NEK Day at the Statehouse '24

Friday, January 26th, 9-10:30am | Register→ | Google Calendar event→

Our fifth annual NEK Day at the Statehouse event is shaping up to be our most pressing ever. Though clear of the shadow of Covid-19, the NEK has been racked by two historic floods and ever-rising housing complications. Community building and grassroot action networks have shown themselves to be powerful answers to the problems that are to come. Our future will be defined the same way that our region’s past has; by community organization and regional collaboration.

The NEK Collaborative is a convening organization that acts as a unified voice for the NEK. We listen and talk to individuals and organizations all over the Kingdom to determine what's important to you and what challenges you face. We're committed to promoting civic and civil engagement across our region by connecting NEK residents with our representatives in Montpelier whenever possible. It is at NEK Day at the Statehouse that this work, and your worries, meet together with our political representatives to make sure we are all cooperating, bottom to top, with the region’s interests in mind.

This year, we will be featuring speakers speaking to our five identified areas of priority:

• Housing

• Community Building and Grassroots Networks

• Flood Recovery and Resilience

• Infrastructure- transportation, the creative economy, and broadband

• Workforce Development

Housing

According to North Country Hospital’s Community Health 2021 Needs Assessment, affordable housing and living-wage employment were the Northeast Kingdom’s two most region-defining needs. This has been the case for some time- and is not a new issue for the old residents of the NEK. As with any issue so complex, answers to housing prices, housing affordability, rental rates and houselessness appear and change throughout the years.

Come to NEK Day 2024 ready to share how you or your community have been personally affected by housing or housing related programs in the last few years; as well as ready to hear what regional experts and officials have to say about the issues as a whole.

Community Building & Grassroots Networks

The communities of the Northeast Kingdom can’t be treated just the same as any other. With the most rural and most aged population of Vermont, citizens of the Northeast Kingdom need to look further abroad than their own shoes when making sustainable decisions. In the face of floods and community fragmentation, newly-begun organizations such as Hardwick’s Civic Standard or the NEK Collaborative’s partner NEK Organizing have shown remarkable plasticity and fortitude of response to social tension and climate crises. Volunteers offering manual labor to help regional neighbors recover from flood devastation, as well as assistance in navigating difficult FEMA paperwork, steered the Northeast Kingdom towards a speedy and mediated recovery. The community mobility that NEKO exemplified in 2023 could only be possible where regionally-minded communal sentiment was made to thrive; and the community dinners, dance nights, poetry clubs and fundraisers headed by the likes of the Civic Standard should inspire us to pursue more programs such as those here seen. They have proven themselves to be the shaping forces of our region.

Flood Recovery & Resilience

How can we better prepare for climatological disasters down the road, knowing they are likely to worsen in the coming years? The floods that struck in July, August and December of 2023 are but a sign of things to come. Using federal cash, Vermont has made big investments in new culverts and bridges, flood-proofing buildings, filling in basements, and property buyouts to restore floodplains. It is only through proper communication and collaboration with communities and locals that regional decision makers may be well-guided in future-proofing the Kingdom. Infrastructure and community response readiness must be watched closely and bolstered if our region is to thrive in the coming future. Join us in helping to establish a mutual understanding between the region’s communities and their representatives.

Infrastructure - Transportation, Creative economy and Broadband

With the Northeast Kingdom receiving international recognition for its cuisine and natural beauty in 2023 (see Jasper Hill Farm’s #1 award→ for Best American Cheese at the 2023 World Cheese Championships, or Kingdom Trails’ #2 award→ for the world’s best mountain biking trails), tourism and creative economies are under a new sort of spotlight. Regional transportation, creative marketing and broadband accessibility will all prove definitive of the Northeast Kingdom’s economy in the years to come. Come talk about what’s being done, and what yet needs to be done!

Workforce Development

Workforce development remains a definitive problem in the NEK; making sure that everyone who should work, can work, and can live happily on the wages their work provides. Trained and certified quality labor, accessibility to adult education, and affordable housing remain key components of ensuring that our NEK towns and businesses can stay NEK.

NEK Day at the Statehouse

Date

Virtual Event: Register→ for Zoom link.

This is your chance to connect with legislators and fellow NEKers. Celebrate the region, share priorities, and learn what’s been happening at the state level.

Want to know what to expect? Visit our NEK Day 2022 Recap→ for a taste of what past years have had to offer.

The Presentations of NEK Together 2023

Our warmest thanks to everyone who could attend our 2023 summit, NEK Together. The event was a smash hit. Despite weather warnings of icy conditions, our hardy audience came out in droves to fill the Burke Mountain conference center with good company and warm intents.

