Category Archives: Economic Development
Creating resilient communities in Vermont
Front Porch Forum is proud to be part of the Vermont Digital Economy Project, which has had a big impact across the state over the past couple years.
“VCRD launched the Vermont Digital Economy Project to offer free support to speed flood recovery, spur economic development and job growth, and improve community resilience to disasters. The project worked directly with Vermont towns affected by 2011’s floods to help businesses, nonprofits and municipalities expand their use of online tools. Together with project partners, we helped increase digital literacy and online workforce training, added Wi-Fi and other public access points, brought a community-based social network to every Vermont town, created town websites and community calendars, promoted the use of “cloud” applications, and provided customized small-business and nonprofit training.”
Check out this interactive map for lots of stories and real-world results:
Giving Thanks for FPF Sponsors
In this season of thanksgiving, please join us in thanking the major Front Porch Forum sponsors for 2014. Without their support, your local forum would not be possible. Special appreciation to:
- New England Federal Credit Union
- Building Energy
- Bourne’s Energy
- Lake Champlain Chocolates
- Cabot Creamery
- Smugglers’ Notch
- Bolton Valley Resort
- Almartin Volvo
- The Edge Sports & Fitness
- VTrans
- VPIRG
- Casella Waste Systems
- The University of Vermont Medical Center
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont
- Vermont State Colleges
- University of Vermont
- Windows & Doors By Brownell
- Wick & Maddocks Attorneys at Law
If your Vermont business, nonprofit, institution or agency would like to join this community-minded group, please contact us at localbiz@frontporchforum.com or 802-540-0069 x1. Learn more about how FPF advertising can help you reach Vermonters.
Additional 2014 FPF sponsors to whom we’re also grateful include:
- SunCommon
- Vermont Teddy Bear Company
- Jay Peak Resort
- Stowe Mountain Resort
- Dealer.com
- TIAA CREFF
- Vermont Gas
- Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District
- Healthy Living Market and Cafe
- Natural Provisions
- Greater Burlington YMCA
- The Essex Resort & Spa
- Johnson Law Group
- The Vermont Realty Team
- Computers for Change
- University Mall
- Morning Dew Landscaping & Stonework
- Big Rock Landscape
- Cathedral Square Corporation
- Vermont Precision Woodworks
- SerVermont
- Go Vermont
- Chittenden Co. Reg. Planning Comm.
- Chittenden Solid Waste District
- CCTA and GMTA
- VAST
- Northwestern Medical Center
- Copley Hospital
- Vermont Health Connect
- Champlain College
- Vermont Tech
- Community College of Vermont
- Sterling College
- The Schoolhouse
Best wishes to all this coming holiday season.
Vermont inventor uses neighbors to test prototypes
From today’s Burlington Free Press…
Doug Hartwell, founder of Bitybean, developed an UltraCompact Baby Carrier, a business that he has launched…
“… when we got closer to our final prototypes, I actually put an ad on Front Porch Forum saying: ‘Looking for Moms with Babies.’ Whenever we changed something in the prototypes or materials, I’d call them up and ask them to meet somewhere where they could try it on and tell us what they thought. One of those moms became the model for our first promotional material…”
“Bitybean was named one of the top 10 innovative products in the whole industry. That was huge break for us as it came just as we launched the business.”
More and more Vermont small businesses are using FPF to find customers, make hires, and complete research such as Doug. In a recent survey, 58% of the respondents shared that FPF helps local companies gain information valuable to their business.
Discuss local civic engagement and Front Porch Forum
Michael Wood-Lewis, co-founder of Front Porch Forum, will be speaking at the following events this month…
Western Slopes Business Association session, Richmond, Vermont, Sept. 16, 2014, 8 AM- Vermont Connected Summit, Vermont Statehouse, Montpelier, Sept. 23
- First-Year Seminar about In The Neighborhood: The Search for Community on an American Street, One Sleepover at a Time, by Peter Lovenheim, Castleton State College, Sept. 23, 7 PM
Please come and join the conversations.
Does FPF effect local community? Survey says…
Before and after FPF… does it make a difference? We just concluded a survey of 964 Front Porch Forum (FPF) members (out of 6,500 invited). We asked FPF members to answer two-part questions about their experiences since joining FPF vs. before FPF.
Front Porch Forum helps neighbors connect. In the survey, 18% more members reported knowing most of their neighbors since joining FPF (vs. before joining FPF).
FPF also helps Vermonters get informed about local issues. Nearly four times more FPF members reported feeling “very informed” about local community issues since joining FPF.
And FPF helps people get involved and build community. About one-third more members work to make change in their local communities monthly since joining FPF.
See more results below.
Thanks to all who participated. And congratulations to Allison in Greensboro for winning our iPod prize drawing.
