State launches $40 million Community Recovery and Revitalization Program


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Application Now Open for Businesses, Nonprofits, and Municipalities Investing in Eligible Capital Projects

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) today announced the launch of the $40 million Community Recovery and Revitalization Program (CRRP) application at the Fairbanks Museum in St Johnsbury. This new program, proposed by the Scott Administration and passed by the Legislature through Acts 183 and 185, is funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support capital investment projects that will assist Vermont’s economic recovery effort.

CRRP’s application opening comes on the heels of the Capital Investment Program (CIP), a previous program that allocated $10 million for similar types of projects, approving another round of grants including a grant to Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium.

CRRP grants are available to for-profit, nonprofit, and municipal applicants for projects that: 

  • Assist industries most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic such as arts and entertainment, hospitality, agriculture, and educational services; 
  • Support childcare and affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income households; 
  • Establish or improve municipal water and wastewater systems to build housing or create jobs through business creation and expansion; or 
  • Are located with a Qualified Census Tract (QCT). 

The $413,921 grant to the Fairbanks Museum will fund a new state of the art heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system in a new three story, 6,080 square foot Science Annex addition to the existing Museum building allowing the organization to expand its education offerings and tourism opportunities.

“The federal aid we have received over the last two years has presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform our 14 counties and generate economic opportunity for Vermonters in every corner of our state,” said Governor Phil Scott. “The CIP program shows the demand for these types of projects, and we look forward to deploying this latest round of money through the CRRP program to continue this important work across Vermont.”

CRRP grants are available to for-profit, nonprofit, and municipal applicants, and the funding is intended for projects that make capital improvements or capital expansions that spur economic recovery and revitalization in communities across the state. Eligible projects may include those that assist industries most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic such as arts and entertainment, hospitality, agriculture, and educational services.

The funding is also available for capital expenditures that support childcare and affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income households, and to establish or improve municipal water and wastewater systems to build housing or create jobs through business creation and expansion. Projects located with a Qualified Census Tract are also eligible.

The application portal is now open and accepting submissions. Awards will be made on a rolling, first come, first served basis, except for the first 30 days during which ACCD will prioritize the review of applications that primarily serve BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. ACCD will also prioritize the review of applications from municipalities and organizations located in non-Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Addison, Bennington, Caledonia, Essex, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor counties.

“We recognize there is a large demand for these funds from both the public and private sectors and we are pleased to be able to extend this round of funding to municipalities in addition to businesses and nonprofits,” said Department of Economic Development Commissioner Joan Goldstein. “This money presents the opportunity to bring real impact to our communities throughout the state through projects that will benefit Vermonters for years to come.”

ACCD hosted a series of five informational webinars unique to each eligible project type and strongly encourages all potential applicants to watch the recordings prior to submitting their application.

Full details of the program, webinar recordings, and the application can be found at the Community Recovery and Revitalization Program page.

For a full list of projects that received funding through the Capital Investment Program, including the Fairbanks Museum, see below or visit the Capital Investment Program Page.

PROGRAM ORIGIN 

In 2021, the Vermont Legislature appropriated $10,580,000 in Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds to the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) to design and implement a Capital Investment Grant Program consistent with the requirements of the legislation, Sec. G.300(a)(12) of Act 74, and the U.S. Treasury Final Rule which became effective on April 1, 2022.  

