditional grant sources that can give communities greater flexibility, local control, and the ability to move projects forward on their own timelines. Join fellow community champions, municipal leaders, planners, and development partners for a day of ideas, practical strategies, and candid conversations about how Vermont communities can take greater control of their financial future.

2026 Energy Action Network Summit | https://eanvt.org/2026-summit/

September 23 | 8:30am-6pm | Farmhouse at the Essex Resort

The EAN Summit will feature Keynote Panel: Powering Progress: Energy Leadership and Innovation – a View from Vermont Utilities and Energy Service Providers, unveiling of the 2026 EAN Annual Progress Report for Vermont on Energy, Affordability, and Emissions, presentations responding to the question: “What should the EAN Network know or focus on now to help Vermont and Vermonters cut costs and pollution from continued overreliance on fossil fuels?” as well as opportunities to connect and network. 

Vermont Nonprofit Summit | https://commongoodvt.org/vermont-nonprofit-summit/

November 10 | DoubleTree, South Burlington

Centered on the theme Creating Tomorrow, Together: Vermont’s Nonprofits Leading the Way, this year’s Summit will bring hundreds of nonprofit professionals, board members, funders, advocates, and community changemakers together to explore how Vermont nonprofits are shaping a stronger, more resilient future. Expect a day filled with inspiring speakers, practical learning, and, most importantly, meaningful opportunities to connect, collaborate, and build relationships with peers from across the state. 

Vermont Statewide Housing Conference | https://vhfa.org/conference

November 18

This is the state’s largest affordable housing-focused event occurring every 2 years and drawing hundreds of housing professionals from across Vermont. Organized by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency, with help from the multi-agency Steering Committee, the conference offers sessions and networking opportunities focused on today's most pressing housing issues in Vermont and beyond.