Technical Support Providers

Photo by Lily ReGina

Building new or taking care of existing trails, expanding a trail network, or figuring out how to develop a regional approach to trails takes time, skill, funding, and expertise that can overwhelm even the most committed volunteer or paid trail manager. Thankfully, Vermont has many ‘helper organizations’ with staff, tools, and sometimes funding that can support the planning, mapping, and fundraising needed to implement projects.

Municipal Technical Assistance Program (MTAP)

Initiated in 2023 through H.145/Act 3, this program provides expanded technical and administrative assistance to municipalities with high need that may be eligible for state or federal funding. Trails, parks, and recreation fit with either community recovery, climate change mitigation/resilience, or other community economic development projects. Service providers that may support eligible towns include Preservation Trust of Vermont (PTV), Stone Environmental (Stone), Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs), Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD), Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB) REDI program (grant writing assistance), and Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT). A list of “high need” municipalities can be found at Municipal Technical Assistance – Pre-approved | Department of Finance and Management.

Increasing Municipal Capacity for Grants | Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT)

State and federal funding opportunities are unprecedentedly high right now, yet many municipalities lack the staff capacity or skill to pursue them. The VLCT offers a list of resource providers and ideas for increasing a municipality’s capacity to identify grant possibilities, write applications, administer grants, and manage projects. While VLCT works in the municipal realm, some of the resource providers will assist nonprofit organizations.

Vermont Housing and Conservation Board’s (VHCB) Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) program

The REDI Program helps rural communities access the funding they need for community and business development. REDI provides grant writing assistance to rural communities and working lands businesses interested in applying for federal funds and other funding sources when applicable. Funds can be used to hire a grant writer, complete a necessary step to make a grant application more competitive (such as developing a trail design), and in some cases to help make a fundraising plan for a project.

Regional Planning Commissions (RPC)

Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD)

The Northern Forest Center

Vermont Land Trust

Common Good Vermont

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