Whether you missed this important event, or simply want to go over your notes one more time, we’ve uploaded each of our speaker’s slideshow presentations, below, so that you can be sure you don’t miss a beat. For those interested in a summary of the event as a whole, feel free to check out our NEK Together 2023 report→, which includes information like speaker list and session highlights.

Jennifer Carlo, NEK Collaborative Executive Director

Jennifer Carlo has served as the executive director of the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative since 2021. She opened the conference with a brief presentation on the Collaborative’s mission and programs; she also shared some of the Collaborative’s highlights of 2023. The Collaborative will engage in a strategic planning process in 2024, and Jen invited participants to give input into that process.

Kevin Chu, Vermont Futures Project Executive Director

Kevin Chu is the executive director of the Vermont Futures Project. The question "How can we use data to support the evolution of Vermont's economy towards a thriving future with opportunity for all?" isn’t as simple as it might seem! Major cultural and political factors have parts to play in our understanding of the future of Vermont. In this address, Kevin Chu outlines what Vermont’s best futures need, and gives a detailed understanding from a variety of statistical and cultural perspectives.

Katie Buckley, VT League of Cities and Towns &
Annie McLean, NVDA

Katie Buckley is the director of the Federal Funding Assistance Program at the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, and Annie McLean is the Community and Economic Recovery Specialist at the Northeastern Vermont Development Association (NVDA). Through their presentations, attendees of NEK Together ‘23 learned about opportunities to build municipal capacity by coordinating with other Federal, State, and Local funding sources and collaborating with community and  state leaders.

NEK Broadband

Kitty Ufford-Chase, NEK Broadband’s community relations manager and Erik Townsend, GIS Specialist and Project Manager, presented on the past year’s progress toward the goal of bringing  high-quality broadband to all residents of the NEK. They also shared more about the next steps planned for the year to come.

NEK Day at the Statehouse '23 (Virtual)

A father and daughter approach the Montpelier Statehouse. The stride of the father and the joy of his child symbolize, we hope, the optimistic, forward-looking spirit of NEK Day.

Friday, January 27th | Agenda→ | Register→ | Submit topics→ | Google Calendar event→

We love the NEK! We choose to live and work in a region that enjoys stunning natural beauty, close-knit communities, and a vibrant culture.

Loving the NEK means addressing the challenges of the region, and there are many. We are the most rural and economically challenged region of Vermont, and our access to resources is limited compared to other regions.

The NEK Collaborative is a convening organization that acts as a unified voice for the NEK. We listen and talk to individuals and organizations all over the Kingdom to determine what's important to you and what challenges you face. We're committed to promoting civic and civil engagement across our region by connecting NEK residents with our representatives in Montpelier whenever possible.

NEK Day at the Statehouse is your chance to share your thoughts with our NEK Legislative Caucus.  We have identified five policy priorities this year to which NEK leaders will speak:

• Housing

• Workforce Development

• Transportation

• A Thriving Vermont State University with a continued vibrant presence in the NEK

• Mental Health and Substance Misuse

Housing

Housing affordability and availability remain a challenge in the Kingdom, as they are elsewhere in Vermont. Our elected representatives are well aware of this, and we'll share some insights on the challenges and some local solutions as well as hear more about legislative plans. Our featured housing speakers will be Jim Kisch, President and CEO of Passumpsic Bank, and Shawn Tester, CEO of Northern Vermont Regional Hospital

Workforce Development

NEK workers need access to training and development and job opportunities that meet their needs. NEK employers need more workers at all levels of skills and experience, and support in recruiting, developing, and retaining staff. Representative Michael Marcotte, Chair of the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development, will discuss his committee's work. Julie Laforce, Co-Owner of Built by Newport, will speak from the perspective of a regional employer.

Transportation

NEK residents need safe, reliable, and affordable transportation options. We'll hear from Caleb Grant, Executive Director of Rural Community Transportation.

Vermont State University in the NEK

Mental health and substance misuse touches every aspect of life in the Kingdom. Joseph Forscher, Chief of Behavioural Health at NEK Human Services, will speak to ongoing efforts to address such problems in the NEK.

Mental Health and Substance Misuse

Retaining a robust higher education institution in the NEK is crucial to the regional economy, as well as the educational and career opportunities of NEK residents. We are encouraged by the plans for Vermont State University and look forward to updates from its VTSU President Dr. Parwinder Grewal.

This region-wide, cross-sector, virtual event is the only one of its kind in the Kingdom, and we hope you will join us!

NEK Day at the Statehouse

Friday, January 27: 12 Noon- 1:30 PM

Virtual Event: Register→ for Zoom link.

