Resilient Vermont Network (RVT)
The Resilient Vermont Network (RVT) was first formed experimentally in 2015 under the direction of the Institute for Sustainable Communities. From 2017, under the leadership of the Center for Global Resilience and Security (CGRS) at Norwich University, RVT embarked on a new phase of coordinating and supporting resilience work in Vermont. Since 2017, CGRS has also supported the RVT by hosting professional development workshops for Community Resilience Organizations (CROs), participating in Vermont's State Hazard Mitigation planning process, including hosting a working group meeting, and leading the development of an Academic Resilience Collaborative (ARC) that would bring Vermont researchers into communities to minimize or solve Vermont's resilience challenges.
Resilient Vermont Conference
Resilient Vermont 2025: Securing Resilient Communities
Bringing together community leaders and groups working to celebrate and strengthen Vermont’s resilience.
The conference will be organized around three critical sub-themes:
- Climate Resilience - Sessions in this track will explore the challenges and opportunities of addressing climate change at the local level. Topics may include:
- Strategies for disaster preparedness and recovery
- Sustainable infrastructure and green initiatives
- Community-based approaches to climate adaptation
- Economic Resilience - This track will focus on strategies for fostering economic stability, diversification, and long-term sustainability in small communities. Topics may include:
- Strategies to reduce dependence on single industries and foster long-term economic stability.
- Strengthening local talent pipelines, upskilling workers, and supporting small businesses.
- The role of public and private investments in building resilient local economies.
- Best practices for municipal finance, budgeting, and resource allocation.
- Technological Resilience - Sessions in this track will examine how technology can bolster resilience in small municipalities. Topics may include:
- Smart cities and technology-driven solutions
- Cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection
- Leveraging data for informed decision-making
Past Conferences
A Resilient Vermont conference will bring together community leaders, neighbors and groups that are working to strengthen Vermont's resilience to climate change and other challenges. The conference will help people connect, learn about success stories and best practices, and gain skills and resources to boost resilience on the ground. Geared toward municipal leaders, organizations and agencies working on resilience, the conference will address social, environmental, economic and physical strategies for helping our communities reduce impacts on people, places, and property and recover faster after disasters.
Resilient Vermont 2024: After the Floods
The Vermont floods in the summer of 2023 highlighted the broad and ongoing need for investments in systems that support our health, safety, and wellbeing. This year’s conference will draw from a range of novel perspectives on resilience, while challenging our attendees to see how the insights and tools derived from these perspectives can be incorporated into our response to environmental, social and economic threats.
Watch Featured Panels
Resilient Vermont 2022: Looking to the Past to Plan for the Future
A conference for Vermonters seeking to engage with each other, their communities, and the state at large through meaningful and interdisciplinary discussions and problem-solving. Join us for this one-day event as we look to the past to plan for our future.
Watch Opening Session