UVM Leahy Institute: Recent Engagement & Partnership Activities

Celebrating Two Years of Rural Impact 

This month marks the Leahy Institute’s second birthday — we are celebrating two years of partnership, innovation, and impact across Vermont. Since launching in 2023, we have:

• Awarded $4 Million in total grant funding
• Engaged with 2,328 partners
• Funded 29 projects
• Supported 36 summer interns

And so much more. 

Read about our work and impact in our Two-Year Report.

Every Day Counts: Using Research to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism in Vermont Schools 

Close your books. Pop quiz.

Which of the following is true?

A. Missing two days of school per month makes a student chronically absent.

B. Kindergarten has among the highest rates of chronic absenteeism.

C. Unmet health or social needs are major contributors for students routinely missing school.

D. All of the above

(The correct answer is D)

Read the full article and find out how a Leahy-funded project is addressing chronic absenteeism in Vermont schools

Leahy Institute Presents Research on Rural Coworking at National Conference

Last month, Grossman School of Business Professor Erik Monsen presented new research findings on rural innovation and coworking hubs at the national Radically Rural conference in Keene, New Hampshire, hosted by the Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship. This research was conducted in partnership with Black River Innovation Campus, Do North Coworking, The Hub CoWorks, and Hula, with Leahy grant funding that supported four UVM interns working in each innovation space this past summer. 

Engaging in vibrant national conversations on rural innovation and sharing knowledge from our research projects is one of the ways the Leahy Institute is supporting economic development in rural Vermont.

Learn more about this research here. 

Setting the Table for Just Transitions: Conducting Relational Agroecological Research

With support from the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships, the UVM Institute for Agroecology spent the past year exploring how community-university partnerships can advance Just Transitions in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. By investing in the relationships that connect researchers and communities, this project is helping redefine what collaboration looks like and how it can shape more just and resilient rural futures.

Read the full article here

Green Mountain Job and Retention Program Enters Third Year Awarding Graduates for Staying in Vermont

Have you received a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a Vermont institution between July 2024 and June 2025? Are you planning to remain in Vermont and work full-time for a Vermont-based company for at least two years? If so, you could receive up to $5,000 from the Green Mountain Job and Retention Program (GMJRP) to help pay off your student loans.

Applications opened in July and will close on December 1. Recipients will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis for as long as funding is available. 

The GMJRP is a collaboration between the State of Vermont, the University of Vermont, and the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC).

Read this UVM News story about the program.

Learn more and apply.

Upcoming Events 

UVM November E-Forum: Tech Jam

What: Once again, the E-Forum team will be showcasing Seven Days’ fabulous Tech Jam. Our friendly spies have identified interesting local tech startups at Tech Jam and invited them to present in the November E-Forum. Thank you to our Seven Days partner Cathy Resmer and the Tech Jam team for the fourth installment of this fun E-Forum!

When: Friday November 14, 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Where: UVM Jeffords Hall, Room 112

More details here

Reimagining Rural Capacity Summit

What: Join an inspiring and interactive day with Vermont community and economic development leaders, planners, resource providers, local officials, organizers, legislators, and funders. Help shape the future of statewide technical assistance:

• Hear findings from the Vermont Evaluation of Rural Technical Assistance (VERTA).
• Co-design strategies to help Vermont’s towns and rural communities get real projects done.
• Prioritize ideas for new pilot programs, agency actions, and 2026 legislative actions and funding requests.

When: Thursday November 13, 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Where: Vermont State University Randolph Campus

Learn more and register

Destination BTV Summit

What: This isn’t your average conference — it’s Burlington’s can’t-miss gathering of the year. Hosted by Hello Burlington, Destination BTV brings together changemakers from tourism, higher ed, talent attraction, and economic development to answer one big question: How do we connect to and compete with the rest of the world?

Whether you’re in hospitality, human resources, real estate, higher education, government, or simply have a stake in making Greater Burlington shine, this summit is your front-row seat to the ideas shaping our future.

When: Wednesday November 19, 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Where: DoubleTree by Hilton, South Burlington

Learn more and register

More stories of UVM engagement throughout Vermont
 

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor Emphasizes Perseverance and Heart in Appearance at UVM

Chief Psychologist at UVM Medical Center reveals how parents can help kids develop common sense

Over 350 Wild Bee Species Found in Vermont, with Help of Community Scientists 

UVM Students Create an Online Donation Platform for Nonprofits

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