Do you see issues in the NEK you want addressed? Submit topics→ for consideration at NEK Day.

This is your chance to connect (virtually this year) with legislators and fellow NEKers to celebrate the region, share priorities, and learn what’s been happening at the state level.

Want to know what to expect? Visit our NEK Day 2022 Recap→ for a taste of what past years have had to offer.

NEK Together 2022

The biggest changes begin with the smallest and most collaborative actions. Thanks for coming.

The event is this Friday, November 11th. Here is a parking map→ of Burke Mountain→.

NEK Together will be the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative’s third region-wide convening, and certainly our most ambitious. These past three years have been historic periods of radical social, infrastructural, and economic change in the Kingdom. Much work has been done toward the priorities identified in our 2020 Recovery Action Plan, and much work remains to be done.

The people, businesses, and organizations of the NEK continue to face challenges like housing, business development, connectivity, and community engagement with energy and resilience. We look forward to convening with all of you to keep moving this work forward.

NEK Together 2022

NEK Together 2022 is an all-day community summit scheduled for Friday, November 11th, in-person at Burke Mountain hotel and conference center. Lunch and refreshments are included!

You can register→ up until the last minute, but only those registered Wednesday, November 9th will receive a custom nametag.

How can we:

1. Build and foster community-based leadership and engagement that brings NEK residents together to achieve goals and solve problems in their communities and in our region?

2. Create and maintain a healthy civic discourse in the NEK, with open lines of communication with our NEK Legislative Caucus and other town and local officials, and opportunities for citizens to exercise their voices and make contributions to policy and initiatives?

3. Convene individuals and organizations (businesses, nonprofits, government entities) to support solutions to challenges in our priority areas of housing, workforce development, and others?

Let’s find out.

NEK Together Full Event Schedule (Agenda→)

9 AM - Conference Welcome

Jennifer Carlo, Northeast Kingdom Collaborative

9:15 AM - Plenary Panel:  Seizing The Moment- Updates from the Recovery Action  Plan and Looking Toward the Future

In 2020, the NEK Collaborative worked with individuals and organizations across the NEK to create our Recovery Action Plan, built around five priorities:  Broadband, Housing, Education, Small Business Support, and Community Vitality.

Much has been accomplished through the collective struggle of the pandemic, and the NEK as a region drew together to address our mutual challenges and support each other through the experience.  We find ourselves now in a singular moment in time, to continue our healing and leverage unprecedented resources and opportunities in new ways toward a bright regional future.

This panel will discuss the progress made on the priorities of the Recovery Action Plan and our next steps into the future.

Facilitator: Sarah Waring, USDA Rural Development State Director, Vermont and New Hampshire

Broadband- Christa Shute, Executive Director, NEK Broadband & Rob Fish, Deputy Director, Vermont Broadband

Housing- Patrick Shattuck, Executive Director, Rural Edge 

Education- Tom Lovett, Retired Headmaster, St. Johnsbury Academy, and  Member, Vermont State Board of Education/Representative from NVU

Small Business Support- David Snedeker, Executive Director, NVDA

Community Vitality- Jody Fried, Executive Director, Catamount Arts

10:45 AM - Breakout Sessions

A Vision for Vermont State University

Dr. Parwinder Grewal, President, Vermont State University

Dr Parwinder Grewal became the inaugural president of Vermont State University in July 2022.  VTSU will combine and build upon the history of Castleton University, Northern Vermont University, and Vermont Technical College.  Pending final approval of NECHE, VTSU will become a single accredited institution on July 1, 2023. The new University is meant to increase the reach of learning opportunities for all learners, fueling Vermont’s economic pipeline, and creating opportunities for learners of all ages.  Join this session to learn more about President Grewal’s vision for what will be the first statewide, hybrid institution in the United States.

Racial Literacy, A Healing Practice

Sha’an Mouliert, The Root Social Justice Center

Until the last few years, you’d hear, “We have made so much progress; I don’t think racism is a problem anymore”. How often have we heard, “I’m not racist”, or “I have Black and Brown friends?”  Most people fail to recognize or act on racial micro-aggressions because the stress of negotiating such conflicts is extremely high due to fears of incompetence, public exposure, and accusation. This introductory workshop will explore the challenges facing people of color living in Vermont. Using cultural humility practices, participants will be introduced to a foundational understanding to develop their racial literacy skills.

