The elected and appointed professionals who manage Vermont’s villages, towns and cities have to handle a landscape of increasingly complex challenges. The long list includes budgeting issues, infrastructure, climate resilience, housing, and state and federal regulations. 

However talented and dedicated these municipal managers might be, none can be expected to have the expertise needed to tackle this wide array of challenges without help.

Project partners established the Vermont Local Government Institute (VLGI) to help current and aspiring town managers to meet these challenges. The eight-course certificate program teaches skills, best practices, and advice from experienced town managers and other instructors.  The hybrid program blends in-person workshops, online learning, and self-directed activities to fit the needs of working professionals. 

The course was developed through a partnership with the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT), the Vermont Town and City Management Association (VTCMA), and UVM Professional and Continuing Education (PACE). 

The first cohort, which took place in Fall 2024, included 18 mid-career managers, assistant managers, and municipal department supervisors from14 different cities and towns across Vermont. The second cohort will take place in Fall 2025.

“The interaction with instructors and classmates was incredibly valuable. These discussions gave me a new perspective on the diverse challenges of Vermont’s towns.”  - Participant in the first VLGI cohort  

Read more about the Vermont Local Government Institute:

New UVM program offers ‘boot camp’ for Vermont town officials (VT Digger)

Vermont Local Government Institute: Empowering Vermont’s Town Managers and AdministratorsUVM Launches “Boot Camp” for Town Managers