Gov. Phil Scott and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) announced Sept. 7 the third round of Community Recovery and Revitalization (CRRP) grant winners. These grants will help transform communities by adding jobs, childcare and affordable housing, improving infrastructure, and helping spur the creative economy.
Awardees cover 31 projects in 12 counties and were reviewed by an interagency committee and approved for round three funding, resulting in a proposed award amount of $11,400,902, which is expected to support $164,452,219 in total project costs.
The 31 approved projects are expected to support 1,108 existing jobs, enable the creation of 160 new jobs, build or rehabilitate 315 affordable housing units, and add 71 new childcare slots for low- to moderate-income families.
“These projects are a big win for Vermont,” said Governor Scott. “This funding provides us with an opportunity to make once-in-a-lifetime economic recovery investments in our communities, and that’s what we’re doing. These projects will pay dividends for generations of Vermonters to come.”
“Economic development is about more than job creation,” said Commissioner Joan Goldstein of the Vermont Dept. of Economic Development. “It’s also about making sure those workers have access to decent housing, affordable childcare, high-quality infrastructure, and vibrant communities that feed their souls. These grants check all those boxes.”
The $40 million CRRP program, first proposed by the Scott Administration and passed by the Legislature in 2022 through Acts 183 and 185, is funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The amount awarded in the first three rounds totals $31,770,293 and represents projects in all 14 counties. Applications will continue to be accepted until all funds are allocated.
Local award winners include:
Rutland Housing Trust of Rutland County for its Marble Village affordable housing project, which includes the new construction of 24 mixed income multi-family residential units in the downtown designated village of West Rutland. Eight units will be occupied by those at 50% AMI, 11 units at 60% AMI and 5 units at 100% AMI. Estimated total project cost: $11,532,508; Proposed award: $475,000.
Ascend Housing Allies for its Hospital Heights rehabilitation affordable housing project, which will rehabilite 22 existing rental homes in Rutland. The homes, built in 1977, serve Rutland’s most vulnerable community members making at or below 30% AMI. Estimated total project cost: $6,285,334; Proposed award: $500,000.
Village of Poultney Water and Sewer which will 1) install a pump station generator for two wells, 2) install a sewer pump station generator, 3) rehabilitate the existing cast in place concrete tank, and 4) pay for associated water reservoir rehabilitation permitting. Estimated total project cost: $359,436; Proposed award: $71,887.
Community For Woodstock Co. DBA The Mill School Childcare for the purchase and renovation of space to create a childcare facility for up to 17 children, 20% will be reserved for LMI families. Estimated total project cost: $243,442; Proposed award: $48,688.
The Sharon Academy Inc. for its STEAM wing addition — a 5,379 square foot addition to replace four very old classroom yurts, with five flexible-use, energy-efficient classrooms as a new school wing. The addition includes a large science lab and a large shop/maker space called the STEAM room for the science, engineering, and art building projects. Estimated total project cost: $4,432,210; Proposed award: $500,000.
