Policy Councils provide forums for in-depth study and concrete policy recommendations around issues of importance to rural Vermont.
The Vermont Rural Energy Council (VREC) was a 2-year project (2006-2007) developed by VCRD to provide a non-partisan analysis of opportunities in rural electric generation, fuel development and energy efficiency in Vermont. VREC’s review of economic opportunities included three main inputs: from leaders in the field, from fact-based research on the status of this economic…
Imagining Vermont: Values and Vision for the Future is the final report of the Council on the Future of Vermont. With the publication of this report, the findings of the Council are no longer ours alone. The report is a contribution toward action. It is for the people of Vermont to use to move Vermont…
The Council on the Future of Vermont and St. Michael’s Center for Social Science Research are proud to release Vermont in Transition: A Summary of Social, Economic and Environmental Trends. This book covers the major changes in fourteen public policy issues areas in Vermont over the past two decades. St. Michael’s College researchers worked in…
This compendium of findings highlights priority topic areas that have emerged through VCRD’s body of work, and considers challenges identified by communities, some of the accomplishments of VCRD at the community and policy level, and unmet community development needs in Vermont. Read the “Rural Development in Vermont: Community & Policy Findings” Report.
A final report for the Creative Communities Program was presented back to each of the 12 participating communities. These summarized the public meetings and brainstorming sessions, captured the direction each community pursued, and listed specific resources for their priority projects. Read the Creative Communities Final Report Town-Specific Reports: Read an overview of…
From 2007 to 2008 the Council on the Future of Vermont traveled around the state holding public forums and met with farmers, nurses, students, veterans, seniors, businesspeople, advocates, low income and working Vermonters. These meetings were in both large public forums and smaller focus groups. One public forum was held in every county and over…
The Vermont Rural Energy Council (VREC) was developed by the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) to provide a non-partisan analysis of opportunities in rural electric generation, fuel development, and energy efficiency in Vermont. Based on inputs and on the knowledge and experience of Council members, the Vermont Rural Energy Council crafted a set of…
Based on the inputs and the knowledge and experience of Council members, the Vermont Rural Energy Council crafted a set of recommendations for actions that would advance rural energy generation, fuel development, and efficiency in Vermont. These recommendations include: Systematically Advancing a Vermont Renewable Energy Program Expanding Net Metering Adopting Clean Energy Policies Constructing an…
The creative economy is critical to the future competitiveness of Vermont in the global marketplace. Vermont’s heritage, arts and culture are integral strengths. They are an economic sector in Vermont today; they also provide a foundation to the sense of place and creative workforce critical to innovation in other sectors, add value to the Vermont…
In November 2001, the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) established the Vermont Agriculture Viability Council (VAVC). VCRD’s goal was to develop a “strategic plan” that would further the continuing evolution of Vermont’s vital dairy industry and foster the continuing growth of Vermont’s “diversified” agricultural enterprises. Read the “Vermont Agriculture Viability Council” Final Report.