Upcoming Events

Vermont Emergency Management - Lunch & Learn

12/17/25 - 12:00 - 1:00 pm (Virtual Meeting)

Session Topic: When All Else Fails: Communicating During Helene, Real lessons from Hurricane Helene on how to stay connected when every system goes down.

Register here >> More info in the VEM newsletter @ https://vem.vermont.gov/contact-us/newsletter/december25

TIF & CHIP Webinar Series

In January, a series of three webinars will explain to municipal leaders and first-time learners the steps to take in responsibly using tax increment financing (TIF) to implement the new Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP). Webinars on Thu 1/8, Tue 1/13, and Thu 1/15 will be presented by the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) in coordination with the Vermont Economic Progress Council (VEPC). More details here >>

CVRPC Clean Water Advisory Committee: Winter Road Maintenance Strategies for Municipalities 

Join the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission (CVRPC), UVM Extension, and the Vermont Agency of Transportation to learn about Winter Road Maintenance Strategies for Municipalities.

Date 8 January 2026 | Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

In person: CVRPC Office, 29 Main Street, Suite 4 Montpelier, VT 05602

Online: via Zoom link on Meeting Agenda - Registration required

Use of salt to prevent ice from forming on roads and other surfaces is important to protect public safety, but salt can negatively impact the environment, including our waterways. Join us for an interactive session designed for municipal snowplow crews, local leaders, board members, and anyone interested in supporting snow and ice management best practices. This presentation will feature town-to-town learning and sharing, along with practical guidance on low-salt best practices that keep roads, parking lots, and driveways safe while reducing salt use to protect the environment, preserve infrastructure, and cut costs.

Central VT Trail Manager Meet-up

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 (Snow date: Thursday, January 29) 

5:30 - 7:30 PM 

UVM Extension Office in Berlin 

(Registration form coming soon)

Are you a volunteer or staff member responsible for taking care of trails in a town forest, school, town park, nature center, or in a conserved area? Are you a trail manager interested in connecting with other groups who do similar work in the area? 

If so, the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission and the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council (VTGC) are teaming up to host a regional trail manager meet-up this January 2026. Save the date!

Community News

Municipal Planning Grant (MPG) Awards

On December 10th, Department of Housing and Community Development announced the award of just over $1 million in grant funds. The following Central Vermont municipalities were included in the grant awards for a total of $87,558.00

• City of Montpelier - Flood Resilience Planning - A plan to re-envision the river’s edge in Montpelier for improved flood resilience, river access, and clean water.
• East Montpelier - Planning for Designated Area - Develop an adoptable master plan for the Historic Village of North Montpelier to guide resilient housing, infrastructure, connectivity, food security, and economic revitalization—grounded in community engagement and climate adaptation.
• Middlesex - Zoning and Subdivision Bylaw - Providing more opportunities for housing in areas already developed, while improving flood and hazard resilience for homes, families and town roads, and encouraging better forest, wildlife and natural resource planning for the future of Middlesex.
• Waterbury - Natural Resource Planning - Waterbury Conservation Commission seeks funds to complete a Natural Resource Inventory in advance of town's planned zoning and subdivision bylaws.

CDBG-DR Awards Announced

Disaster recovery grants for housing and flood mitigation were announced on December 10th. In the Central Vermont region, the following awards are noted:

Downstreet Housing & Development projects in Montpelier and Barre for a total of 52 new rental units and 4 home ownership units.

Infrastructure grants for the Good Samaritan Haven in Barre to move its emergency shelter out of the floodplain and in Cabot to complete a bridge replacement project.

Flood mitigation projects include Waterbury's Randall Meadow Project.

Planning for flood mitigation and housing grants include Waterbury to prepare a parcel behind Brookside school for future affordable and/or senior housing; and CVRPC for a flood study and modeling focused on the Winooski watershed for future mitigation projects.

The state will be opening a second grant application found for additional housing applications with a February deadline. Additional details here>>

News from AVCC

The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) is proud to announce the relaunch of a quarterly e-newsletter, The Seedling, beginning with the publication of the November 2025 issue (see attached) - a mix of reports on recent conservation commission activities, articles on relevant conservation topics, profiles of volunteer leaders, and listings of resources, events and opportunities 

Grants & Funding Opportunities

Small Scale Local Safety Grant Opportunity

There is a short list of approved projects that can be funded up to $50,000. Please review the attached announcement for more information. Submissions are due Monday, February 2, 2026, by 2pm. CVRPC Transportation & Emergency Keith Cubbon is available for assistance at cubbon@cvregion.com or 802-262-1022

Department of Libraries' Public Facilities Preservation Initiative Grant

The Department of Libraries’ Public Facilities Preservation Initiative Grant application opened on December 3, 2025 and will close on March 31, 2026. Applicants can find the link to the application, application and rubric worksheets, and guidance from the Department about this grant online: https://libraries.vermont.gov/capitalprojectgrants/public-facilities-preservation

Libraries interested in applying for a Public Facilities Preservation Initiative Grant through the Department of Libraries are encouraged to review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) webpage: https://libraries.vermont.gov/capitalprojectgrants/public-facilities-preservation/hud-faq/ If you have a question about the program that is not addressed in the FAQ, please send your inquiry in writing to: LIB.VTLIBCapitalGrants@vermont.gov. 

State of Vermont Municipal Climate Planning Guide Pilot Program

An opportunity for municipal climate planning technical assistance. Over the last year, the State of Vermont Climate Action Office has been working to develop a Framework and Guide to support municipal climate planning in line with State climate goals and priorities. The Climate Action Office is seeking to identify six communities to participate in a nine month pilot program. These six communities will receive drafts of the guide, and technical assistance from Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs),the Siler Climate Consulting project team, and the Climate Action Office to test out the draft guide to inform the final resource which will be available by the end of 2026.

Throughout the pilot, technical assistance will be provided to participating municipalities. You can view the pilot program application here. The Climate Action Office is reviewing applications on a rolling basis, but to be considered, please plan to apply no later than December 31st. They plan to make selections and kick off the program in January 2026.

There is an upcoming public meeting about the program on December 16 at 12 PM, which is a great way to see if the pilot would be a good fit for your upcoming work. Register for the meeting by clicking here. If you have any questions prior to that, you can email peyton@silerclimateconsulting.com.