Raising Voices:  Learning about Community Organizing

Meghan Wayland, Lead Organizer, Northeast Kingdom Organizing (NEKO)

Framing Challenging Conversations Through the Lens of the Arts

Amy Cunningham, Deputy Director, Vermont Arts Council Jody Fried, Executive Director, Catamount Arts and Film Ryan Newswanger, Director of Programs, Vermont Humanities Council Molly Stone, NEK Zone Agent, Vermont Creative Network

Post-Pandemic Workforce and Business Leadership

Julie Laforce, Owner and Director of Organizational Development, Built by Newport, Abby Long, Executive Director, Kingdom Trail Association, Johnny Lotti, Co-Owner, Cafe Lotti, Steven Wright, President and General Manager, Jay Peak

12:00 PM - Lunch/Tabling/Weaving Project

1:15 PM - Breakout Sessions

NEK Caucus Legislative Forum

Senator Jane Kitchel (D)- Caledonia/Orange District, Chair, Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Robert Starr (D)- Essex/Orleans District, Chair, Senate Agriculture Committee, Representative Scott Beck (R)- Caledonia-3, House Committee on Ways and Means, Representative Michael Marcotte (R)- Orleans-2, Chair, House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development

Join some of our veteran legislators from the NEK Caucus for a conversation about priorities and challenges in Montpelier in the coming session. What are the issues important to NEKers, and what can we anticipate in the coming year?

Moving Stories

Sha’an Mouliert, The Root Social Justice Center

Stories have been a method of documenting and experiencing the human condition throughout the ages. In this problem-solving workshop, participants will experience a sense of agency and accomplishment through storytelling. They will have the opportunity to creatively explore their strengths, identify their challenges and develop a strategy to overcome obstacles.

Strategies to Address the Housing Challenges in the NEK

Dawn Cross, HomeOwnership Center Director, RuralEdge, Jim Kisch, CEO, President, Passumpsic Bank, Evan Oleson, NEK VT Program Manager, Northern Forest Center, Patrick Shattuck, Executive Director, RuralEdge

Housing is a challenge throughout Vermont, and especially in the NEK. Many organizations in the Kingdom are working on initiatives to increase affordable housing stock and create economic development in our communities.

Creating Community Space- NEK Outdoor Recreation Community Hub

Abby Long, Executive Director, Kingdom Trail Association, Brooke Pierce, Operations Director, Kingdom Trail Association

Learn how Kingdom Trails is putting into action the NEK Collaborative’s Tri-Sector Plan, to enhance economic growth through rural community hubs. We believe that by investing in infrastructure improvements to create outdoor recreation-friendly communities, we can connect outdoor recreation assets to other parts of the economy, including the creative and food sectors. KT will share how their USDA-funded Capacity Study led them to-USDA funded master planning for an NEK Outdoor Recreation Community Hub to elevate economic development, enhance visitor experiences, improve residents’ quality of life, and support the local workforce.  

Get NEKed!  Using Destination Stewardship to Support Economic Opportunity 

Joe Short, Vice President, Northern Forest Center, Facilitator, Gillian Sewake, Director, St. Johnsbury Chamber of Commerce, Pam Sullivan, President and Creative Director, Sullivan Creative, Rick Ufford-Chase, Director, Newport City Downtown Development

What are the benefits of marketing and stewardship on a regional scale?  Recent collaborations have built on the work done in the NEK Collaborative’s 2018 Tri-Sector Report to build regional resources, and help chambers and businesses leverage those resources to help support regional businesses.  How do we collaborate to align messages, attract the right visitors, and multiply our individual efforts?  And how do we sustain these efforts?

ARPA Updates

Annie McLean, Community and Economic Recovery Specialist, Northeastern Vermont Development Association 

The Working Communities Challenge in the NEK

 Juliet Emas, Director, St. Johnsbury Community Hub

2:45 PM - Plenary Workshop:  Equitable Community Engagement

Sue McCormack, Business Development Leader and Co-Founder, The Creative Discourse Group

Transformed people transform organizations.

All of us are seeking ways to create equity, justice, and inclusion in our communities, and we need conversations and tools to do that.  How do we come together and work toward a more equitable culture?

Seeking Community Builders!

NEK Community Builders Program

The Northeast Kingdom Collaborative has always worked to connect the people who define our region. Through the Community Builders Program, we hope to plug the people who want to bring change into the networks, resources and ideas that get them there.

What IS the Community Builders Program?

The NEK Community Builders Program is a year-long collective learning program accessible to community builders of all kinds, whether you’re working, studying, volunteering or none of the above! Builders will gather every other month for facilitated collective learning. Between gatherings, Builders will conduct self-guided projects and research, engage and share learning with their own communities, and receive one-to-one coaching from experts across the NEK.

What would I do, as a Community Builder?