APPROVED APPLICATIONS

Project County Organization Name Sector Category Project Description Estimated Total Project Cost Proposed Award
Addison Vermont Livestock Slaughter and Processing Company LLC Agriculture Renovation of a meat processing facility to increase efficiency, modernize equipment, and expand throughput to provide humane slaughter, processing, wrapping, packing, and value-added production for producers in the region. $6,622,153 $464,938
Bennington Southshire Meats, LLC Food and Beverage Manufacturing Construction of a meat aggregation and distribution facility in Bennington, which will perform meat finishing and co-packing. $5,725,195 $500,000
Caledonia Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium Arts and Culture The award will help to fund the HVAC system installed to support a Science Annex that is a three story, 6,080 square foot mass timber addition onto the Fairbanks Museum’s existing building. $4,788,733 $413,921
Chittenden Burlington City Arts Foundation, Inc. Arts and Culture The Burlington City Arts project will renovate the 405 Pine Street location thereby promoting the arts as an economic generator, retain and recruit workers, and nurture small businesses. This will position the Enterprise Zone as a home for the New Economy and the CIP award will contribute towards these efforts by facilitating large-scale improvements, including a significant upgrade to the building’s exterior wall. $6,494,506 $500,000
Chittenden Champlain College Education Champlain College is planning to renovate Durick Hall to house both the Career Collaborative and Champlain College Online. $5,350,500 $304,255
Chittenden Charest Alpinism LLC Recreation The Petra Cliffs project will build a ground up, modern climbing gym and community facility just a few hundred feet away from its current location of 22 years, abutting City Market’s South End store. $7,137,965 $416,448
Chittenden Fisher Brothers Farm LLC Agriculture Purchase equipment to manufacture dry ice to enhance their ability to supply fruit throughout the region. $151,958 $18,030
Chittenden Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center, Inc. Outdoor Recreation The award will help upgrade Lake Champlain Community Sailing Center’s infrastructure to improve safety and modernize, the CIP award will update dock infrastructure, improve pathway to the dock, and purchase a large boat hoist. $2,000,000 $187,674
Chittenden Shelburne Museum Arts and Culture A building project that will add a contemporary, state-of-the-art exhibition and educational gathering space and landscape to the Museum’s 45-acre campus. $10,000,000 $500,000
Franklin The Learning Tree Child Care Center Child Care Construction of a building to prevent closure and allow for expansion of childcare facility. $641,250 $20,067
Lamoille Soulmate Brewing Company Hospitality and Lodging

Soulmate Brewing Company is a new brewery currently renovating an 1870’s Morrisville building to house brewing equipment and an accompanying tasting room in which the beer will be served. 

