Alnôbakskwak: Abenaki Women Leading the Way

Alnôbakswak: Abenaki Women

Welcome to the official blog for ‘Alnôbakskwak: Abenaki Women Leading the Way.’ We’re excited to have you with us as we uncover, preserve, and share some vital stories of Abenaki women. Whether you’re here for history, inspiration, or to follow our progress, we’re glad you’ve joined us!

What happens to a community when its stories are no longer passed down? And what if those stories held the key to reclaiming lost traditions and leadership?

Long before colonization reshaped Abenaki society, women were healers, and storytellers who served their community in various capacities as culture bearers and leaders. Their knowledge ensured the survival of their communities. Yet somehow that changed when colonial cultures placed a higher value on men than women and forced New England Indians to follow French and English gender roles where women had little power and autonomy.

How do we rediscover and honor these roles today?

Local Native American cultural traditions suggest possibilities for change and reclaiming her lost story. Oral tradition and storytelling are traditional ways to pass information from one generation to the next.

Why does this project matter?

At a time when many Indigenous communities around the world are reclaiming traditions and leadership roles, Abenaki women’s stories offer insight into both the challenges of the past and possibilities for the future.

Stories have power—and they risk being lost if we don’t collect them now. The stories we are gathering will inform an upcoming exhibit that isn’t just a reflection of the past—it’s a call to action for the future of Abenaki culture.

What inspired this exhibit?

In 2017, VAAA curated an exhibit, called “Alnobak: Wearing Our Heritage.” The exhibit opened at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, VT, and traveled to museums in three New England states. As part of the interpretive programming, we hosted library discussions around the State of Vermont. A panel discussion about the roles of women inspired our new exhibition about the respected position of Abenaki women in traditional culture.

What can I expect from this blog?

This blog will take you behind the scenes of our journey as we build a new exhibition that explores the vital, yet often overlooked, roles of Abenaki women as culture bearers, leaders, and mothers. You’ll notice our posts reflect the voices of everyone involved—sometimes reflective, other times informative, and always filled with passion for sharing Abenaki culture.

In the coming weeks, we will share updates on our research, insights/snippets from our first interviews, highlights on artifacts that inspired us, and reflections from the people shaping this project. You’ll also get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes as we develop the exhibit.

Stay with us as we explore what it means to reclaim heritage and leadership in the modern world.

When and where will the exhibition be on view?

This will be the featured Abenaki culture exhibit in the Stone Schoolhouse at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vergennes, VT, opening in 2026.

Get Involved

If this story speaks to you, share it with your community. The more people who engage with these narratives, the more powerful they become. Follow VAAA on Facebook and email us to sign up to our mailing list (please mention the email list in the subject) for updates and the announcement of our opening event in 2026.

Partners and Supporters

We are grateful to our longtime partners, the Vermont Folklife Center and Lake Champlain Maritime Museum whose expertise has helped to sustain Abenaki cultural preservation activities for decades, and help make our work possible.

The Abenaki Storytelling Project, developed by the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, Abenaki Arts and Education Center, and Waolôwzi Health and Wellness Program is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Vermont Department of Health.



Contact Us

Reach out through our contact page if you have questions or stories to share!


 

Call to Artists

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The impact of COVID-19 has been felt all over N’dakinna (our homeland) for over three years. Now we have an opportunity for Native American visual and performing artists to create and share artwork that expresses their response to the pandemic experience. 

We are looking for Abenaki or Native American artists, musicians, and community members who can help to express the impact of this pandemic on ourselves, our families and community, through visual or performing arts, or simply sharing stories of personal experience and perceptions about the the COVID-19 global pandemic, vaccines, disparities, and access.  

We are defining artwork in its broadest form. All artistic mediums are welcome. Paintings, collage, mixed media, carving, sculpture, fiber, weaving, pottery, poetry, photography, music, storytelling, dance, video… 

The stories and artwork will be shared in an online exhibit about our experiences and will be considered for possible inclusion in a museum exhibit and educational materials. 

Eligible Native American artists will submit artwork by December 31, 2022, with an artist statement that explains the artwork, and a brief intake form. 

For more information, email [email protected]

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Sponsored by the Vermont Department of Health.

Abenaki Storytelling Project Memory Booth in Benson August 20, 2022

Memory booth button and link.

