Grant Awards Totaling $50,000
$30,000 to be awarded to LaunchVT and $20,000 to be awarded to ReSOURCE in support of
youth-focused workforce development programs
Burlington, Vt. – June 15, 2020 – BTV Ignite and Burlington Telecom announced that
LaunchVT and ReSOURCE will be awarded grant funding to deliver programming to support
workforce training and development with a focus on Burlington’s youth and disadvantaged
communities.
“These grants awards announced today are much needed during a time where thousands in our
community are facing a wide range of economic hardships. The workforce support programs
offered by LaunchVT and ReSOURCE are critical while we come together to address the
changing needs of workers and local businesses, as well as providing opportunities to
Burlington residents who may not otherwise have them,” said Adam Roof, BTV Ignite Project
Manager. “I’m excited that we have been able to award these two significant grant awards on an
accelerated timeline to help meet immediate and emerging needs in the Burlington community
and economy. Young people and communities that have historically been left behind through
conventional workforce development programs are righty the core focus of this funding.”
Details about the grant awards and the programming are as follows:
LaunchVT has been awarded $30,000 to develop and implement an internship and STEM skill
development program through its established Nexus, REACT, and LaunchVT programs.
LaunchVT will develop internship opportunities with its alumni to match interns with highly
valuable opportunities to develop entrepreneurial and STEM related skills. The BTV Ignite
Board has required LaunchVT to work with a number of organizations as part of their outreach
and recruitment for the internship program.
John Antonucci, Executive Director or LaunchVT, said “with this funding we will be able to offer
young people in our community the opportunity to develop professional knowledge and skills in
leading industries with some of Vermont’s most promising businesses. We are committed to
providing internship opportunities to youth of a range of backgrounds, with a particular focus on
supporting women, people of color, and those that come from a low-income or other
background that historically has been disadvantaged. Interns will develop skills to advance their
career opportunities and the businesses that host them will benefit from the work they do,
creating greater economic impact throughout the community.”
ReSOURCE has been awarded $20,000 to support its YouthBuild Program that serves 16-24
year old youth, as well as Construction Intensives that serve both youth and adults. The BTV
Ignite Grant will support 10 disadvantaged Burlington youth in the YouthBuild program and 20
through a Construction Intensive. The funding will be specifically focused on supporting
weatherization skill training resulting in students receiving a valuable professional certification.
“The trades are becoming increasingly technical and this targeted funding demonstrates that our
community understands the importance of this work in our local economy,” said Thomas
Longstreth, Executive Director of ReSOURCE. “Professional weatherization skills are in high
demand here locally and across our state and are a key aspect of our collective effort to
address climate change. Employers need skilled workers excited to make a difference through
high quality professional work. ReSOURCE provides both technical skills and soft skills and
supports both the student and the employer to ensure successful placements. The BTV Ignite
funding and our training helps meet multiple community needs.”
The $50,000 annual STEM and Technical Skill Grant Fund is a component of the $3 million over
10 years commitment from Schurz Communications during the sale of Burlington Telecom that
resulted from the competitive process directed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.
“Burlington Telecom is proud to support the local community and economy in meaningful ways
and specifically by providing these early release grant dollars to two great local organizations,”
said Mike Loucy, General Manager of Burlington Telecom and BTV Ignite Board Member.
About BTV Ignite
BTV Ignite is focused on bringing together the energy, resources, and values of the Burlington,
Vermont community to create opportunities to start and grow new businesses, create new jobs
and promote the skills needed to fill them. The nonprofit provides STEM experiences for
students, helps launch ‘smart’ city initiatives, and ensures these opportunities are inclusive and
accessible for everyone. BTV Ignite was founded in 2014 and is sponsored by the leading
government, business, and academic stakeholders of Burlington, including The City of
Burlington, People’s United Bank, The University of Vermont, UVM Medical Center, Hula,
Burlington Telecom, The Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, and Burlington
Electric Department. It’s founding mission is to help take advantage of Burlington’s city-wide
fiber optic gigabit network infrastructure and unlock the potential of this world-class digital
resource to drive sustainable economic and community development. Learn more at
https://www.btvignite.com/.
About Burlington Telecom
Burlington Telecom is Burlington, Vermont’s only 100 percent fiber-optic network, focused on
providing transparent pricing and the best customer service. Burlington Telecom is a core
institutional partner for BTV Ignite, supporting the creation of a sustainable tech eco-system
aimed at generating new, well-paying jobs in Burlington and providing professional careers for
young Vermonters.
Media Contact:
Adam Roof
BTV Ignite Project Manager
[email protected]
802.777.3255