The experience of being a Community Builder has two sides: Practice and Understanding. As Builders, you will be conducting self-guided projects of a wide variety; a Builder could just as easily arrange a parade as they could restore a local landmark. Anyone who undergoes a project as a Community Builder can expect to:

• Learn and practice collaborative leadership and community engagement skills

• Build deep, lasting connections with a diverse group of people across the Northeast Kingdom, and

• Be compensated for their time and work!

Am I a Community Builder?

The short answer is: YES! Every single community in the Northeast Kingdom is different, and needs different Builders. This is why being a Community Builder can mean a lot of different things! If you:

• Want to make or strengthen impact in your community

• Are curious, and want to connect to and learn from others in the NEK

• Have lived experience you want to draw upon or share with others

• Have or want ties throughout the Northeast Kingdom

Then you’re already a candidate in our book!

If what you have read so far interests you, we want to hear from you- directly! For questions, ideas or nominations for someone you think would make a good community builder, we want you to email our Executive Director here at the Collaborative, Jen Carlo: Jennifer@NEKCollaborative.org→

This program is made possible by funding from the Tillotson Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Vermont Community Foundation.

Reflecting on NEK Day

The Event

On Monday, the 24th of January, 2022, the Northeast Kngdom Collaborative hosted its fourth ever NEK Day at the State house. Senators, representatives, and over 150 registered attendees met to discuss the issues facing the kingdom today- as well as celebrate the Kingdom’s success stories from the past year.

U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy, whose family has deep roots in the NEK, kicked off the event with a message of support for NEK Day attendees: 

“I think most of you know how special the Northeast Kingdom is both to myself and to Marcelle. Like many Vermonters, we treasure the remarkable combination of natural beauty and tight-knit communities the Kingdom is celebrated for. The needs of the Kingdom communities are front and center in my work in washington. I strongly believe that enhancing life in rural Vermont is one of the keys to ensure our state has a real and vibrant future.”

This meeting- celebrations, presentations, and summations- was recorded, and is now available for public viewing, below.

Reflections

But for all its resilience and progress last year, the Kingdom remains disproportionately impacted by the social and economic disruption caused by the pandemic. 

Kingdom citizens work some of the longest average hours for the lowest average incomes in Vermont. The housing market is among the most susceptible to out-of-state buyers pricing out essential workers. The lack of access to high-quality child care and mental health care across the region is stark.

Last year the Northeast Kingdom Collaborative (NEKC) unveiled the NEK Recovery Action Plan which outlines clear, actionable strategies to address community-identified priorities. This year, we advocated for five top priorities to be addressed by legislation: Housing, workforce development, child care, mental healthcare and Northern Vermont University.

After Sen. Leahy's address on Monday Tom Lovett, board chair for the NEKC, shared updates on the strategies in the plan. Among them were significant steps toward equitable access to broadband, housing, child care and higher education, as well as new programs to support small businesses and community development projects.

Grant available for Community Project Development

NEK Project Development Initiative 2021-2022

OVERVIEW

The NEK Project Development Initiative seeks to advance community-supported projects that address a pressing community need by providing funding for professional project development services.

If your NEK business or organization could benefit from contracted services to advance your project, we want to hear from you.

The NEK Project Development Initiative seeks projects that:

• Address a clear community need (e.g., housing, child care, health care)

• Demonstrate community support

• Create or retain jobs in the NEK

• Have a clear beginning and end

• Require expertise or capacity that the business/organization doesn’t have on staff

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible businesses/organizations:

• Generate less than $1M in annual revenue

• Have fewer than 50 employees

• Are located within Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans County, Vermont

Eligible contract services include, but are not limited to, project management, general contracting, fundraising, feasibility studies, and other capacity building activities required to advance the project.

This initiative will not fund:

• Ongoing operations

• Professional services that displace existing or planned jobs within the organization

*The scope of work covered by the funding shall be completed within 6 months of receipt of funds. 

AWARD AMOUNT

Projects may apply for up to $7,500 to cover the cost of hiring contracted professional(s). 

USE OF FUNDS

The Northeast Kingdom Collaborative (NEKC) will release funds directly to selected awardees. Awardees are responsible for finding, hiring and paying contractors. The NEKC may be able to help make connections between awardees and contractors if desired.

HOW TO APPLY

The deadline to apply for this round of funding is Friday, November 5.  Some applicants may be invited to virtually present their proposed projects at NEK Connects, the region’s only cross-sector convening, on November 12.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This initiative is made possible in part by a Rural Business Development Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

NEK Recovery Plan Update

NEK Recovery Action Plan

As the lead convener for our region, we at the NEK Collaborative have partnered with industry experts and community change-makers to outline the most feasible and impactful strategies to accelerate the recovery of the NEK in five priority areas.

