In August 2020, Rutland Economic Development Corporation and the Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce merged to form what is now the Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR). Our merged organization is proud to be working on behalf of all businesses and communities to make Rutland County the most collaborative, innovative, and friendly place in Vermont to live, work, play, and grow a business. Through these columns, we will share what our staff has been working on since our merger, including new initiatives as we move into the post-pandemic economy.
In the first days following the merger, our team quickly pivoted and traveling around the county to deliver masks to local businesses. In October, CEDRR and four other economic development partners from across the Rutland Region were awarded a Restart Vermont Regional Marketing Grant to benefit businesses that had been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. All five organizations teamed up to form ‘Real Bucks’; a program that offered customers who spent $30 or more, $10 off the purchase total at participating businesses. The program, with a total grant amount of $50,000, proved to be a success.
This March, we hosted a 5-week long “Beat the COVID Blues Challenge” trivia event which comprised of eight local teams competing for gift certificates to local eateries. The grand winner was Casella Construction. Penny Inglee, our Member Services/Events/Office Manager spearheaded the series, which was hosted by Eric Mallette, Executive Director of the Paramount Theatre.
Our Operations Director, Tyler Richardson, worked diligently to connect businesses in need of additional grant money through the Restart Vermont Technical Assistance (ReVTA) program. Richardson served as CEDRR’s Recovery Navigator, assisting and connecting more than 30 local businesses with grant funding.
To maintain a strong connection with businesses and members, CEDRR recently welcomed Castleton University graduate, Brooke Rubright, as Outreach Coordinator. Rubright started as an intern in 2019 as the Economic Development Assistant and has brought essential skills to the team.
Immediately after the merger, a survey was provided to our membership asking for feedback regarding what resources would be most beneficial for businesses in the Rutland County community. More than half of the responses encouraged a continued emphasis on attracting new people to the region through the Regional Marketing Initiative, known as Real Rutland. As a result, increasing the population and marketing the Rutland Region continues to be a major focus of our work. With an influx of traffic on the Real Rutland website, our staff and volunteer concierge service team is ready to help individuals from across the nation join us as neighbors; to “live the life they were meant for.”
We are well prepared to welcome new families and to help them navigate their move to Vermont. While the campaign may have been on pause in the first half of the pandemic, the interest in moving to Vermont has only increased. Throughout the first few years of our Regional Marketing Initiative, we generated over 5,000 individual contacts, each of whom expressed interest in moving to the area. As a way to re-engage with them, we conducted a survey to help determine their continued level of interest in moving. Over 66% shared that they are still considering a move to our region.
Our complimentary concierge program currently has over 25 volunteers who are ready to support individuals and families looking to move to Rutland County. Our Communications & Community Engagement Director, Kimberley Rupe, oversees the concierge program and matches prospective leads with the right volunteer.
One of the leading contributing factors that attract individuals and families to the Rutland Region is job opportunities. Each semester we have an intern from Castleton University who oversees our virtual Career Hub which highlights available full-time positions in Rutland County. The Career Hub has consistently hosted in excess of 100 professional-level job opportunities. As a result of the high demand for skilled employees, the next phase of our Regional Marketing program will specifically target employees who are in economic sectors most in need. We would like to thank the businesses and municipalities that help to fund the Regional Marketing Initiative. Retaining and attracting a skilled labor force is truly a team effort.
We know there is a tremendous amount of work ahead and even more than we can share in this one column. To learn more about our work, visit our website www.rutlandvermont.com or feel free to stop in our office to say hello as our office is now open to the public. We look forward to seeing everyone in person and to shaking hands once again. Stay tuned as our mixers and events will begin soon!
