The Vermont Climate Economy Model Communities Program helps communities build and implement priority actions that increase economic vitality and affordability in a time of climate change. The ultimate goal is to help communities model rapid change by implementing energy efficiency, transportation system transformation, renewable energy generation, working lands development, and entrepreneurship and business incubation to spur economic progress. The Model Communities Program, a partnership that includes the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), Efficiency Vermont, Vermont utilities, and other partners, provides concentrated services with two communities annually to model effective change at a rapid rate. Pownal and the greater Middlebury area were selected as the first two communities to participate in the program and two communities for work in 2018 will be chosen in January.
For those interested in learning more about the program, here are a few resources:
- A 1-page information sheet about the program.
- The RFP application and two timeline diagrams of the application process and the 2018 program calendar.
- A Frequently-Asked-Questions document from the first application period.
- A program overview Webinar was hosted on December 12, 2017 during the application period to provide an overview of the program, a report on our work in Pownal and Middlebury, and to answer questions about the application process. View the Powerpoint presentation used for the webinar.
We welcome inquiries from communities interested in participating and organizations interested in partnering on this initiative. Please contact Jon Copans at jon@vtrural.org or (802) 225-6393 with any questions.
