Project Submission Deadline of September 8th Announced for 2024 Southern Vermont CEDS Update

Southern Vermont – A September 8th deadline has been announced for the annual submission of projects to be included in the 2019-2024 Southern Vermont Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). Any private or public entity directly responsible for implementation of a project in Southern Vermont is encouraged to submit a project for consideration. A project submission form, CEDS documents, and lists of past projects can be found at www.sovermontzone.com. At that website, prospective project submitters can also register for a lunchtime webinar taking place on July 11, 2023 at 12 pm. The webinar will review the CEDS objectives and the newly revised project submission form in detail.

The Southern Vermont CEDS, developed through a rigorous public engagement process, is a federally-approved five-year action plan for growing the region’s economy. Each year the CEDS is refreshed with the submission of new and updated “CEDS Projects.” These projects represent projects, programs and activities – both in progress and in the planning stages – that enhance the region’s economic competitiveness and vibrancy. The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) and Bennington County Regional Commission (BCRC) co-lead the plan development and annual updates.

Following the close of the annual submission period, project submissions are reviewed and ranked by a committee of volunteers from across the region. The ranking process considers how each project will advance CEDS objectives, as well as readiness to begin, partners, and funding. While the inclusion of a project in the CEDS update does not guarantee future investment, it does indicate to federal, state and philanthropic funders that a project aligns with regional goals and plans. 

New this year, submitters will also have the option to include additional information and indicate that they wish their project to be considered for inclusion in a list of priority projects sent to state agencies yearly by each of Vermont’s 12 Regional Development Corporations. These lists help to identify high priority projects for State of Vermont grant opportunities and Northern Borders Regional Commission investment. 

For more information about the CEDS, please visit www.SoVermontZone.com/ceds. 

For inquiries, questions, and clarifications, contact:

Rachel Shields Ebersole, Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (Windham Region)
rsebersole@brattleborodevelopment.com (802) 257-7731 x222

     OR

Jonathan Cooper, Bennington County Regional Commission (Bennington Region)
jcooper@bcrcvt.org  (802) 442-0713 ext. 311

About the Southern Vermont Economic Development Zone 

The Southern Vermont Economic Development Zone was created by act of the Vermont Assembly during the 2015 legislative session as a result of continued population and tax receipt decline. It comprises the geographic areas served by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation and the Bennington County Regional Commission. Work has been ongoing since 2015 with a Zone Committee report chaired by Wayne Granquist of Weston, the annual Southern Vermont Economy Summit held each May, and the USDA-funded Southern Vermont Economy Project sponsoring training sessions across Windham and Bennington counties for economic and workforce development entities. In 2019 the first SoVermont CEDS was completed and approved by the EDA. A proposal for federal designation of the zone as an EDA Economic Development District is underway.

The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC) is a private, nonprofit economic development organization with the mission of  investing in the drivers of the regional economy so that people, businesses, and communities in Southern Vermont can thrive. BDCC serves as the State of Vermont’s certified Regional Development Corporation (RDC) for the greater Windham County area (including Windham County and the towns of Readsboro, Searsburg, Winhall and Weston). BDCC is one of 12 RDCs throughout Vermont. BDCC activity is made possible in part by a grant from the State of Vermont through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. For more information visit: https://brattleborodevelopment.com/

About the Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies 

Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) is an affiliate of BDCC that grew from a 2008 grassroots effort, initiated by BDCC, to understand and create long term strategies needed to reverse the economic decline of the Windham Region and plan for the economic impacts from the closure of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant. In 2014, after multiple years of regional input, education and data gathering, SeVEDS received federal approval for the Windham Region’s federally recognized S.M.A.R.T. Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). SeVEDS partnered with Bennington’s Regional Economic Development Group in 2018 to develop the 2019 Southern Vermont Zone CEDS. For more information visit: www.seveds.com  

About the Bennington County Regional Commission (BCRC)

The Bennington County Regional Commission (BCRC) is one of 11 Regional Planning Commissions in Vermont, created by the seventeen towns and villages it serves in southwestern Vermont. The BCRC works on behalf of those municipalities to build strong, resilient and sustainable communities, to foster economic prosperity, and to promote a high quality of life for residents of the region. Since 2016, BCRC has operated as a combined Regional Planning Commission and Regional Development Corporation. For more information visit www.bcrcvt.org