Vermont Futures Project

What Vermont Futures Project does

Vermont Futures Project is an independent non-partisan 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN 03-0335635) founded in 2016 and headquartered in Barre, Vermont. Its mission is to provide data, benchmarks, and research supporting long-term economic growth for Vermont, positioning the economy at the center of statewide discussions about the state's future. The organization serves three primary stakeholder groups: Vermont employers and the business community, state and local policymakers, and community partners across all 14 counties.

The organization's core product offerings include the Vermont Economic Action Plan (a comprehensive data-informed roadmap shaped by public engagement with over 5,000 Vermonters), the Vermont Competitiveness Dashboard (compiling economic indicators and rankings from third-party sources such as Camoin Associates, CNBC, ALEC-Laffer, Lightcast, Cato Institute, C2ER, ITEP, Tax Foundation, and Ernst & Young), the 2025 Business Climate Survey (gathering input from 139 employers across all 14 counties), and over 40 interactive Economic Action Plan Data Visualizations. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce serves as the Founding Partner, and the organization maintains a 14-member Board of Directors composed of C-suite executives from anchor Vermont institutions including Casella, UVM Health Network, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group, A.N. Deringer, and O'Brien Brothers.

The organization's revenue model is donation-based, with funding partners categorized into six annual investment tiers ranging from Founding Partner status (Vermont Chamber of Commerce) down to Level 6 contributions of up to $500. Major Level 1 donors ($10,000+ annually) include A.N. Deringer, Casella, Champlain Investment Partners, Northfield Savings Bank, UVM Health Network, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group, and Ski Vermont. Go-to-market is primarily event-driven (co-hosted summits with the Vermont Chamber) and community-led (grassroots public engagement processes), with the organization's research provided as a free public good rather than sold.

Name

Vermont Futures Project

Legal name

Vermont Futures Project

Website

https://vtfuturesproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vermont Futures Project is an independent 501c3 nonprofit that produces data-driven economic research and policy recommendations for Vermont. Its core offerings include the Economic Action Plan, Business Climate Survey, and Competitiveness Dashboard, funded by donations and serving employers, policymakers, and community partners statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research / Economic Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Economic research
• Public policy research
• Economic data analysis
• Workforce development research
• State economic strategy

Headquarters

HQ city

Barre

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The Vermont Futures Project is an independent non-partisan 501c3 organization (EIN 03-0335635) that relies on donations from businesses and individuals to fund its research and education initiatives. Funding partners are categorized into investment levels: Founding Partner (Vermont Chamber of Commerce), Level 1 ($10,000+), Level 2 ($5,000-$9,999), Level 3 ($2,500-$4,999), Level 4 ($1,000-$2,499), Level 5 ($500-$999), and Level 6 (up to $500). Major donors include A.N. Deringer, Casella, Champlain Investment Partners, Northfield Savings Bank, UVM Health Network, Vermont Mutual Insurance Group, Ski Vermont, Heritage Family Credit Union, National Life Foundation, O'Brien Brothers, PC Construction, Pomerleau Real Estate, and many others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Vermont Futures Project is an independent non-partisan 501c3 nonprofit that conducts data-informed economic research and produces publicly accessible tools and reports — chiefly the Vermont Economic Action Plan, the annual Business Climate Survey, and the Vermont Competitiveness Dashboard — to support long-term economic growth in Vermont. The organization engages employers, policymakers, and community partners across all 14 counties and is funded by donations from businesses and individuals.