The Abenaki Storytelling Project, a community-based arts and storytelling project that focuses on Native American strength and resiliency, will host a Memory Booth at the Nulhegan Abenaki Gathering in Benson, VT on Saturday August 20, from 10-5. The Storytelling Project

Abenaki COVID-19 Storytelling Project Memory Booth Blog

December 5, 2022 – We are so honored that Abenaki and other Native American Families are trusting us with their family stories about vaccines, disparity, and access issues they are experiencing. During storytelling sessions, we provide participants with many different types of art materials to help them express themselves. Here is an example of a process drawing that was created during a storytelling session. What do you see when you look at it?

We are looking for Abenaki or Native American artists, musicians, and community members to help express the impact of this pandemic ourselves and our local community through visual or performing arts, share stories of personal experience and perceptions about the COVID-19 global pandemic, vaccines, disparities, and access.

All artistic media are welcome: painting, collage, mixed media, carving, sculpture, fiber, weaving, pottery, poetry, photography, music, storytelling, dance, video, & more . . .

Contact Us!
If you are interested in submitting work or would like more information, email [email protected] or call (802) 265-0092.

November 15, 2022 – We are grateful to everyone who is participating in the Abenaki Storytelling Project. We’ve spent months collecting stories and artwork about the Native American COVID experience in Vermont. The stories are like legos that come in different sizes and shapes.

A pile of legos in many colors.

October 20, 2022 – Our team attended the Mending Ourselves, Together conference at the UVM Davis Center, Burlington and we share our community initiative with healthcare professionals interested in health equity.

August 19 – 20, 2022 – We set up a memory booth at the Nulhegan Heritage Gathering, Camp Sunrise Cub Scouting Camp. Community members created artwork and shared their COVID memories.

October 1, 2022 – Visit the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association’s Storytelling booth at the Indigenous People’s Day Rocks event in Stowe on October 8th. Mayo Farm Fields, Stowe, VT.

August 3, 2022 – We are excited to announce we will be gathering stories and artwork about the Native American COVID experience in Vermont at the Nulhegan Abenaki Gathering at Camp Sunrise Cub Scouting Camp. Stop by our booth and tell us your story. Artwork and stories will inform an upcoming traveling museum and digital exhibition.

July 15, 2020 – Are there incentives for participating in the Abenaki COVID-19 Storytelling Project Memory Booth? Recently, we were asked if there are any incentives for participating in Abenaki COVID-19 Storytelling Project Memory Booth. Individuals who participate in the Memory Booth may select their choice of either an I support the Abenaki t-shirt or an insulated drink cup. There are monetary incentives available for one-on-one storytelling or focus group storytelling sessions.

Insulated cup – incentive for participation in the Abenaki Storytelling Project
T-shirt – incentive for participation in the Abenaki Storytelling Project

June 20, 2022

VAAA’s Executive Director Vera Longtoe Sheehan did a presentation about the Abenaki COVID-19 Storytelling Project at the annual at Abenaki Heritage Weekend, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Vergennes, VT. After the presentation, people flocked over to the Memory Booth seeking more information. We collected stories and artwork from more than 18 Native American people!

A large group of people in the art pavilion for the Storytelling Memory Booth.

June 13, 2022

The VAAA Storytelling Project will be hosting a Memory Booth at various community events around N’Dakinna (our homeland). The Memory Booth is a place where Abenaki people can create artwork and tell their stories to promote health and wellness. This year, we are processing our thoughts and feelings about the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines, disparities, and access. VAAA will have a Memory Booth set up at our annual Abenaki Heritage Weekend on June 18-19, 2022. Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.

Look for a Memory Booth near you.

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June 5, 2022

Like everyone else in the world, the Abenaki community has been greatly affected by the global pandemic and the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association is no exception. VAAA’s Abenaki Storytelling project will “allow us to explore this period of our history in a way that hasn’t been done before. Abenakis will tell and interpret their own experience about the pandemic and vaccination intake,” says VAAA Executive Director Vera Longtoe Sheehan.

May 25

We are excited to share the logo for our banners and website.

Storytelling Project logo

May 15, 2022

What is the Abenaki Storytelling Project?

The Abenaki Storytelling Project is a community-based arts and storytelling project that focuses on Native American strength and resiliency. The project is led by Vermont Abenaki Artists Association (VAAA), a Native American arts organization that serves the public by connecting them to Abenaki educators and artists from the visual, performing, and literary arts. VAAA has special expertise in working with Abenaki artists and incorporating their arts and storytelling into public programs, cultural events, and museum exhibitions. VAAA uses insights from Native American arts and storytelling to uplift Abenaki voices and perspectives in the interpretation of museum exhibitions, education resources, and in health equity.

