Goal 1: A Resilient Region

Strategy 1.1: Develop a region-wide understanding of what resilience is and what we can do to become more resilient.

Action 1: Assess the region’s resilience using available tools.

• Research what tools are available and decide which to use.

• Measure resilience (via data and public outreach).

• Create a region-wide report card.

• Develop action plan to improve.

Action 2: Inventory resilience efforts and organizations (e.g., non-profits, state programs, etc.) already in place and how each fits within the overall resilience effort.

• Conduct inventory.

• Gather and facilitate community input to develop consensus on what a resilient region “looks like” and to determine recovery issues (e.g., surveys, public meetings, etc.).

• Identify gaps.

• Research ways and make recommendations to fill those gaps.

Action 3: Build leadership capacity.

• Inventory and understand the purpose of leadership programs currently offered in the district.

• Identify gaps (if any) in programs offered as it relates to building a resilient region.

• Develop action plan to improve.

Action 4: Create an up-to-date list of key vulnerabilities along with an action plan to address them.

• Compile key vulnerabilities.

• Research ways to mitigate.

• Develop mitigation action plan.

Strategy 1.2: Define identified entities’ role on the resilience continuum based on regional capacity (i.e., what does the entity do and when should a concerned party make contact).

Action 1: Develop and distribute graphic continuum.

• Once entities are identified (via actions 1 & 2 above), create graphic representation of entities, what they do, and when and how someone would contact them.

Strategy 1.3: Promote the importance of business emergency planning that supports continuity of operations.

Action 1: Develop outreach programs.

• Develop and offer workshop training that takes business owners step-by-step through continuity of operations planning.

Strategy 1.4: Gather resilience entities on an ongoing basis to ensure existing and potential challenges are being addressed.

Action 1: Coordinate regular networking event(s) that include resilience entities as well as members of the public.

• Find out if local resilience/disaster organizations are interested in an ongoing network.

• Plan who will host first event and consider who will host ongoing events.

• Determine how frequent the function will occur.

• Plan agenda.

• Host first event and make plans for next event.

Strategy 1.5: Support the concept of a “super-region” across New England to maintain and support the growth of advanced manufacturing (AM).

Action 1: Advocate for the creation of a multi-state consortium that strengthens New England’s economy as a whole.

• Continually provide data to political leaders in an effort to help them understand the importance of Advanced Manufacturing (AM) to Vermont’s future.

• Support efforts to convene and align stakeholders and focus them on a unified agenda for growth.

Action 2: In an effort to become a National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) hub, support state efforts to establish an Advanced Manufacturing Institute in New England.

• Support cross-state meetings and discussions.

• Create and disseminate briefing packets for manufacturers to use to educate local leaders and educators.

• Aggregate inventory of cross-sector partnerships and analyze gaps.

• Volunteer to serve as coordinator for a NNMI working group.

Goal 2: An Innovative Business Environment

Strategy 2.1: Build upon existing capacity for cultivating existing businesses, supporting new entrepreneurial ventures, and attracting new businesses.

Action 1: Conduct employer interviews to determine regional needs to attract, support, and expand businesses.

• Identify businesses/sectors to survey.

• Design survey (i.e., questions, language, and length).

• Conduct survey and analyze results.

• Identify common threads and barriers/opportunities.

Action 2: Strengthen recognition of the economic impact of and support for the creative economy.

• Conduct study of creative cluster(s) (e.g., products, services, and quantity).

• Analyze results and determine economic impact and potential opportunities.

• Create action plan that specifically supports creative entrepreneurs.

Action 3: Provide technical support (e.g., permitting assistance) and identify funding sources for businesses wishing to stay or relocate within region.

• Make businesses aware of available technical assistance (via public outreach, workshops).

• Make businesses aware (via public outreach, workshops) of available funding sources.: Conduct public outreach and workshops.

Strategy 2.2: Encourage the development of start-up incubator/shared work spaces.

Action 1: Conduct regional outreach to determine market needs and lack of existing resources.

• Determine who will conduct public outreach.

• Conduct outreach in different parts of region with different audiences.

• Analyze results and determine potential gaps/opportunities.

• Work with regional partners on feasibility of projects based on demonstrated needs.

Strategy 2.3: Research capital availability and develop additional mezzanine financing options/investors.

Action 1: Create inventory of existing financing options available within region.

• Develop common inventory spreadsheet.

