Staff report
Governor Phil Scott opened the press conference Tuesday, Sept. 8 saying: “I want to be sure everyone knows the ‘By Local Vermont’ program is now open. This means that Vermonters can now go to thinkvermont.com/local and sign up for a $30 deal for one of more than 1,300 Vermont businesses. This initiative was passed by the Legislature earlier this summer with a goal of injecting a half million dollars of federal relief funds into our local businesses across the state. And while it’s not nearly enough, it’s a start.”
The state is inviting Vermonters to sign up to receive $30 coupons for use at local businesses that suffered losses due to Covid-19.
Starting on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 11 a.m., residents could sign up online to be “matched” with participating local businesses through the #BuyLocalVermont program.
The Agency of Commerce & Community Development is launching the program to help businesses that have suffered losses during the Covid-19 pandemic. The program will use $425,000 of funding from the federal CARES Act.
The offers are administered through Nift, a Boston-based technology company that pairs businesses who sign up for the program with potential customers. Vermonters who register will be automatically “matched” with local businesses and may choose between two offers.
The Agency is inviting eligible businesses to sign up for the program now. To be eligible, businesses must be based in Vermont and must have suffered losses due to Covid-19. The funds cannot be used for weapons, firearms, alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, lottery tickets or fireworks.
Offers will be available on a first come, first served basis until the program’s funding is depleted. The program is limiting offers to one per household. Due to CARES Act restrictions, all offers will expire on Oct. 31, 2020.
A separate proposal by the Scott administration to provide Vermonters $150 gift cards to use locally is still under consideration by the Legislature.