Product overview

The Vermont Futures Project is an independent non-partisan organization that provides research, data tools, and recommendations to support Vermont's economic growth. Its core offerings consist of the Vermont Economic Action Plan (a comprehensive data-informed roadmap developed with input from over 5,000 Vermonters), the Business Climate Survey (surveying 139 employers on economic conditions), the Vermont Competitiveness Dashboard (aggregating economic indicators and third-party rankings), and Economic Action Plan Data Visualizations (interactive charts on workforce, housing, and demographics). These products work together to inform policy decisions and drive economic strategy for the state.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vermont Economic Action Plan A comprehensive, data-informed roadmap designed to address Vermont's workforce and housing challenges, shaped by public engagement with over 5,000 Vermonters across all 14 counties. It sets long-term targets and offers actionable strategies focusing on People and Places.
• 2025 Business Climate Survey An in-depth survey providing data-informed analysis of how Vermont employers experience the state's economic landscape, gathering insights from 139 employers across all fourteen counties and various industry sectors.
• Vermont Competitiveness Dashboard A compilation of economic indicators showing where Vermont ranks relative to the region and nation, including population, housing, economy, cost of living, education, workforce, tax, and policy metrics with rankings from #1 (best) to #50/#51 (worst).
• Economic Action Plan Data Visualizations Dynamic data visualizations covering topics including population demographics, workforce supply and demand, housing affordability, labor force participation, educational attainment, and tax collections derived from the Economic Action Plan.

Quantifiable outcome

• Economic Action Plan shaped by input from 5,000+ Vermonters
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Vermont Chamber of CommerceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Vermont Chamber of Commerce serves as the Founding Partner of the Vermont Futures Project. The organizations co-host events including the September 2026 education-to-workforce pathway summit at Hotel Champlain. The Chamber released the 2025-2026 Legislative Biennium Report highlighting the Vermont Futures Project's Economic Action Plan. The Chamber testified 87 times before legislative committees and monitored nearly 2,000 hearings, working closely with the Vermont Futures Project on shared economic development goals.
• Strada Education FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrada Education Foundation, represented by Ruth Watkins (President of Postsecondary Education), is featured as a speaker and thought leader at the September 2026 summit co-hosted with the Vermont Chamber, discussing how higher education and workforce partners can better support student success and career-connected learning.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Center for an Urban Future: Independent New York-based think tank producing data-driven research on economic and workforce issues. Comparable as a state/region-focused research shop publishing dashboards, reports, and policy recommendations funded by philanthropic and corporate donors.
• Michigan League for Public Policy: State-level nonpartisan policy research organization producing economic analysis for Michigan. Comparable in scale, donor-funded research model, and focus on translating data into policy advocacy for state-level decision makers.
• MassINC: Independent state-level research and policy organization focused on Massachusetts economic and civic issues. Closely comparable in mission (data-driven, non-partisan economic research for a single state) and audience (employers, policymakers, community partners).
• Maine Center for Economic Policy: Non-partisan research and policy organization producing economic analysis for Maine. Mirrors Vermont Futures Project's role as a small-state economic think tank funded by donations, serving policymakers and community stakeholders.
• Corporation for a Skilled Workforce: National nonprofit focused on workforce development research and policy, addressing skills gaps and labor force participation. Comparable in producing data-driven workforce and economic research aimed at influencing state and regional policy.

Emerging players

• National Skills Coalition: National advocacy organization advancing state and federal workforce and skills policy. Comparable in addressing workforce participation and education-to-employment pathways—central themes of Vermont Futures Project's Economic Action Plan.

Broad incumbents

• Smart Growth America: National advocacy organization focused on land-use, housing affordability, and economic development. Comparable in addressing housing supply, workforce, and economic vitality issues through data-driven advocacy at the state and federal level.
• Brookings Metro: Major policy research program producing economic and workforce analysis for metropolitan and regional economies. Comparable in producing benchmark dashboards and policy recommendations, though embedded within a larger national institution.
• Economic Policy Institute: Well-established national think tank producing economic research and policy analysis. Comparable research methodology and policy-advocacy orientation, though operating at national scale rather than focused on a single state.

Regional players

• Vermont Council on Rural Development: Vermont-based nonprofit supporting community development across the state's rural regions. Operates in the same geography with overlapping stakeholder networks, though focused on community engagement rather than macroeconomic research.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vermontfutures
• YouTubevimeo.com/showcase/8692460
• Facebookfacebook.com/VermontFutures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vermontfutures

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Vermont Futures Project