2026 Brings New Expertise and Opportunities
We’re kicking off the new year by sharing a few updates from Stone, including new team expertise, a major project milestone for a community we've been working with, and several timely grants and resources for supporting municipal flood resilience, climate action planning, and infrastructure investment.
It’s shaping up to be a busy year, and we’re looking forward to continuing this work alongside communities and partners across Vermont and the region.
Evelyn Boardman Joins Stone as Our New Water Resources Scientist
We're thrilled to welcome Evelyn Boardman to Stone!
She brings valuable experience in river and floodplain restoration, stormwater management, and water quality initiatives, strengthening our ability to support communities in building resilience and improving water quality.
She most recently served Vermont as a State River Scientist and Municipal Roads General Permit Coordinator. In her role at Stone, Evelyn is currently developing hydraulic studies and project prioritization to support flood mitigation and resilience efforts across Vermont.
Learn More About Evelyn's Experience.
Disaster Recovery Funding Awarded for Weston Village Projects
We’re happy to hear that the Town of Weston has been awarded $3 million through the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development Block Grants–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR). This funding will support critical flood mitigation work in Weston Village, including upsizing the Lawrence Hill Road Bridge, removing the Mill Dam, and advancing other flood resilience measures.
Stone has been proud to support the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional and Windham Regional commissions on this and other flood mitigation initiatives, providing engineering expertise needed to develop the grant applications.
Statewide, the 2025 CDBG-DR grants program is distributing $50 million to address damages from the 2023 floods and support long-term community resilience.
Learn About Other CDBG-DR Recipients.
Funding Updates and Planning Resources for Vermont Communities
Recent grant awards and new funding programs are creating opportunities for communities to advance planning, infrastructure, and climate action projects across Vermont. Stone works alongside municipalities and regional partners to help scope projects, navigate environmental review and NEPA requirements, and develop competitive grant applications. The items below highlight a mix of recent awards and upcoming resources.
Northern Border Regional Commission Awards 24 Vermont Grants
The Northern Border Regional Commission awarded more than $22 million in 2025 to 24 Vermont communities and organizations to support rural economic development. The 2026 application cycle is now open, with pre-applications due February 27, 2026.
See the list of 2025 Vermont projects.
Learn more about the FY26 grant application process.
$1M in Municipal Planning Grants Awarded to 47 Vermont Communities
Last month, the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development announced the recipients of its FY26 Municipal Planning Grant program. Totaling just over $1 million, the grants will support communities across the state in planning for public improvements, housing opportunities, and climate resilience, strengthening long-term local planning and engagement.
Learn more about this year's MPG projects.
State's CHIP Designed to Support Housing, Municipal Infrastructure
The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development is launching the Community and Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP), a tax increment financing tool designed to help Vermont communities unlock housing opportunities through strategic infrastructure investments.
Through CHIP, Vermont can invest $2 billion in municipal infrastructure between now and 2035.
Looking for Support with Grant-Funded Projects or Applications?
Stone supports municipalities and regional partners at every stage, from early project scoping and environmental review to NEPA compliance and grant application development.