If these are your priorities for our region and you want to advocate the strategies outlined below, sign on to the plan. Then contact your representatives—they want to know your vision for our region.

BROADBAND

Goal: Ensure affordable, high-speed internet for all NEK residents.

1. Increase visibility of and maintain public access to WiFi hotspots.

2. Maintain subsidies for internet service & provide access to equipment for low-income Vermonters.

3. Increase capacity to build-out a region-wide high-speed broadband network through direct grants, expanded VEDA broadband loans, and transfer of state-owned broadband assets.

HOUSING

Goal: Meet all current and prospective NEK residents’ housing needs.

1. Establish a regional housing commission to assess need and demand, coordinate housing partners, and leverage public and private investments to improve and develop affordable & market rate housing units.

2. Ensure financial support reaches low- to medium- income homeowners and renters and residents experiencing housing insecurity.

3. Pilot Family SASH model and social worker positions to expand integrated mental, physical health, substance abuse, social justice, and social supports to stabilize families.

EDUCATION

Goal: Reimagine a high-quality, sustainable birth to career educational system.

1. Increase Child Care Financial Assistance Program reimbursements to reflect the true cost of providing care.

2. Implement the Pupil Weighting Factors Report recommendations to ensure that all students receive substantial equality of educational opportunity throughout the State.

3. Bring state appropriation for the Vermont State College System in line with other New England states.

4. Conduct a study to identify the 1) educational needs of at-risk students and adults without high school diplomas, 2) barriers to existing programs, and 3) gaps in programs.

BUSINESS SUPPORT

Goal: Organize and promote structured business support for long-term recovery.

1. Provide direct financial assistance to small businesses, especially those who did not qualify for initial rounds of funding, and those in the hospitality and tourism sectors.

2. Create a network of NEK Recovery Navigators to connect businesses to technical assistance,  business and financial planning, grant and loan writing support.

3. Launch accounting & financial management technical assistance program for small businesses.

COMMUNITY VITALITY

Goal: Support cultural and civic institutions and practices that build community.

1. Provide bridge funding for nonprofit arts & cultural institutions that remain closed to the public or have significantly reduced operations.

2. Create Project Developer position to accelerate & support community recovery initiatives.

3. Increase capacity of backbone organization to grow and support culture & community building events & groups.

CAPACITY & COORDINATION

These priorities do not exist in a vacuum. The success of each initiative depends upon the success of the others. The plan itself isn’t enough; we need the people and the resources required to carry it out. Diverse leadership and region-wide coordination are the keys to affecting positive change in our sparse region.

We strive to be an inclusive & independent rural development hub that convenes people across sectors region-wide for the purpose of advancing a common vision. Our success depends on the engagement of ALL NEK residents, especially those who have been historically underrepresented, such as BIPOC, the LGBTQ+ community, young people, and people with lived experience of poverty. 

1. Build region-wide leadership capacity through an NEK Community Weavers Program that will provide training, funding and support to emerging community changemakers.

2. Increase capacity and ensure region-wide alignment by facilitating a regional cross-sector network to strengthen partnerships.

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What does success look like?

Rural regions matter.

People invest in rural areas for their good food, clean water and energy, healthy soil, quality education & healthcare, and opportunities for all.

Policies work for rural.

Programs, funding formulas, and policy decisions acknowledge and address the evolving needs of rural populations.

People are engaged. 

With increased capacity in rural regions, businesses, nonprofits and community groups have the workforce & people power they need to succeed.

As we continue recovering and reaching toward vibrancy, the opportunities for systemic change have never been clearer or more within reach. The success of these strategies requires authentic partnership and efficient coordination. We invite partners, legislators, funders and community members to come together in this work, the results of which will be a healthier, happier region for everyone.

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Support the Plan

Would you or your organization like to show your support for the NEK Recovery Action Plan? If these are your priorities for our region and you want to advocate the strategies outlined, sign on today!

Sign On Now →

NEK Recovery Action Plan Sign On

View the full plan →

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Contact Our Representatives

If there’s a particular strategy in the plan you want to advocate, contact your representatives and let them know. In your outreach, consider including:

• Who you are and where you live

• A statement of support for the NEK Recovery Action Plan

• The specific strategy or strategies you support

• Why you support the strategy or strategies

Representatives want to know your vision for our region. They are representing YOU at the statehouse. Make your voice heard →

Front Porch Forum for Libraries

Are you a librarian or friend of the library? The NEKC is hosting a workshop dedicated to helping you use Front Porch Forum to increase connection and library engagement in your community.

Co-Founder of Front Porch Forum, Michael Wood-Lewis, will be one of the presenters and available during a Q & A session at the end of the workshop.