• Conduct inventory and identify gaps.

• Develop methods/avenues of filling the gaps.

Strategy 2.4: Advocate for the business community’s concerns as they relate to the regulatory policies and procedures of local and state government.

Action 1: Review regulatory areas of concern in the business community (e.g., determine ways to alleviate concerns, both perceived and real; clear up perceived issues and in the case of real concerns, suggest revisions to regulations or statutes that may address concerns).

• Meet with developers to determine areas of concern.

• Review regulations to determine those that may hinder business.

• Offer solutions that support state and regional goals while allowing businesses the opportunities needed to thrive.

• Provide assistance to towns on their town plans and implementing regulations.

Action 2: Simplify regulatory compliance.

• Identify those processes that create undue burden on small business owners.

• Advocate for the streamlining of application and licensing processes (e.g., one-stop shops, simplifying reporting procedures.)

• Educate business owners on compliance efforts.

Strategy 2.5: Connect businesses or work to create a stronger local supply chain to reduce importation of goods and services, as well as strengthening buying powers of smaller businesses.

Action 1: Determine what is being imported, and what may be able to be created “closer to home.”

• Utilize information from employer survey to determine areas of import.

• Identify those items that are being made within region (or nearby) or might be able to be made within the region.

• Create database available to the public.

• Facilitate and assist development of businesses that may fill gaps.

Action 2: Based on information collected in the employer opportunities and barriers report,* create a database that reflects similar businesses.

• Research the feasibility of a collective co-op of like-minded businesses (to increase buying power, to compete together, etc.)

• Create regularly scheduled peer-to-peer networking events for entrepreneurs (including industry specific- groups)

Goal 3: A Robust and Ready Workforce

Action 1: Conduct an in-depth, district-wide workforce study, building upon existing and previous reports.

• Review existing reports to determine what information is needed.

• Design study that gathers additional needed data.

• Conduct study and disseminate results.

Strategy 3.2: Encourage the growth of adult education offerings, based on determination of needs.

Action 1: Create an inventory of existing programs and identify gaps.

• Inventory current adult education programs.

• Identify gaps.

• Create action plan to fill gaps.

Action 2: Create cross-sector partnerships which may share resources to develop needed skills.

• Based on workforce study, identify industries who may have interest in developing training programs for a shared workforce.

• Develop action plan for needed programs.

Strategy 3.3: Increase career awareness and skills of students of all ages as well as educators.

Action 1: Support and cultivate collaborative and creative problem solving programs in our primary and secondary educational institutions.

• Inventory types of programs currently being offered in our schools that lend themselves to creative problem solving.

• Research programs in use around District, state, and country.

• Identify programs and best practices that would support regional industries that are not currently available.

• Create an action plan to develop those programs in our District.

Action 2: Promote career awareness among students and educators.

• Identify and inventory existing programs in District.

• Review results and identify gaps.

• Work with area partners (Workforce Investment Boards, Career Technical Education Centers) to develop and support an action plan.

Action 3: Work with schools and employers to re-brand manufacturing as a cool, well-paying career path.

• Develop marketing campaign utilizing students to create a positive advanced manufacturing brand that appeals to their peers.

• Connect students, families, educators, and companies to expose them to each other and to the possibilities advanced manufacturing offers.

Strategy 3.4: Strengthen utilization of District’s workforce development and training capacity.

Action 1: Research existing training providers, programs and industry support organizations.

• Inventory current workforce programs.

• Analyze effectiveness and utilization of existing resources.

• Collate and distribute information to key partners to promote awareness of existing resources.

• Identify possible gaps/opportunities for creation of new programs.

Strategy 3.5: Improve recruitment and retention of area workforce.

Action 1: Meet with area human resources departments to determine challenges/needs.

• Identify key area employers.

• Conduct interviews with human resources staff of employers.

• Collate data from interviews and identify common areas of concern.

• Create an action plan to address challenges for attracting and retaining employees.

Goal 4: Infrastructure for Growth

Strategy 4.1: Promote infill and redevelopment to enhance the region’s existing commercial inventory (e.g., downtowns, industrial parks, empty buildings) as a first priority for business development.

Action 1: Create a comprehensive picture of the existing status of infrastructure, including age and capacity, in those areas.

• Identify and prioritize areas (buildings and vacant land) for near-term development where water, sewer, power, Internet, and roadways have capacity.

