Mount Ascutney Regional Commission

What Mount Ascutney Regional Commission does

Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC) is a regional planning commission established under Vermont state law (24 V.S.A. §4348) that serves 10 member municipalities in southern Windsor County, Vermont: Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Reading, Springfield, Weathersfield, West Windsor, and Windsor. The organization provides centralized technical planning services that individual small towns could not sustain independently, spanning Brownfields assessment, community development, emergency management, energy planning, GIS mapping, healthy communities, housing programs, land use planning, municipal technical assistance, transportation planning, water resource planning, and the periodic Regional Plan (2022 adopted; 2026 in development).

MARC's technology stack consists of conventional regional planning tools rather than a unified software platform: GIS mapping systems producing color maps up to 34x44 inches and regional orthophotographs, a Housing Suitability Mapping Tool co-developed with the SE Group, a Regional Health Dashboard, and water resource planning systems covering watersheds, flood resilience, and stormwater. Programmatic offerings are delivered as professional services rather than licensed software.

The business model is government-funded rather than commercial. Revenue streams include federal grants (EPA Brownfields, FEMA, FHWA pass-through via VTrans, USDA Forest Service), Vermont state grants (DEC Clean Water Initiative, VEM, Department of Health, VTrans), annual municipal member dues from the 10 towns, and project administration fees for grant management on behalf of member municipalities. MARC is governed by a Board of Commissioners and multiple committees, with operations led by Executive Director Jason Rasmussen and a small professional staff. The commission functions as a political subdivision of the State of Vermont and is not privately owned, making traditional PE/VC/M&A investment frameworks inapplicable.

Name

Mount Ascutney Regional Commission

Legal name

Mount Ascutney Regional Commission

Website

https://marcvt.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mount Ascutney Regional Commission is a Vermont regional planning commission providing centralized technical planning, GIS mapping, housing, transportation, and water resource services to 10 member municipalities in southern Windsor County, funded by federal and state grants plus municipal dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ascutney

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Grants: Primary funding from federal agencies including EPA Brownfields grants, FEMA hazard mitigation funding, FHWA transportation funds passed through VTrans, and USDA Forest Service grants for regional stewardship projects.
2. State of Vermont Grants: Funding from Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (Clean Water Initiative Program), Vermont Emergency Management, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health, and Agency of Transportation for various planning initiatives.
3. Municipal Member Dues: Annual dues from 10 member municipalities (Andover, Baltimore, Cavendish, Chester, Ludlow, Reading, Springfield, Weathersfield, West Windsor, Windsor) to support regional planning services and technical assistance.
4. Project Administration Fees: Fees for administering grants and projects on behalf of member towns, including project management for transportation infrastructure, brownfields assessment, and municipal technical assistance programs.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC) is a Vermont regional planning commission that delivers technical planning services and intergovernmental coordination to its 10 member municipalities in southern Windsor County. Its core offerings span land use planning, transportation planning, housing, energy planning, water resource management, emergency management, GIS mapping, brownfields assessment, and grant administration, delivered as direct technical assistance to town officials and planning commissions.

Product overview

Mount Ascutney Regional Commission (MARC) provides a comprehensive suite of regional planning services to its 10 member towns in southern Windsor County, Vermont. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected planning programs rather than a unified software product. Core offerings include Brownfields assessment, Community Development, Emergency Management, Energy Planning, GIS Mapping, Healthy Communities, Housing Programs, Land Use Planning, Municipal Technical Assistance, Transportation Planning, Water Resource Planning, and Regional Plan development. These services are delivered through direct technical assistance, grant administration, planning document development, and inter-governmental coordination rather than through a software platform or product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brownfields Program Environmental professional services providing brownfields assessment, cleanup planning, and oversight for a five-year period to help member towns address contaminated properties.
• Community Development Economic development and community facilities planning, including health care, libraries, schools, social services, housing, and civic development assistance for member municipalities.
• Emergency Management All-hazards emergency planning and preparedness including mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery support for member towns.
• Energy Program Regional energy planning, renewable energy permitting review, municipal enhanced energy planning, and energy efficiency resources for towns and residents.
• GIS Mapping Local and regional GIS mapping services including color maps up to 34x44 inches, regional orthophotographs, and various data sets for member communities.
• Healthy Communities Health resources navigation, regional health issue education, funding opportunity identification, and health equity technical assistance for municipalities.
• Housing Program Housing development studies, Keys to the Valley Initiative partnership, housing suitability mapping tool, and land use bylaw modernization assistance.
• Land Use Planning Regional and municipal land use planning, Act 250 and Section 248 participation, town plan development, and land use regulation assistance.
• Municipal Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) Grant application assistance for pre-approved high-need municipalities covering water infrastructure, housing, community recovery, climate resilience, and economic development projects.
• Transportation Program Transportation planning services including project prioritization, municipal roads general permit support, bridge and culvert inventories, and regional transportation plan development.
• Water Resource Planning Water quality planning, watershed management, flood resilience, river corridor planning, and Act 64 (Vermont Clean Water Act) implementation support.
• Regional Plan Comprehensive regional planning document covering land use, housing, transportation, energy, emergency management, and economic development for member towns.
• Town Housing Snapshots Housing demographic profiles for each of the 10 member towns with data on household demographics, housing trends, and affordability.