Links to other Storytelling Project Pages:

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Image of button for About the Abenaki Storytelling Project and link..
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Memory Booth

Image of memory booth logo and link to Memory Booth Events page..The VAAA Storytelling Project has hosted a Memory Booth at various community events around N’Dakinna (our homeland). The Memory Booth is a place where Abenaki people can create artwork and tell their stories to promote health and wellness.

We are processed our thoughts and feelings about the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines, disparities, and access. Your artwork and stories will inform the creation of new digital content and a traveling exhibit that promotes Abenaki voices about this crucial topic.

Past Memory Booth Locations

  • June 18-19 – Abenaki Heritage Weekend, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Basin Harbor Rd, Vergennes, VT 05491
  • August 19 – 20, 2022 – Nulhegan Heritage Gathering, Camp Sunrise Cub Scouting Camp, 2050 Sunset Lake Rd, Benson, VT 05743
  • October 8, 2022 – 3rd Annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day Rocks!
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Abenaki Heritage Weekend 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For information contact: Francine Poitras Jones

[email protected]

 804-943-6197

Abenaki Heritage Weekend June 18-19, 2022 at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum

Are you looking for a special experience to start the summer? On June 18th and 19th, citizens of the New England Abenaki community will gather at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to celebrate their history and heritage and they are inviting you and your family to join them! 

This free event will be open from 11am to 4 pm both Saturday and Sunday. One of the highlights is the Native Arts Marketplace of the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, where visitors can talk to artists, watch craft demonstrations, and purchase outstanding beadwork, paintings, jewelry, wampum, woodwork, leatherwork, drums, feather boxes, and other items.

About the Storytelling Project

Image of rectangular shaped poster for the Storytelling project that says "Share Your Story!"

The Abenaki Storytelling Project is a community-based art project that supports Native American strength and resiliency. Over the past several years, the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association has sponsored several exhibits to promote the constantly evolving story of the lives of the Abenaki in N’Dakinna (our homeland). We utilize Native American arts and storytelling to uplift regional Abenaki voices and perspectives in museum exhibitions, programs, and cultural heritage events. When people see themselves reflected in exhibitions, artwork, and programs it is good for the health and wellness of their community by giving them a voice, which helps them know that their history, culture, and memories are important; they are not alone, especially during a time such as the recent pandemic.

The focus of this year’s Storytelling Project is exploring how COVID-19 has affected the Abenaki community. Utilizing arts and storytelling, Vermont Abenaki Artists Association (VAAA) will measure insights on COVID-19, vaccine-related perceptions, disparities, and access among the Native American population in Vermont and throughout N’Dakinna. These insights will be shared with the community of origin and the public through an online digital exhibition and a traveling exhibition in 2023-2024.

General Eligibility Requirements

Participants must be:

  • Over the age of 18
  • Have an email address
  • Be reachable by phone
  • Be Abenaki, Native American, or Native American descent
  • Other restrictions may apply.

Ways to Participate

  • Memory Booth events (15 minutes) 
  • Focus Groups (60 minutes ) 
  • Individual storytelling session (60-90 minutes) – 
  • Group of friends and/or storytelling session (60-90 minutes)  

Contact

For more information or to see if you qualify to be included, email [email protected] and type Storytelling Project in the subject line.

Check back for project updates!

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Click here to visit our News Room.
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Sponsored by the Vermont Department of Health

COVID-19

Following is a list of resources to help during this time.

COVID-19 Funeral Assistance

Assistance is now available for funeral assistance. Click here to review the help that is available.

Federal Resources for U.S. Small Businesses

View relevant federal agency resources, access the latest news, and search for a Small Business advisor near you.  Click here to view the official resource website for U.S. small businesses affected by COVID-19.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources for Employers

Userful resources for employers to learn how COVID-19 is affecting various aspects of employment law, and how different jurisdictions are addressing the outbreak are on a web page provided by Littler.  Because the COVID-19 situation is dynamic, with new governmental measures each day, employers should consult with counsel for the latest developments and updated guidance on this topic. Featured COVID-19 Resources

  • COVID-19 Labor & Employment Litigation Tracker
  • Bouncing Back:  A List of Statewide Return to Work Protocols
  • Facing Your Face Mask Duties – A List of Statewide Orders
  • Employee Temperature and Health Screenings – A List of Statewide Orders
  • Stay on Top of “Stay At Home” – A List of Statewide Orders
  • Littler COVID-19 Flash Survey Report

Click here to view Resources available.