FPF helps people connect with neighbors. Since joining FPF…
- 3% more members say “hi” to neighbors monthly (vs. before joining FPF)
- 10% more members find it very/somewhat easy to make friends among neighbors
- 18% more members know most neighbors
- 24% more members have neighbors over to their home monthly
- 37% more members share goods or favors with neighbors monthly
FPF helps people get informed about local issues. Since joining FPF…
- 29% more members share news with neighbors monthly
- 68% more members feel “very informed” about local shops
- Two times more members feel “very informed” about local government services
- Nearly three times more members feel “very informed” about local clubs/organizations
- Three times more members feel “very informed” about local contractors
- Nearly four times more members feel “very informed” about community issues
- Four times more members feel “very informed” about opportunities to get involved locally
- Ten times more members feel “very informed” about neighbors’ views on local issues
FPF helps people get involved locally and build community. Since joining FPF…
- 10% more members intentionally “buy local” monthly (now 73% of members)
- 15% more members perform local volunteer work monthly
- 33% more members contact local public officials monthly
- 33% more members work to make change in their local community monthly
- 38% more members attend local public meetings monthly
- 43% more members attend local events monthly
- 89% of members have recommended FPF to someone
- 98% of members say that FPF helps their local economy (businesses find customers and new employees, neighbors save money, etc.)
Compelling one-day conference Sept. 23…
Registration just opened for…
Vermont Connected: Envisioning the Future of Vermont’s Digital Economy
Tuesday, September 23, at the Vermont State House in Montpelier.
Vermont Connected will be the culmination of the work of the Vermont Digital Economy Project, looking forward to Vermont’s future and sharing recent lessons learned from helping small businesses, nonprofits and towns in Vermont to effectively use digital tools. Tracks include:
- Educating for a Digital World
- K-12 and Beyond
- Bridging the Digital Divide
- Building Effective Organizations
- For Nonprofits
- For Small Businesses
- Creating Resilient Communities
- Open Data in Government and Beyond
- Resilience through Engagement
- Steering Vermont’s Digital Future
- Vermont’s Technology Industry
- The Creative Economy
Learn more and register today!
Front Porch Forum is one of many participating organizations.
Neighbors addressing Vermont unemployment…
Posted to the Windsor FPF by Tracey this week…
Dear Community – About a month ago, I posted an ad on our Front Porch Forum asking for a few hours of help with my project. Thanks to the Forum and the nice folks at the Windsor Library who saw the post, I got connected with Todd…
Todd has proven himself to be reliable, honest, and hardworking. We decided to ask him to stay on help us with the project, which includes yard work, demolition, carpentry, drywalling, painting, heavy lifting, etc. I’ve been really thankful to have been connected with Todd. He shows up for work every morning, and always early. He’s hardworking, is attentive to details, has neat habits and always puts things away, learns quickly, is willing to listen, can work independently, is a creative problem solver, is cost conscious, considerate, communicative, and this list continues.
I don’t understand how a capable worker like Todd has been unable to find employment, shelter, and a means to support himself. If anyone were to deserve a break, it would be Todd. He has a bike, but does not have a car. That has proven to be a huge obstacle in finding a job. However, without employment, I don’t see how he could afford a car.
Our project will end this week. By posting to the Windsor FPF again, I wish that Todd may be connected with other job opportunities, and find safe shelter where he could exchange chores for low rent. Please contact me and I’d be happy to show you the work he has done. Please contact Todd if you have a job or housing lead.
The sharing economy and FPF in Vermont
Just received this note from an FPF member in central Vermont…
I’m sure you hear this a lot… but not yet from me. I love Front Porch Forum and it’s such a great community-building resource. I use it for the farmers market often to borrow items that I use a couple times a year and don’t need to buy — just borrowed a 100′ tape measure to mark off the farmers market lot for the season.
Thanks so much for starting and operating this incredible resource.
Robots, kids, classes and FPF
Christine at Robots 4 Kids 2 just shared the good news about their recent round of classes…
“Our classes filled in 2 days so that’s fantastic. We will definitely advertise again with Front Porch Forum.”
If you’re interested in advertising your Vermont business across many FPFs, please contact with ample lead time… space does sell out.
Burlington a “most promising tech hub of 2014”
From VTDigger…
Burlington’s burgeoning high-tech culture has put it on a start-up map. The website techie.com, which documents emerging technology trends, named the city one of the country’s 10 most creative up-and-coming hubs in 2014.
The home city to Dealer.com one of Burlington’s most extraordinary success stories with its recent sale for nearly $1 billion also scored 38th on Lumosity’s recent “100 smartest cities” report…
Social media groups like the Front Porch Forum also helped Burlington earn its badge for civic participation. But the combination of online and “in real life” activity is part of what set the city apart.
About Blog
Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more
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