Montpelier, VT—The Vermont Natural Resources Council is pleased to announce the latest grant recipients for the Small Grants for Smart Growth program. Grantee selections are made by VNRC and a grant selection committee on a rolling basis. The Committee chose the Bridport Housing Task Force, the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region, and the South Burlington Energy Committee to be awarded a combined $6,750 in the most recent round of funding.  

The Small Grants for Smart Growth grant initiative was developed by VNRC in 2018 in partnership with Beth Humstone, co-founder of the Vermont Forum on Sprawl and former chair of the VNRC Board of Directors, and her son, Chris Gignoux, to support community-based programs seeking seed capital to provide capacity for affecting change on a local level. 

“When my son and I developed the idea of a small grant program to encourage community actions to support smart growth, we were thrilled when VNRC embraced the concept and agreed to take it on,” says Humstone. 

The recipient selection process is done in partnership with VNRC, Humstone, Gignoux, and community leaders looking to initiate programming and then work with VNRC to make these visions a reality. This process aims to foster participatory and collaborative work between VNRC and grant recipients. Since its inception, the Small Grants for Smart Growth fund has disbursed more than $50,000 to Vermont-based programs. 

VNRC Executive Director Lauren Hierl sees these small grants as being part of a groundswell of community support needed to allow Vermonters to flourish. “When we invest in smart growth, we are supporting an approach to land development that aims to create thriving communities with housing for people of all ages, transportation choices, unique local spaces, and healthy farms, forests, and natural areas,” Hierl says. “Each project – whether big or small – helps shape Vermont today and into the future.” 

The Bridport Housing task Force plans to use the awarded funds to conduct a design charrette for a potential housing development in the village center that would be built to offer a variety of affordability and housing options. “Our goal is to promote the kind of development that provides more affordable housing, tied to transportation infrastructure and local retail that also preserves open land for recreational and agricultural use,” says Albert Zaccor, Chair of the Bridport Housing Task Force. “Rural areas like ours need State support to overcome the practical and financial challenges of increasing the housing supply.”  

For the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region, the $2,500 will be used to bring together a working group of stakeholders, designers and community members to develop an alternative vision for the space vacated by the downtown Walmart that is closing its doors. 

The Chamber’s Executive Director, Lyle Jepson, explains that the organization’s goal for the use of the small grant funds is to, “preserve the historical integrity of the area, simultaneously enhancing downtown foot traffic vibrancy,” and he continues, “The Small Grants for Smart Growth grant comes at a particularly important time as we begin to navigate the recently approved Tax Increment Finance District process, which will be a tool for supporting infrastructure enhancements that will allow for planful development.” 

For the South Burlington Energy Committee, the awarded funds will go towards hosting a Climate Action Plan event for the city of South Burlington with the goal of educating the public about energy efficiency, weatherization and public transportation options that support sustainable living practices. 

All three grant recipients are stewarding programs that will provide building blocks for their communities to thrive and, as Hierl explains, “By working with community leaders who are looking to take an impactful step forward in a local smart growth project, VNRC’s Small Grants for Smart Growth can help catalyze big change in Vermont communities.”