Safeguard Your Information 

Times like these bring out the best and unfortunately the worst in some people.  Fear and confusion create an ideal climate for scammers.  Be on the alert for fraud, email phishing, and bogus requests for personal information.  

Tips for Catching and Reporting Suspicious Emails 

  • Inspect emails for grammatical or other errors, even those claiming to be from the CDC or WHO.
  • At no time will you ever receive a call from the IRS, Banks, asking you for your login credentials.
  • Before clicking links, hover over them to see the URL (web address).  If you think it is something of interest, copy the web address and search it to make sure it is legitimate before clicking.
  • If you suspect an email is fraudulent, DO NOT REPLY TO THE EMAIL.  Contact the company or person they are impersonating.  Delete it from your inbox.

Click on this link for more information about safeguarding your information.  Tips and info provided by Citizens Bank.

Nationwide
 

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act – U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship  

  The new $900 billion COVID relief package is now law!  Here are some highlights.  Please be sure to reach out to your local Women Business Center (WBC)  for additional information. Click here to view funding fact sheet from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).  Please click this link for U.S. Small Business Administration information about Coronavirus Recovery Information in languages other than English.  

Targeted EIDL Advance – COVID-19 Targeted EIDL Advance was signed into law on December 27, 2020, as part of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act. The Targeted EIDL Advance provides businesses located in low-income communities with additional funds to ensure small business continuity, adaptation, and resiliency.

Advance funds of up to $10,000 will be available to applicants located in low-income communities who previously received an EIDL Advance for less than $10,000, or those who applied but received no funds due to lack of available program funding.

Applicants do not need to take any action at this time. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will reach out to those who qualify.  Click on the respective language for more information in English and Spanish.

For more information and updates, visit SBA.gov/PPP or Treasury.gov/CARES 

Do you need assistance with any of these programs?  Reach out to our Women’s Business Centers!  Please click on the appropriate link below to schedule a meeting or find contact information for CWE Women’s Business Centers.:

SBA Debt Relief (Payment Deferment)

The SBA announced that if a business already has an SBA loan through a lender, whether it is a 7A, 504 or microloan, the SBA will pay the lender the principal, interest and fees for six months.  The SBA will also defer payments on new SBA 7A loans made before 9/27/2020.   The SBA also announced changes to help borrowers still paying back SBA loans from previous disasters.  Deferments through 12/31/2020 will be automatic so borrowers of prior home and business disaster loans do not have to contact the SBA to request deferment.  Please click here to learn more.

COVID-19 Funding Options Portal

As U.S. small businesses continue the hard work of economic recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to capital is paramount. For some companies and non-profits, they have exhausted their existing funding sources to sustain their operations.  There are many unique funding resources available through Federal, state, and local governments in addition to philanthropy and non-profit organizations.  Unfortunately, it can be difficult for businesses to know where to look or what to look for in finding additional assistance.  Click here to access this mobile-friendly, new resource.

WHAT IT IS: A free, curated list of thousands of funding sources at the national, state, regional, and local levels designed to support small businesses in accessing capital to recover from COVID-19.  The opening page captures programs that are available nationally.  Visitors then only need to enter a ZIP code of interest to see which programs their area may be eligible.  The information is current as of the date of publication, so resource availability may change over time.

Funding providers can submit requested updates, additions, or corrections to the data by emailing the information to [email protected] for evaluation and update.WHAT IT IS NOT: An endorsement by the U.S. Small Business Administration that individuals or small businesses should pursue applications with any of these organizations.  The information is provided for reference only.  Businesses and non-profits are encouraged to independently explore these resources to self-determine if they should pursue further assistance from the programs identified.

Amber Grant for Women – WomensNet

WomensNet founded the Amber Grant Foundation in 1998.  The Foundation was set up with one goal in mind:  to honor the memory of a very special young woman, Amber Wigdahl, who died at just 19 years old – before realizing her business dreams.   Today, WomensNet carries on that tradition, giving away at least $10,000 every month in Amber Grant money.  They have also expanded their grant-giving to include a year-end grant of $25,000.   Applying is simple.  Just take a few minutes to tell them about yourself and your business dream.  No long, complicated forms to fill out.  The $10,000 Amber Grant recipient is announced the first week of every month.  For more information and to apply click here.  

