e-Vermont

e-Vermont was a recent initiative to help rural Vermont towns take full advantage of the Internet, to advance a wide variety of local needs including economic development, school innovation, job creation, downtown marketing, community engagement and e-commerce.

Twenty four communities statewide were selected to work with the e-Vermont partnership in a comprehensive effort combining online services, training, access, awareness, and planning. In addition, best practices in the uses of digital tools were shared through symposia and conferences statewide.

The e-Vermont partnership focused on the grassroots needs of each community, provided technical assistance, equipment and facilitation, and in some cases limited funding to 24 towns for a two year period. Local task forces led the way in developing specific plans for their community.

THE SNELLING CENTER PARTNERSHIP WITH E-VERMONT

E-VERMONT EVENTS

May 8, 2012: Vermont’s Digital Future Conference at Champlain College. The conference convened individuals and groups to create priorities and action steps that keep the momentum of Internet technology training going. These strategies will lead to the expansion of opportunities in all sectors of our state.

The First e-Vermont Conference

May 21, 2011: The e-Vermont Community Broadband Project hosted Citizen Leadership in a Connected Age, at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, VT. The conference focused on how Internet use is expanding at the community level across Vermont to improve economic and local service opportunities, with the goal to further, not compromise, our values around community. Community leaders as well as those in education, technology, business and nonprofit sectors shared their expertise.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the e-Vermont conference! It was a great day for learning and networking.

If you missed the conference, check the links below for the agenda and course descriptions and a link to news coverage from Vermont Public Radio and Vermont Digger.

E-VERMONT PARTNERS

The Vermont Council on Rural Development led a team of eight other nonprofits who work with rural communities around the state to improve the ways they use broadband, for everything from strengthening business plans to engaging more citizens in local government. Read more about the e-Vermont partners here.