ReVTA Program

On Friday, September 18, Governor Phil Scott and Secretary Lindsay Kurrle of the Agency of Commerce and Community Development announced the distribution of $2.5 million in federal CARES Act funding for Restart Vermont Technical Assistance. This funding will deliver robust support to Vermont businesses impacted by the economic downturn due to COVID-19. The funding, allocated by the Vermont General Assembly in Act 137, leverages existing statewide and regional assets to reach a broad range of companies in every sector and region.

The Regional Development Corporations of Vermont (RDCs of VT) were among five organizations selected to implement Restart programming. The RDC program, Restart Vermont Technical Assistance (ReVTA), will leverage a regional and statewide network of for-profit and non-profit technical assistance providers to help small businesses. Each RDC will deploy a Recovery Navigator to work one-on-one with businesses and determine the best form of technical assistance to help each business on its path to recovery. The Navigator, client business, and technical assistance provider will develop a scope of work appropriate to solving the client’s issues. The cost of the work will be covered by the grant. The program is expected to assist over 250 businesses with grants averaging $3,000.

In Rutland County, the RDCs ReVTA Program will be administered by Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region. Businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and would like to receive technical assistance and businesses that can provide technical assistance must register to participate in the program.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY GRANTS

On June 19, Governor Scott signed into law Act 115, “An act relating to creating emergency economic recovery grants.” Act 115 (formerly S.350) includes $70 million for Emergency Economic Recovery Grants. These funds have been made available to the State of Vermont through the federal Coronavirus Relief Funds. The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) and the Vermont Department of Taxes will work together to administer these funds to businesses that have experienced a 50 percent or greater drop in total revenue in any one-month period from March 1, 2020, to August 31, 2020, when compared to the same month in 2019 (other eligibility criteria applies). Under the original eligibility criteria, a business was required to have at least one W-2 employee who was not an owner of that business. Starting August 3, businesses with at least one W-2 employee – now including those who are an owner – are also eligible and encouraged to apply.

On July 2, 2020, Governor Scott signed into law H.966, which includes an additional $96 million for a number of business sectors and will be administered by both ACCD and other agencies including the Agency of Human Services, Agency of Administration, and Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets.

ACCD guidance had previously stated that all businesses receiving a Vermont Emergency Economic Recovery Grant must spend the grant money by December 30, 2020. However, if a business obtained an Emergency Economic Recovery Grant for qualifying losses incurred between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2020, the awarded grant funds are not required to be spent by the business by December 30, 2020.

The first-round of this program is fully subscribed and the application is closed. A second round of funding is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. 

CHILDCARE PROVIDERS, SUMMER CAMPS, AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS

The legislature recently appropriated $12 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds to the Department for Children and Families. This funding is intended to provide support for grants to child care programs including after-school programs, summer camps, Parent-Child Centers, and Children’s Integrated Services. The application process is open through August 26.

CITIES, TOWNS, VILLAGES, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES

The Agency of Administration will administer a special grant fund and issue grants to units of local government to reimburse eligible COVID-19 expenses incurred on or before December 30, 2020, including hazard pay, supplies and equipment, sanitation, facility alterations, overtime compensation, redirection of staff for first-response needs, and any other eligible COVID-19 expenses not covered by other funding sources, including funding provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FRONT-LINE EMPLOYEES HAZARDOUS PAY GRANTS

The application process for Vermont’s Front-line Employees Hazardous Pay Grant program opened on August 4. Approximately $28 million in CARES Act funds have been appropriated to this first-come/first-served program aimed at providing pay to eligible employees who worked during the COVID-19 public health emergency from March 13 through May 15, 2020. The Hazard Pay Program allows eligible employers to request funding to provide $1,200 or $2,000 in hazard pay to each employee who meets eligibility criteria. Eligibility is determined by conditions outlined by the Legislature in Act 136, including the risk of exposure to COVID-19, the number of hours works, and the employee’s hourly wage.

HEALTHCARE PROVIDER STABILIZATION GRANT PROGRAM

Governor Phil Scott authorized $275 million for a Healthcare Provider Stabilization Grant program for a broad array of providers. The Agency of Human Services is administering this program, and the application deadline is August 15, 2020. Healthcare and human service providers may use the application to seek grant funding for both COVID-19-related lost revenue and COVID-19 specific-incurred expenses.

HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Governor Phil Scott, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the Vermont State Housing Authority (VSHA), and the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) announced $30 million in housing assistance to those affected by COVID-19. The programs utilize federal CARES Act funding to provide relief for those tenants unable to pay rent, landlords suffering from a loss of rent payments, and those lower-income homeowners needing assistance in paying the mortgage.

These relief programs will be available starting Monday, July 13, through two different programs. Technical assistance for these programs is being provided by Vermont Legal Aid to help tenants and homeowners and technical assistance has been made available through the Vermont Landlord Association to help landlords access these programs.

AGRICULTURAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

The Agency of Agriculture will also be providing grants through the COVID-19 Dairy Assistance Program – for dairy producers and processors who have experienced income loss, additional expenses, and market distribution as a result of the Coronavirus – and the Agriculture Assistance Program for other agricultural and working lands producers and processors, as well as Vermont’s agricultural fairs. The Dairy Assistance Program will provide $25 million in aid.

VERMONT SOLE PROPRIETOR STABILIZATION PROGRAM

Vermont’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Sole Proprietor Stabilization grant program is designed to assist sole proprietors with no employees that have been impacted by COVID-19 and have remaining unmet needs that can be documented. This program will provide grants of $5,000, $7,500, and $10,000 for qualifying sole proprietors through a lottery draw. The deadline for full-application submission was Friday, July 31. In order to be considered for these grant funds, you must have submitted a full application with all requested material by this date.

Updated: 10/15/2020