We'll cover:

• What Front Porch Forum is and how it's changed

• The technical side: how to actually use the tool

• Front Porch Forum success stories from NEK libraries

• Best ways to use Front Porch Forum for your library

After the presentation, we'll break into groups to share ideas and get feedback before finishing up with a Q & A.

What: Front Porch Forum Training for Libraries
Who: Librarians & community members
When: Sept. 29 | 10a - 11a
Where: Virtually, via Zoom
How much: FREE

If you can make it, RSVP here →

NEK Recovery Plan

The devastating effects of the COVID-19 crisis have illuminated the Northeast Kingdom’s most pressing issues. With increased community engagement and funding, we can seize this opportunity to manifest our shared vision for a vibrant, thriving Northeast Kingdom.

As the lead convener for our region, we at the NEK Collaborative have partnered with key thought leadership in the region to articulate this series of immediate strategies for community and economic recovery.

Through extensive expert interviews, we’ve outlined the most feasible and impactful action steps to accelerate the recovery of the Northeast Kingdom in five priority areas:

1. Broadband: Ensure affordable, high-speed internet for all NEK residents.

2. Housing: Meet all NEK residents’ housing needs.

3. Education: Reimagine a high-quality, sustainable birth to career educational system.

4. Business Support: Organize and promote structured business support for long-term recovery.

5. Cultural & Civic Infrastructure: Reinvigorate the cultural and civic infrastructure of the NEK.

The following steps are just the beginning. With our eye on long-term systemic change, we propose these short-term projects as a springboard for continued action.

Broadband

1. Install fixed wireless projects as short-term solutions to be completed in 2020. Partner: NEK Community Broadband CUD

2. Maintain subsidies for internet service & device purchase for low-income Vermonters. Partner: Vermont Rural Education Collaborative

3. Fully fund build-out of a regions-wide last mile high-speed broadband network through a combination of federal and state grants, loans, private investment and bonding. Partner: NEK Community Broadband CUD

Housing

1. Designate and/or build permanent, year-round supportive housing to address those struggling with chronic homelessness. Partner: RuralEdge

2. Expand integrated mental, physical health, and social supports that can stabilize families and prevent future homelessness. Partner: Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA)

3. Initiate time-limited rental/mortgage assistance program for households earning up to 80% of median income. Partner: RuralEdge

Education

1. Increase Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) reimbursement rates for early childcare programs to reflect the increased cost of providing care during this time. Partner: Vermont legislature

2. Conduct a community child care needs assessment to identify new/emerging child care challenges and develop solutions. Partner: Building Bright Futures

3. Bring state appropriation for the Vermont State College system up to $30 Million to be in line with other New England states. Partner: Vermont legislature

Business Support

1. Provide direct financial assistance to small businesses for fixed cost expenses (rent, mortgage payments, utilities, inventory, and other essential operating expenses).
   Partner: Vermont legislature and Vermont Community Foundation

2. Assign NEK Recovery Guides who would provide technical assistance, business and financial planning, grant and loan writing support, and business support to help businesses successfully re-emerge from the crisis. Partner: NEK Small Business Technical Assistance Network

3. Fund shovel-ready municipal capital projects to restart jobs & construction. Partner: Individual municipal partners

Cultural & Civic Infrastructure

1. Provide bridge overhead funding for 12--18 months for arts and cultural institutions that are unable to reopen yet. Partner: Catamount Arts (NEK Zone Agent for VT Creative Network)

2. Develop best practices guide and coaching to help towns develop recovery plans. Partner: Northeast Kingdom Collaborative

3. Provide public funding to put artists and creative economy back to work. Partner: Catamount Arts (NEK Zone Agent for VT Creative Network)

These recommendations are interdependent and will have the greatest impact when implemented together.

We invite partners, legislators, funders and all community members to join us in this work, the results of which will be a healthier, happier region for everyone. We’re calling for a commitment to authentic partnership and efficient coordination to ensure these plans are noticed, funded and carried out. 

Through ongoing revision and reflection, this strategic action plan will serve as a model for affecting systemic change to solve our region’s most pressing obstacles. 

View Pull Plan →

NEK Collaborative Board of Directors

• Kathy Austin, President and CEO, Community National Bank

• Dr. Elaine Collins, President, Northern Vermont University

• Nick D'Agostino, Executive Director, Rural Community Transit

• Jon Freeman, President, Northern Community Investment Corp.

