Phish Funds “Small Business Uplift” to support BIPOC, New American & Low Income Business Owners Impacted by Flooding

11/30/23

Montpelier, Vermont

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation (CVEDC) announces today the launch of the "Small Business Uplift" program to support BIPOC, New American/immigrant, and low income business owners who were impacted by the July 2023 funding.  The program was generously funded by the band Phish, through donations from its fans and its philanthropic foundation the Waterwheel Foundation Fund.  A supplementary grant to further expand the program was made by the Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery Fund.

CVEDC is a nonprofit based in Montpelier that has worked since 1976 to support businesses and employers in Central Vermont.  In response to the flooding, CVEDC created a drop-in flood recovery center that moved through three locations to offer in person counseling and support to business owners for the first 90 days following the flooding.  

"During our work, we noted a disproportionate number of flood victims were from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.  20% of those impacted were Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), including many immigrants or New Americans with language barriers," says Melissa Bounty, Executive Director of CVEDC.

Noting that these barriers created difficulty in the immediate and longterm recovery process, CVEDC developed a three-part secondary recovery plan.  The program will include a professional general contractor and project manager, to support those working through construction projects; photographer Isora Lithgow of Isora Lithgow Creations, who will facilitate workshops on marketing and branding and document the successful reopening of businesses with her photography; and restaurateur and restaurant consultant Brian Lewis of Restaurant Evolution Consulting, who will provide guidance on all aspects of re-opening restaurants successfully after the financial and physical losses faces by business owners. By bringing together the impacted community in a cohort model with the same trusted counselors they had worked through the immediate recovery with, CVEDC hoped to foster additional support for its impacted clients.

Though the project was developed in detail in October, funding was difficult to source as the flood-related need was so pervasive. However, journalism of the exacerbated impact of the flooding on marginalized populations increased awareness about the challenges and barriers being faced by these community members.  The Vermont Community Foundation ultimately brought the project proposal to Phish to consider for its Waterwheel Foundation Fund.  CVEDC was surprised by the notice that the project had been funded just before closing for a Thanksgiving break, and quickly learned Vermont Main Street Flood Recovery would be able to supplement to fully fund the project. 

This project is also supported by fiscal agent and project liaison Jess Laporte of Community Resilience Organizations (CROS).  Laporte offered both fiscal and grant management to CVEDC as well as guidance during the flood recovery.  Community Resilience Organizations works with individuals, organizations, and coalitions to build networks of care and repair that center the frontline communities most impacted by climate change. They operate from the base understanding that we cannot build climate refuge without the leadership of Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC), trans, queer, disabled, neurodivergent, low-income, survivors, immigrants and undocumented people.

The program hopes to serve 45 businesses with marketing, photography, restaurant, and contracting support.  Those interested in participating may contact CVEDC Executive Director Melissa Bounty by email or phone.  Based on response, a formal application may follow.