• Identify planned project status.

• Provide technical support (e.g., permitting, parking, promotion, and expansion planning) and identify funding sources for businesses wishing to stay in, expand or relocate within region.

Strategy 4.2: Support municipal efforts to improve/add/remove/update infrastructure.

Action 1: Inventory and analyze existing and planned infrastructure projects/needs throughout the region’s communities.*

• Offer capital budget training to municipalities.

• Explore common areas and opportunities for cooperative agreements and financing.

• Seek funding for needed infrastructure.

Goal 4: Infrastructure for Growth

Action 1: Map existing regional infrastructure and property transfers

• Develop a map of the region, showing municipal infrastructure, transportation options and broadband connectivity.

• Create a map showing property values and sales over the past 5 years.

• Overlay maps to determine infrastructure gaps in key areas of region, develop projects to address.

Goal 5: Growing Property Values

Strategy 5.1: Encourage development and revitalization of housing in the region.

Action 1: Determine the appropriate mix of housing types and identify gaps.

• Consult with housing authorities and utilize current housing inventories to identify gaps in housing: Location, number, and type of housing units needed and in what desired cost range(s).

Action 2: Support development of needed housing types.

• Ensure political leaders are aware of specific housing needs.

• Draft a housing program that would allow developers to build additional units.

Strategy 5.2: Support efforts to grow and expand resources for working lands businesses.

Action 1: Inventory existing “working lands” businesses in region.

• Working with Agency of Commerce and Community Development and other stakeholders, create a master database of existing working lands businesses.

• Create a master directory of existing resources and technical assistance.

• Identify gaps and help develop programs to assist what is currently in place as well as better promote existing resources.

Strategy 5.3: Gain understanding of challenges to identification of and development of commercial property.

Action 1: Determine existing commercial property market status, relative to Vermont and adjoining New Hampshire.

• Develop a map of the region, showing municipal infrastructure, transportation options and broadband connectivity.

• Research recent construction projects and property sales to collate current activity.

• Obtain information on current square foot rates and other cost factors impacting the ability to develop commercial property.

Strategy 5.4: Encourage the growth of grand list property values for all towns in the region.

Action 1: Analyze current grand list composition in each town, including historic trends.

• Design common spreadsheet with information expected to be collected for each town.

• Complete research into grand lists of the 40 towns.

• Examine data for areas of strengths/weaknesses and identify opportunities for growth of grand lists.

Goal 6: Quality of Life and Place

Strategy 6.1: Identify the availability and access to primary aspects of health care for all populations.

Action 1: Determine current utilization of existing resources.

• Working with Federally Qualified Health Centers and other stakeholders, inventory existing area health resources (including primary care, ob/gyn, emergency services, behavioral, dental and vision).

• Identify current and trend utilization rates of services.

• Help promote quality of (and access to) existing services to increase utilization and community health.

Strategy 6.2: Develop a “great place to live and work” initiative to retain and attract area residents.

Action 1: Identify qualities that people are looking for in the region.

• Create a series of focus groups, made up of diverse demographics, in different areas of the region.

• Develop questions for focus group meetings, including aspects that are considered important to their choice of location and the state of existing resources (e.g., available educational resources, retail, landscape, cost of living).

• Select participants for focus groups.

• Collate information from meetings and prepare report.

• Analyze results of focus group meetings.

Strategy 6.3: Increase access to public transportation, bicycle/pedestrian paths, and recreational opportunities.

Action 1: Expand transit, bicycle/pedestrian, and recreational opportunities.

• Inventory and analyze existing commuter and in-town services, along with public transit, sidewalks, and bike routes, to determine where expansion can take place to better connect employees and employers as well as recreational opportunities.

• Conduct public outreach.

• Identify issue/needs.

• Design a long-term plan to provide adequate facilities.

• Seek funding.

Strategy 6.4: Support and promote diversified attractions that strengthen and expand tourism and recreational opportunities.

Action 1: Identify existing attractions and historic sales/ticket sales.

• Develop a list of major tourist attractions and key hospitality/tourist businesses.

• Create survey to use in gathering data on attendance/visitation as well as other opportunities for regional cultural and recreational attractions/activities.

• Survey businesses to determine historic trends and customer experiences.

• Using survey results, create a plan to explore feasibility of assisting the development of new opportunities as well as how to better assist utilization.