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Goal: Burlington continues to generate a strong,
diverse base of locally-owned enterprises.
Five-year Focus:
- Promote the use of Renewal Community and Vermont Downtown tax
incentives.
- Encourage the development of a risk capital fund.
- Identify and target vacant commercial spaces in the Renewal Community and
in the rest of the City, and assist property owners with finding tenants
that meet community needs.
- Encourage home-based business development.
- Develop more affordable commercial and incubator space downtown and in
other designated areas throughout the City.
- Provide businesses with hands-on assistance with the permitting
process.
- Develop and disseminate resource guides for entrepreneurs and
employers.
- Develop and/or support training and financial resources to support new
enterprise and self-employment.
- Expand microlending programs to increase the number and the size of
loans available.
- Support the Sustainable Jobs Fund, Vermont Job Start, the Vermont
Development Credit Union and the Vermont Community Loan Fund's business
loan/grant funds.
- Develop and/or support economic literacy training programs for people
interested in starting small businesses.
- Support the Burlington Currency Program's efforts to expand the number and
types of businesses participating in this program.
- Develop and/or sustain additional services to increase the competitiveness
of small businesses.
- Support the "Vermont Consultants Network."
- Support energy conservation and cost reduction programs.
- Continue to monitor banking activity to ensure that banks remain
responsive to local businesses.
- Direct the purchasing power of major institutions within the City to
support local businesses in order to direct dollars to the local
economy.
- Encourage individuals and organizations to invest savings in local
financial institutions that reinvest funds directly back into the community,
and promote active community reinvestment among all local banks and
financial institutions.
- Support the Vermont Employee Ownership Center.
Page last updated May 13, 2003
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