St. Johnsbury, Vt. – Governor Phil Scott and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) today announced the launch of the $40M 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 $10M for similar types of projects, approving another round of grants including a grant to Fairbanks Museum and Planetarium. 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, please visit the Capital Investment Program Page.