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Senate committee backs small‑business technical assistance as top budget priority; municipal assistance and other requests discussed
Summary
Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation briefed the Senate committee on the Small Business Technical Assistance Exchange and asked for $1.2 million to continue a navigator-and-provider model that helps small, often under‑networked firms access professional services.
Central Vermont Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Melissa (last name given in testimony) and other regional administrators briefed the Senate committee on the Small Business Technical Assistance Exchange (SBTAE), a state program that pairs local business navigators with vetted professional service providers to help small firms access technical assistance (bookkeeping, legal, website development, engineering, etc.).
Program design and results: Melissa said the program was run in FY24 with state funding and that the current request is for $1.2 million to continue and scale the model, which includes a program administrator and six regional navigators who assess businesses’ needs, connect them to vetted providers (including sole proprietors), and help ensure purchases of the right services to advance business plans. She said earlier federally funded versions were more restrictive (sole proprietors could not be paid) and that the state version permitted a much wider pool of more than 500 vetted providers.
Why it matters: Melissa and committee members said the program reaches businesses that repeatedly report difficulty accessing professional services and that navigators improve equitable access for businesses without existing networks. Committee members praised the program’s diversity of applicants and success stories and said this program helps the state leverage other grants by improving applicants’ readiness.
Municipal technical assistance distinction: Peter Gregory of the Two Rivers‑Ottauquechee Regional Commission clarified the municipal technical assistance program is distinct: that program supplies planning and application‑preparation support for municipalities to access state and federal infrastructure and housing funds. Committee members discussed how the two programs differ and whether both should receive funding in the final package.
Committee prioritization and budget numbers: The SBTAE presenter asked for $1.2 million. Committee discussion then turned to prioritization: senators voted in the meeting to mark the Small Business Technical Assistance Exchange as the committee’s “highest” priority for the draft submission. The committee also discussed funding municipal technical assistance at $3.0 million and modifying a construction workforce line to $1.5 million per year over three years.
Ending: Committee leaders said they would sort and finalize prioritization and forward recommendations to Appropriations; presenters were invited to provide cost-breakdowns and outcome metrics for final budget deliberations.