Loan – Kiva

Kiva lenders provide financial assistance to all by making 0% interest loans to entrepreneurs in the U.S. In today’s difficult circumstances, K9iva would like to make it as easy and impactful as possible for small businesses in the U.S. to have access to affordable capital on the Kiva platform – capital that may be the difference between shutting down and keeping their doors open.  

  • 0% interest
  • Up to $15,000 loan
  • Grace period of up to 6 months

Kiva.org/borrow

Grants Available from IFund Women

IFundWomen has a wide variety of grants available to their members, from their monthly “pay-it-forward” grant to those from generous partners like Barbara Corcoran, & Systane, Visa, Adidas, Unilever, and more.  Click here for a list of grants.

Coronavirus Tax Relief – Internal Revenue Service

The IRS has established a special section focused on steps to help taxpayers, businesses and others affected by the coronavirus. The page will be updated as new information is available. The information contained on this site includes: 

  • Dollar for dollar reimbursement for Coronavirus related sick leave costs
  • Employers will be able to use cash deposited with the IRS to pay sick leave wages
  • Businesses that would not have sufficient taxes to draw from, Treasury will use its regulatory authority to make advance to small businesses to cover such costs

For more information please click here.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance – U.S. Department of Labor

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974, as amended, authorizes the President to provide benefit assistance to individuals unemployed as a direct result of a major disaster. The U.S. Department of Labor oversees the DUA program and coordinates with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to provide the funds to the state UI agencies for payment of DUA benefits and payment of state administration costs under agreements with the Secretary of Labor. Read more.

Work Share Programs – National Conference of State Legislatures

Workshare programs let businesses temporarily reduce the hours of their employees, instead of laying them off during economic downturns.  Technically referred to as short time compensation, the goal of worksharing programs is to reduce unemployment.

Worksharing should not be confused with job sharing, which allows two part-time employees to share one full-time job. Instead, worksharing allows a full-time worker’s hours to be reduced, in lieu of laying off the worker.

Workshare programs benefit businesses, workers and states. Businesses retain their trained workforce, for easy recall to full-time work when economic conditions improve. Workers keep their jobs instead of being laid off, and collect reduced unemployment benefits to partially replace their lost wages. States save money by paying only partial unemployment claims, instead of paying full benefits to laid-off workers.

Under approved workshare programs, employees qualify for a percentage of unemployment benefits, equal to the percentage by which their hours have been reduced. For example, an employee whose hours are cut by 10 percent would qualify for 10 percent of the state’s established weekly unemployment benefit amount. While that does not fully replace the lost wages, the amount supplements a worker’s income until they are recalled to full-time work. Click here for more information or the specific State below.

Massachusetts 

New Hampshire

Rhode Island

Vermont

Coronavirus – Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers – Center for Disease Controls (CDC)

The interim guidance is based on what is currently know about the coronovirus diesease 2019 (COVID-19).  The Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC) idates the interim guidance as needed and as additional information becomes available.  Click here for information.

Women-Owned Businesses

Covid-19 Resources for Women-Owned Businesses – WBENC

As a leading advocate for women business owners and entrepreneurs, WBENC is committed to helping our constituents address and respond to the impacts caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19). As we work with national and regional partners, Corporate and Government Members, and other industry leaders, we will continue to update this page with resources, information, webinars and more to address the many questions and uncertainties many business owners and corporations face, as well as to continue to help fuel business opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Click here for more information

Resources from WBENC-Certified WBEs

Veterans – New England

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources – New England Veterans Chamber of Commerce (NEVCC)

If you are a veteran or military business owner in new England, please let the NEVCC know if you need assistance.  Click here for a list of resources and information.

Code of Support PATRIOTlink – US Department of Veterans Affairs

Code of Support’s PATRIOTlink® platform is a free online resource database that includes thousands of programs tailored to the military and Veteran community.

Through PATRIOTlink, users can search vetted, direct, cost-free services specific to their needs. PATRIOTlink was recently redesigned to make it even easier to use. Now, users can complete searches by entering less information and they can view events and job opportunities in their area through a news feed feature.  Click here for more information.