• Jody Fried, Executive Director, Catamount Arts

• Jeanne Gervais, President, Island Pond Chamber of Commerce

• Joe Kasprzak, Ast. Town Manager, Town of St. Johnsbury

• Jim Kisch, President and CEO, Passumpsic Bank

• Julie Laforce, Owner; Dir. of Organizational Dev., Built by Newport

• Abby Long, Executive Director, Kingdom Trails

• Tom Lovett, Headmaster, St. Johnsbury Academy

• Patrick Shattuck, CEO, RuralEdge

• David Snedeker, Executive Director, Northeastern Vermont Development Assoc.

• Shawn Tester, CEO, Northern Vermont Regional Hospital

• Steve Wright, President and General Manager, Jay Peak Resort

• NEK Collaborative Advisory Members

• Suzanne Legare Belcher, Field Service Director, VT Agency of Human Services

• Ben Doyle, Ast. State Director VT/NH, USDA Rural Development

• Tim Tierney, Director of Business Recruitment, VT Agency of Commerce

• Sarah Waring, Vice President for Grants and Community Investments, VT Community Foundation

The Northeast Kingdom Collaborative (NEKC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a vibrant, thriving Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. For more than 20 years, the NEKC has been working to improve the quality of life for all residents of the NEK through coordinated economic and community development. We do this by (1) building a common vision for the region through community convenings (2) supporting collaboration to achieve collective action on shared goals and (3) connecting people and projects to resources.

Thank you!

Thank you to the following industry experts who contributed their feedback and advice: 

• Suzanne Legare Blecher, Field Services Director, Vermont Agency of Human Services

• John Castle, Superintendent, North Country Supervisory Union

• Amanda Cochrane, Executive Directory, Umbrella

• Amy Cunningham, Deputy Director, Vermont Arts Council

• Catherine Cusack, Executive Director, Green Mountain Farm-to-School

• Xusana Davis, Executive Director of Racial Equity, State of Vermont

• Meg Burmeister, Executive Director, NEK Council on Aging

• Rob Fish, Rural Broadband Technical Assistance Specialist, Vermont Department of Public Service

• Leah Hollenberger, Development and External Relations Officer, Northern Vermont University

• Heidi Krantz, Small Business Advisor, VT Small Business Development Center

• Ann Lawless, HEAT Squad Northeast Kingdom Outreach Coordinator, Neighborworks of Western Vermont

• Chelsea Bardot Lewis, Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Vermont Community Foundation

• Margaret Maclean, Executive Director, Vermont Rural Education Collaborative

• Janet McLauglin, Chief Operating Officer, Let’s Grow Kids

• Linda Michniewicz, Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Area Regional Coordinator, Building Bright Futures

• Sha’an Mouliert, Racial Equity trainer

• NEK Community Broadband Communication Union District including Evan Carlson, Kristen Fountain, and Nicolas Anzalone

• Jenna O’Farrell, Executive Director, NEKCA

• Grace Oedel, Executive Director, NOFA-VT

• Monique Priestley, Space on Main

• Jon Ramsey, Executive Director, Center for an Agricultural Economy

• Brian Ricca, Superintendent, St. Johnsbury School District

• Rebecca Sanborn, Community Workshop

• Joe Short, Vice President, Northern Forest Center

• Vermont Council on Rural Development including Jenna Koloski, Jon Copans, & Nick Kramer

Summer Meals for Kids

Nearly every NEK school district is working out a system to continue providing free meals for NEK kids 18-years-old and younger throughout the summer.

Check this listing for information on your district. We'll update as we have more information.

COVID-19 Support in the NEK

Now's the time to pull together as a community to care for each other.

Social distancing is crucial in slowing the spread of this virus, but it’s doesn’t have to mean disconnecting - none of us are alone. Seek support when you need it. And, take time for yourself and to be with your family.

Have a need or want to offer help?

Check out this list of volunteer opportunities in the Kingdom organized by category. Or visit the NEK Mutual Aid website for more information and to sign up. 

NEK-Wide Resource Lists

This document includes a comprehensive local resource list by category, health information, and ways for community members to help respond to this evolving situation. 

Food Access Support

Financial Support

Business Support

Health Support

Mental Health Support

Toolkit to Establishing Community COVID-19 Response

Whether you are already far along the path of organizing COVID-19 response in your community, or just getting started, this resource will help you develop your organizational structure and connect to nearby allies.

Directory of Community Organizers

Check out this contact information for local response leads at the town, regional, and statewide levels to see if you can help to identify gaps in response infrastructure. Click on the NEK tab for regional contact information. If you or someone you know is leading the COVID-19 response in your community, please consider adding your name to the directory, or encouraging them to add theirs.

Organizing Meetings

We host regular online convenings for NEK leaders to foster collaboration and information sharing between groups across the region. Visit this page for links to past meeting notes and video, and the next meeting date and login information.