$1,557,810 $82,234
Orange Appleseed Development LLC Small Business Transform an abandoned gas station into a destination eatery with an outdoor event venue. $1,728,000 $100,000
Orange Farm Developing LLC Small Business The FARM Developing team has planned a 64-room mid-high end scale hotel concept, a three-season outdoor tent event space, and a 152-seat restaurant attached to a 400-seat conference center in a 2-phase project. The project is situated on a 26-acre site near Exit 4 on Interstate 89. The CIP award will be used toward site development and preparing construction of the planned hotel building pad in mid-2023. $17,500,524 $500,000
Orleans Jay Peak, Inc. Hospitality and Lodging The Jay Peak, Inc. project is a replacement of a propane fired heating unit with a wood chip boiler. This will reduce the energy costs for the resort as well as reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from its operation. $1,075,204 $130,179
Orleans Northeast Kingdom Development Corporation (Bogner) Small Business NEKDC will rehabilitate a vacant property known as the “Bogner Building” to house a growing manufacturing business. $2,980,000 $232,468
Rutland Haystack Catering LLC Hospitality and Lodging The Haystack Catering project involves the relocation and expansion of an existing food preparation business to provide catering services in southern Vermont. The intent of this project is to provide capacity for more events in its served market area. Grant monies will be used for the installation of a range hood. $265,000 $10,653
Rutland Paramount Center, Inc. Arts and Culture ​The renovation of the Paramount Theatre and adjacent four-story Richardson building represents one of Downtown Rutland’s most transformative developments in the past two decades. CIP funds will help these properties become more accessible as well as set the stage for future upgrades. $5,500,000 $345,462
Rutland Vermont Farmers Market Education Center, Inc Education Vermont Farmers Food Center will renovate “the blue building” at 245 West Street. $4,378,000 $293,401
Washington Caledonia Spirits, Inc. Hospitality and Lodging Build four-season patio post and beam event canopy, thereby increasing event business while allowing the bar and retail spaces to remain open. This will contribute toward much needed event space in Montpelier and Central Vermont. $938,915 $181,818
Washington Central Vermont Habitat for Humanity, Inc. Housing Project will provide grants  to help complete critical home repairs on households of income qualifying homeowners. $240,000 $39,475
Washington Living Well Group, Inc. Senior Care Facilities The CIP award will allow Living Well to update all resident bathrooms to become handicap accessible, thereby increasing the supply of long-term affordable housing units to low to moderate income residents. $1,800,000 $156,095
Washington Maple Corner Community Store, Inc. Hospitality and Lodging Project will upgrade the facilities of this hospitality business including the installation of HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) purification units and  construction of additional seating area capacity. $200,000 $10,615
Washington Neck of the Woods, Inc. Child Care Neck of the Woods Inc. will expand the first floor of its facility to provide 30 additional daycare slots and will use the CIP award to construct a commercial kitchen and cafeteria on the first floor. This will enable Neck of the Woods to become a Head Start Program, allowing the facility to serve additional low to moderate income children and families. $650,000 $31,078
Washington Vermont Foodbank, Inc. Food Hubs As part of the ongoing renovation of its Barre facility, the CIP award will help to fund the purchase of high speed cooler doors, an electric pallet truck, and a ride along jack. The Vermont Food Bank has experienced increased demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and this award represents a significant part of the response to this additional demand. $1,032,885 $158,147
Windham Boys & Girls Club of Brattleboro Community Spaces The Boys and Girls Club of Brattleboro (BGCB) will use the CIP award to upgrade their building’s HVAC system. This project will transform BGCB into a modern and energy efficient facility. Replacing the HVAC system is a long-term investment in maintaining a community resource that benefits the lives of many Vermonters. $190,000 $32,699
Windham Greater Rockingham Area Services, Inc. Healthcare Funding for the replacement of an inefficient oil burning heating system with a more efficient wood chip fired steam boiler system for this non-profit. $1,755,000 $72,504
Windham High Street and Green LLC Community Spaces High Street and Green will conduct a façade enhancement project on the north side of High Street as well as rehabilitation of this commercial building. $1,176,600 $114,609
Windham Retreat Farm LTD  Arts and Culture CIP funds will help facilitate the North Barn to become a year-round public and private event venue and community gathering space, allowing Retreat Farm to help increase job creation and tourism. This project includes construction of a new parking lot and renovations to the North Barn, including foundation repairs and replacement, selective replacement of existing structure, insulation and mechanical engineering, and HVAC work. $6,073,807 $500,000
Windham Windham County Dental Center Healthcare Expand dental care to low to moderate income households by re-locating to larger facility. $901,000 $47,701
Windham World Learning, Inc. Housing Renovation of six dormitories to include kitchens, bathrooms, and hallways. These renovations will provide a stable, dependable housing source for 120 refugees needing transitional housing to avoid homelessness. $124,000 $62,000
Windsor Northern Stage Company Arts and Culture Rehabilitate a building to house performers for theatrical performances by expanding their facilities. $7,504,416 $417,621
Windsor TenFold Engineering LLC Small Business TenFold Engineering will rehabilitate a commercial building which will house manufacturing operations, in a Qualified Census Tract, for building permanent quality housing which can be moved when needed. $22,350,000 $500,000
Windsor The Center for Cartoon Studies, Inc. Education The Center for Cartoon Studies project will purchase land and rehabilitate the building located at 111 Gates Street. This work will include installation of HVAC, upgrading electric and plumbing systems, window replacement, and accessibility improvements. $1,590,950 $75,737
      Totals $130,424,371 $7,419,829

Governor. 11.29.2022. St. Johnsbury, Vt. www.vermont.gov


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