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color

Resources & Tools to Elevate Your Business – Effectv and Comcast Business

Recently, small businesses have been dealing with the ongoing impact of the pandemic, social unrest, and environmental events. Black-owned businesses have been some of the hardest hit. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, between February and April 2020, the number of active Black-owned businesses declined by 41%, Latinx-owned businesses declined by 32%, and Asian-owned businesses dropped by 25%, versus just 21% for the general population. Comcast RISE was created to invest in the success of these critical businesses by providing valuable and practical support.

Beginning November 24, 2020, all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) business owners will be eligible to apply for Comcast RISE.

Selected businesses could receive one or more of the following business services through Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast, and Comcast Business, a leading provider of technology for businesses of all sizes:

  • Consulting – Advertising and marketing consultations with local Effectv marketing, research, and creative teams to gain insights on how to grow your business.
  • Media – A linear TV media schedule, over a 90-day period.
  • Creative Production – Turnkey production of a 30-second TV commercial, plus a media strategy consultation and 90-day media placement schedule.
  • Technology Makeover – Computer equipment and Internet, voice and cybersecurity services for 12 months, to support business recovery while implementing other Comcast small business initiatives. (Taxes and other fees may still apply for tech makeover services.)
  • Monetary Grant – To be launched November 24, 2020.

For more information please click here.

Resources

COVID-19 Suppliers – Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

WBENC has thousands of Women’s Business Enterprises (WBE), and among them, hundreds that have COVID-related supplies and services.  In the face of this pandemic, WBENC want to help support the procurement needs of the greater business community and to fuel business opportunities for women entrepreneurs.  This list will be shared as part of their COVID-29 resources through the end of May.  Please click here to view the list.

State & Region

Please click on the tab below to view the funding and resources available in your State.

Vermont

Small Business Grants – Berkshire Bank and Berkshire Bank Foundation

Berkshire Bank has earmarked an incremental $500,000 for small business grants to help businesses that do not have the ability to pay.  They are working with Berkshire Bank Foundation and the Foundation for Business Equity, among others, to deploy these dollars across their banking footprint and to sharing more details about these programs in the short term. Berkshire Bank also understand there will be situations where our customers find themselves or their businesses facing financial difficulties that are unique to them.  In those scenarios where hardship is not relieved by low-interest loans or small business grants, Berkshire Bank is asking their customers to reach out to them to further discuss how they may be of assistance. For more information click here.

Regional & Specific Industries

Emergency Loans – Vermont Farm Fund (VFF)

The VFF seeks to minimize the hurdles to secure a loan and receive funds to begin the recovery process.  The maximium Emergency Loan amount is currently $10,000.  This is a zero percent interest loan, payable over 24 months with a flexible payment schedule.  Click here for more information.

Vermont Rapid Response Artist Relief Fund – The Vermont Arts Council

The Vermont Arts Council has established a Vermont Rapid Response Artist Relief Fund to respond to the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on artists across the state.  There is information and resources for artists and organizations as well as a guide for creating virtual art experiences during this time of social distancing. Click here for more information.

Guidance

Restart Vermont Technical Assistance (ReVTA) – Vermont Economic Development

The Vermont Legislature allocated $2.5 million of federal CARES Act funding for small business technical support in Act 137. On September 18, 2020, Governor Scott and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development announced that the RDCs of Vermont would be tasked with deploying $1,400,000 in technical assistance funding for small businesses across the state under the Restart Vermont Technical Assistance Program (ReVTA).

The funding for the ReVTA program is aimed at assisting Vermont businesses and non-profits who have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. To be eligible you must be a Vermont entity conducting activities in Vermont. You may be asked to demonstrate that you operate out of a Vermont property, pay employees who conduct work with Vermont, or have sales and customers in Vermont.

The Regional Development Corporations of Vermont have created Recovery Navigator positions in each region of the state. The Navigators will engage one-on-one with businesses impacted by the pandemic to discern a recovery solution and identify an appropriate technical assistance provider from a network of for-profit and non-profit service providers. Once a recovery path has been determined, the regional Navigator will help connect the business with an appropriate TA provider and together they will develop a Scope of Work.

Once the work is completed, the technical assistance provider will be paid by the grant program. All activities within the Scope of Work must be completed by December 4, 2020. Average TA award is expected to be $3,000.

What is Technical Assistance?

