Head Start programs in two Vermont regions may face temporary closure amid federal shutdown
Programs serving the Champlain Valley and Northeast Kingdom will run out of funds by early December, the Vermont Head Start Association said.
News, Press, & Perspectives
Community Development Block Grants have dwindled, but still help small businesses
Alisha Wescott of Burlington, Vermont, is trying to get her online nail business off the ground. In August, she started selling her own custom kits, which is why she’s spent a lot of time in John Gergely’s office, an advisor at the microbusiness development program at CVOEO.
Essex Junction's El Gato Cantina Sold to Employee
Fourteen years after she opened her Mexican restaurant on lower Church Street in Burlington, Tree Bertram sold El Gato Cantina's Essex Junction restaurant and food truck business to employee Javier Zirko on July 1. She helped Zirko write his business plan, and he worked with the CVOEO to secure funding.
New restrictions for immigrants could chill Head Start enrollment, advocates say
Vermont is among 20 states that filed a lawsuit Monday challenging the Trump administration’s decision to restrict the Head Start program based on immigration status, claiming it violates federal law.
Tracking changes to federal funds in Vermont under the Trump administration
President Donald Trump's administration has moved to reshape federal government spending, including rescinding money that had been promised to groups in Vermont. Vermont Public is tracking these cuts and their impacts in the table below based on reporting from our journalists. Decisions have been coming rapidly, and the status of funds can change through administrative actions or court challenges. To account for this fluctuation, each line of the table includes the date of the latest information.
Personal finance made easy: A look at CVOEO’s free tools, classes, coaching
Money can sometimes be a taboo conversation topic, but a local organization wants to advance Vermonters’ financial education. Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s head financial coach, Ilir Hasa, manages the organization’s “Growing Money” program, which offers personal finance classes free of charge.
Tax Day 2025: How to file taxes for free in Vermont
Tax season can be daunting for the most efficient filer, and seemingly impossible for those who know little about the process. Not everyone is required to file taxes, but most Americans must and probably will submit a return.
Making Taxes Less Taxing
The mere mention of tax season can induce anxiety in most taxpayers, but a few economics majors are stepping in to alleviate those worries and gain hands-on experience by volunteering as tax assistants. Through the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO), these students get to work with real-world clients to prepare their taxes for them.
Where Vermonters can find help filing their taxes
Need help with your taxes? The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance helps low-to-moderate income Vermonters file their taxes.
Need help with your taxes? Here’s where to get it in Chittenden County
With Tax Day just over two months away, and The Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity is making it easier for low- and moderate-income Vermonters file their taxes. The organization’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program is aimed at households with income of $60,000 or less.