Economic Equity

Pursuing economic equity means investing grant dollars in ways that mitigate (and ideally, fix) systemic inequities and that build on Vermont’s strengths.

Homeownership

By investing in affordable housing, downtown, and village living with access to public transportation and infrastructure in rural villages and historic districts, we create new options for home ownership.

• Investing in efforts to build a range of home types for ownership, in compact, connected neighborhoods and villages with a range of transportation choices.

• Projects that pilot or expand models for shared financial equity, in rentals and home ownership.
• Increasing water and wastewater capacity to promote infill and bolster Vermont’s historic centers, particularly in rural villages.

Place-based Economic Development

When we invest in the assets of a community–be it a tech hub or a trail system–we strengthen opportunities for people and businesses to thrive.

• Downtown innovation and entrepreneurial hubs that support training and education, provide access to resources for organizational growth, and foster a culture of entrepreneurship.

• Efforts to build economies, such as outdoor recreation and technology, that maximize positive ripple effects in rural communities.
• Support economically and creatively vibrant downtowns and villages as important centers for the commercial opportunities that they offer entrepreneurs and their workforces, and as focal points of community pride.

Business Ownership and Entrepreneurship

This area will support employee ownership, businesses owned by women and other historically marginalized groups, and growing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Vermont.

• Promoting employee ownership of businesses, particularly during ownership transitions.
• Supporting development of businesses run by women and other systemically marginalized groups.
• Building culture and support for small-scale entrepreneurship.