ReVTA allows for a collaborative approach between the business and their Navigator in order to determine what technical assistance project will provide enduring value helping a business to overcome negative impacts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Technical assistance (TA) is the process of providing targeted support to an organization with a development need or problem.  It is commonly referred to as consulting. TA is one of the most effective methods for building the capacity of an organization for example; sharing information and expertise, instructions, skills, training, transmission of knowledge, and technical expertise.

What could constitute TA Per Section 6 (b) (2) of H. 966 of the 2020 Vermont Legislative Session includes assistance and education with:

  • Business operations, financial management, and grant writing;
  • Digital strategies;
  • Architecture and Physical Space Design; 
  • Reconfiguring manufacturing equipment and processes and incorporating safety measures; 
  • Technology and Software Consulting; and 
  • Legal and Other Professional Services.   

What would not constitute TA is:  

  • Construction and/or Renovation Projects 
  • Working Capital Needs and/or payment for Equipment, Materials or Supplies 
  • Advertising such as print, voice, digital, etc.

The TA provided under this program will allow a business to make significant changes to their business to overcome the impacts of COVID-19.  As an example, a proposal might include free online retail platforms for businesses to expand their ability to sell goods during a stay home order, consulting services to a restaurant on how to redesign a kitchen or dining area for safe operations or increase the profitability of take-out service, marketing assistance to reach new customers, or new product development work to broaden a company’s viability during the crisis.

What businesses are eligible to receive technical assistance?

The funding for the ReVTA program is aimed at assisting Vermont businesses and non-profits.  To be eligible you must be a Vermont entity conducting activities in Vermont.  You may be asked to demonstrate that you operate out of a Vermont property, pay employees who conduct work with Vermont, or have sales and customers in Vermont. Any Vermont-domiciled business impacted by COVID-19, with a recovery path that can be advanced through professional technical assistance, is eligible. Non-profit employers may apply under this program with requirements similar to for-profit applicants.

How does a business participate in the program?
Any for-profit or non-profit business seeking a technical assistance solution to COVID-19 impacts may find more detail on this website. Completed registrations are shared to regional Navigators who will follow up with the business.

How do technical assistance providers participate in the program?
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The 2024 Abenaki Heritage Weekend

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Thank you to everyone who attended our 2024 Abenaki Heritage Weekend!

With your support in celebrating Abenaki culture & community we were able to have a wonderful gathering full of language, dancing, music, sharing stories and much more.

About the weekend…….

Vermont’s Native American community for Abenaki Heritage Weekend and Arts Marketplace gathered on June 29-30 at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to explore Abenaki perspectives on life in the Champlain Valley. Activities included storytelling, craft demonstrations, drumming, singing, and more. Presented by Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, this event brings together citizens of the Elnu, Nulhegan, Koasek, and Missisquoi Abenaki Tribes.

The Open Door Clinic offered FREE health and wellness exams and was well attended.

As always, we are so thankful for the ongoing support from our sponsors and partners Vermont Humanities, Vermont Arts Council, Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, Abenaki Alliance, and the Abenaki Arts & Education Center.

Even though the weekend is over, you can still visit our newest exhibit, Deep Roots, Strong Branches, which will focus of Abenaki foodways, food security, and gardening throughout the centuries. The exhibit is in the schoolhouse at the museum.


When: June 29 – 30, 2024, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm

Where: Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, 4472 Basin Harbor Rd, Vergennes, VT 05491

Cost: FREE

Directions: Click here for Google Map

About the 2024 Abenaki Heritage Weekend:

On June 29 – 30, 2024, citizens of the New England Abenaki community gathered at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum to celebrate their history and heritage, and the public was invited! Organized by the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, this free event was open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Events scheduled for outside were moved inside when it rained, but the rain did not deter our 700+ guests!

One of the highlights of the weekend was the Native Arts Marketplace of the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, where visitors could talk to artists, watch craft demonstrations, and purchase outstanding beadwork, paintings, jewelry, wampum, woodwork, leatherwork, drums, and other items. 

“The variety and quality of the work created by our Abenaki artists is outstanding,” said Vera Longtoe Sheehan, Executive Director of the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association. “Some of our artists create traditional art and some create contemporary art, often inspired by tradition. If you are looking to purchase a special gift or something new for your collection, be sure to visit the Native Arts Marketplace.”

