BRATTLEBORO — The Professional Development Grant Program is the newest offering for members of the Southern Vermont Young Professionals.
The pilot grant program was developed to support SoVTYP members who are advancing or pivoting their career by providing financial assistance to help them achieve those career goals.
This program offers up to $500 to SoVTYP members through a competitive grant application process run by a volunteer selection committee. Some examples of eligible grant uses include acquiring a professional certification, continuing education, or skills training through a local or online college, or attending professional conferences.
The first round of grants was awarded in December.
“Due to the new limitations of hosting in person events during a pandemic, the SoVTYP Steering Committee identified grants as a way to use funding available to give it back to our YP members and our community,” Katie Knaeble, SoVTYP co-chair and a local workforce development professional, said in a news release.
Knaeble said there might be no better time for folks to take a workshop, seminar, or course, or to enroll in a formal training program “to sharpen current skills, learn new skills, build confidence, and generally feel more satisfied with what one is doing.”
The first round of grants were awarded to Alyssa Pelow, entrepreneur, to go towards a startup lab at the Hannah Grimes Center in Keene, N.H.; Jon Saccoccio of JAS Architectural Workshop, to go toward a Certificate in Historic Preservation from Boston Architectural College; and Kaitlin Haskins LPN, to go toward an associate's degree in Nursing from Vermont Technical College.
Southern Vermont Young Professionals is a workforce initiative of Southeastern Vermont Economic Development Strategies (SeVEDS) and the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation (BDCC). Its mission is to attract, retain, and support young professionals in southern Vermont by providing engaging opportunities and networking through social and educational events, and volunteer opportunities.
The next round of applications are due Monday, March 1. Letters of interest to apply are due Monday, Feb. 22.
For more information on the program and how to apply, visit brattleborodevelopment.com/professional-development-grant-program, or contact Sarah Lang, the BDCC's southern Vermont economy project manager, at [email protected].