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Windham & Windsor Housing TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on housing initiatives in the region, including joint meetings on housing resources, coordination on the Green Mountain Home Repair Program, Vermont Home Improvement Program, Homebuyer Education Workshops, and Homeshare programs. Windham & Windsor Housing Trust is a key housing development partner for MARC.
• East Central Vermont Economic Development District (ECVEDD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMARC participates in ECVEDD, an economic development district covering the region, hosting workshops on programs like the Community Housing Infrastructure Program (CHIP) with state officials.
• Keys to the Valley Initiative PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMARC partnered with two other planning commissions to create the Keys to the Valley Initiative addressing the housing crisis in the greater Upper Valley through an action plan, toolbox of solutions and data, and regional coordination.
• Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VT DEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration on Tactical Basin Planning, Municipal Roads General Permit implementation, water quality enhancement projects through the EDDIBG program, and clean water initiatives under Act 64.
• Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on housing programs, municipal technical assistance, and providing expertise on municipal regulations, bylaws, and planning requirements.
• Watersheds United VermontcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three statewide Funding Program Administrators for the Water Quality Enhancement Development, Design, and Implementation Block Grant (EDDIBG) program alongside VACD.
• Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-administrator with Watersheds United Vermont and MARC for the EDDIBG program funded by VT DEC's Clean Water Initiative Program.
• Southeast Vermont Transit (SEVT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with MARC on the Southeast Vermont Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities Transportation Program, providing medical transportation and essential services for seniors and persons with disabilities.
• Windham Regional Commission (WRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-participants on the O&D Transportation Committee overseeing elder and disability transportation services in Windham County and southern Windsor County.
• Vermont Community Development AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide association of community development interests that MARC participates in for networking and best practices sharing.
• Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary state transportation agency partner for transportation planning, project prioritization, Municipal Roads General Permit, and pass-through of federal transportation funds.
• The Gathering PlaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the O&D Transportation Committee, providing services for seniors and persons with disabilities in the region.
• Bellows Falls Area Senior CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the O&D Transportation Committee representing senior services in the region.
• The Council on Aging for Southeastern VT (COASEV) / Senior SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the O&D Transportation Committee representing senior services and elder care coordination.
• Springfield Area Adult DayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the O&D Transportation Committee providing adult day services and transportation coordination.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Caledonia-Essex Area Intermunicipal Council: A sibling Vermont intermunicipal planning body serving the NEK region with similar municipal technical assistance and planning coordination functions, but structured as an intermunicipal council rather than a §4348 RPC.

Direct peers

• Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission: Another Vermont RPC under the same §4348 statute, serving towns in the Ottauquechee and White River watersheds. Directly comparable in scope (land use, housing, transportation, brownfields) and in its reliance on federal/state pass-through funding and municipal dues.
• Addison County Regional Planning Commission: Vermont RPC serving Addison County municipalities with the same statutory planning, GIS, transportation, and brownfields mandate. Direct peer in services, governance structure, and funding model.
• Lamoille County Planning Commission: Another Vermont RPC delivering regional and municipal planning, transportation, housing, and emergency management services to Lamoille County towns under the same statutory framework as MARC.
• Northwest Regional Planning Commission (Vermont): Vermont RPC serving northwestern towns with land use, transportation, water quality, and brownfields planning comparable to MARC's programs. Sister agency under the same §4348 statute.
• Bennington County Regional Commission: Vermont RPC serving Bennington County with statutory regional planning, brownfields, transportation, and economic development services analogous to MARC's offerings.
• Northeastern Vermont Development Association: Vermont regional development corporation and planning body serving the NEK region. Comparable as a sister RPC delivering municipal planning, economic development, and grant administration under Vermont's regional commission framework.
• Rutland Regional Planning Commission: Vermont RPC serving Rutland County municipalities with the full suite of regional planning, GIS, and grant administration services comparable to MARC's portfolio.
• Windham Regional Commission: Vermont's adjacent regional planning commission, also established under 24 V.S.A. §4348, serving towns in Windham County. Directly comparable as a peer RPC delivering the same statutory planning services, grant administration, and GIS mapping to its member municipalities.

Others

• Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT): Statewide municipal association that provides technical assistance, training, and advocacy to Vermont towns; a partner, not a competitor, but the closest ecosystem comparator for the municipal technical assistance and training services MARC delivers locally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MountAscutneyRC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mount-ascutney-regional-commission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mount Ascutney Regional Commission