Throughout the weekend there were activities of interest to everyone. The public was advised to bring a picnic lunch so they could sit and listen to singing and drumming by the Nulhegan Drum. Children and adults alike enjoyed storytelling by Abenaki author and historian Joseph Bruchac.


Following was the schedule for the 2024 Abenaki Heritage Weekend:

(subject to changes due to weather)

Following is information about some of the programs that were presented during the weekend:

Assigning Racial Birthright in Vermont 1900 – 1925

Join Prof. Frederick Wiseman as he discusses the early 20th century evidence for a significant Indigenous presence in the birth and other official records of Northwestern Vermont. Combining ethnohistorical research with genealogical standards of proof, Wiseman explores the bicultural social and cultural milieu that permitted state officials to judiciously pen an Indigenous Identity on various official Vermont documents. This new body of documentary evidence leads to a reconsideration of Northwestern Vermont social history and ethnicity just over a century ago.

Always Coming Home (Book Reading and Signing)

Join us for the story of the first in the series of four graphic novels designed for understanding and healing ethnic American Abenaki intergenerational trauma. Always Coming Home is a short story set in an old farmhouse nestled in the Vermont Uplands of the third quarter of the 19th century, and establishes a therapeutic baseline of comforting family, traditional technology, subsistence, and ceremony. The multi-generational family works, learns, gossips, eats, hunts, ice-fishes and dances together in ways that are only now being fully understood in light of the results of new cultural, technological, spiritual and environmental discoveries about the 19th century Vermont Abenaki experience. There will be a book reading as well. A limited number of hot-off-the-press copies of Always coming Home will be available for signing in the Pavilion throughout the day.

Who are the American Abenakis of Vermont? Heritage through place, voice, and craft.

Who are the American Abenakis of Vermont? Heritage through Place, Voice, and Craft

Join Prof. Frederick Wiseman as he summarizes a neglected body of knowledge regarding written, genealogical, graphic, oral-historical, horticultural and material culture of the Vermont American Abenaki community. Using PowerPoint slides and demonstration, Wiseman discusses the high points of his decades of work on the three pillars of American Abenaki ethnic legitimacy: 1.) genealogy (also addressed in detail on Saturday), 2.) cultural continuity (a continuous historic presence in the region) and 3.) cultural competence (deep knowledge of local ancestral tradition). Some of this information is introduced in print in his two new books, Always Coming Home and American Abenaki Beadwork, as well as several new YouTube videos online.


Image of the book Dawn Land by Joseph Brucha on dried grass background.

Remembering The Dawn Land with author Joseph Bruchac (Book Reading and Signing)

The area we now refer to as Western New England has been the homeland of Native people for at least 10,000 years. Blending oral traditions, natural history, archaeology, cultural survival, indigenous language, and the living land itself, the author takes us back to that ancient time. The program will include discussion of the novel, its main characters, and the telling of some stand alone stories from the book.

American Abenaki Beadwork (Book Reading and Signing)

Join Prof. Wiseman at his table in the Pavilion as he introduces his new book, the first of a series of peer-reviewed publications detailing the unique arts of the American Abenaki Community. The book presents an entirely unstudied tradition of important and beautiful regional northeastern art, beginning around 1800 and persisting until modern times. Copies will be available for purchase.


The Abenaki Toddler’s Play Group

The children will lead a few drum songs accompanied by an elder. We will host a few storytelling sessions throughout the day. Free Indigenous-themed books will be provided at no cost to children that visit. HEART bags available by request. Contact [email protected] for more information.


Link for Accessibility information: ? For access questions, contact Elisa [email protected] or (802) 265-0092

For other questions, you may also email Francine at [email protected]


Vermont Abenaki Artists Association is supported by the New England Foundation for the Arts through the New England Arts Resilience Fund, part of the United States Regional Arts Resilience Fund, an initiative of the U.S. Regional Arts Organizations and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, with major funding from the federal CARES Act from the National Endowment for the Arts.


Kchi Wliwni (A Big Thank You) to our Supporters, Patrons, and Sponsors

Abenaki Alliance logo with mountains, water, and sun.
Vermont Department of Health logo.
Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op logo.
Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
Vermont Cares logo - Doin' it Safer

Abenaki Arts and Education Association logo with dark blue background and a white design with double curves and florets and words that say Sharing Abenaki Educational Resources with Classrooms Across N'dakinna.

Vermont Arts Council logo.
Cabot logo.

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