Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategy
Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies, or SeVEDS, began in 2007 as a small group of people from across the region sought to improve broadband and cell service. That effort was coordinated by the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, one of 12 Regional Development Corporations (RDC) affiliated with the State of Vermont’s Department of Economic Development.
After many meetings it became painfully clear that the region’s problem wasn’t lack of broadband, it was a lack of economic development. In addition, mitigating the economic effects from the eventual closure of the region’s largest employer, the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant, had not been planned for at the regional or state level.
Understanding we couldn’t go it alone, professional assistance was sought from Fairpoint Communication and their contractor Vital Economies and the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Authority.
Beginning in 2010, Vital Economies worked with us to uncover and understand our underlying regional economic and demographic data and helped us lead a regional asset mapping discussion. This work led to the development of our initial five year goals and a strategy framework to begin to achieve those goals, the 2014 Windham Region S.M.A.R.T. CEDS.
SeVEDS continues to develop long term regional strategies and partners. We are incorporated as a non-profit and legally affiliated with the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation, a Vermont Regional Development Corporation serving the Windham Region. BDCC’s implementation of the 2014 CEDS has received national and international economic development awards from the National Association of Development Organizations and the International Economic Development Council.
Mission: SeVEDS develops long-term strategies that generate growth and prosperity in our regional economy.
Vision: To be recognized as the model for rural economic development in the United States.
A new five year strategy, the 2019 Southern Vermont Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy has been accepted by the EDA.
The 2019 plan created by Windham and Bennington County stakeholders is a long term strategy to grow the Southern Vermont Economy Zone – a region facing significant economic challenges established by the Vermont State Legislature in 2015. The 2019 Zone CEDS is intended to replace the 2014 Windham Region S.M.A.R.T. CEDS.
SeVEDS Board membership, agendas, minutes, presentations, reports and contact information can be found at https://brattleborodevelopment.com/seveds/