2022 Priorities

Dear friends and neighbors,

Gratitude is where I begin any new journey and this one is no different. I am thankful for this opportunity as the new Executive Director of the Vermont Futures Project to give back to the state I love – a place that I call home. I appreciate the work of those that came before me, the generous support of donor partners, and the contributions of collaborators that give me a wonderful platform to build from. See the 2021 Year in Review to learn more about our recent activities.

I am the son of immigrants. My parents came to Vermont in 1986 in pursuit of the American Dream – they believed in the promise of economic opportunity through hard work to give their kids a better life. What our family found here was even better: a welcoming community, a safe and healthy environment to raise a family, and economic opportunities all in one place. I call this the Vermont Dream and I’m on a mission to preserve this dream for the next generation of Vermonters.

I do not need to dwell on the disruptions we’ve collectively experienced in the last two years. The Vermont Futures Project will consistently bring data to the conversation so that solutions to today’s issues contribute towards sustainable, long-term economic progress. Our 100+ data sets continue to highlight Vermont’s long-standing workforce, demographic, infrastructure, and cultural realities that continue to present challenges for Vermonters and businesses alike.

I will carry on this work by:

• Researching the connection between population and the economy and conducting outreach to present findings to community leaders around the state.
• Build a coalition of next-generation leaders and empower them with economic knowledge to be agents of change.
• Engage all Vermonters, businesses, and government leaders in data-driven conversations through our economic knowledge campaign, The Vermont Economy Talks, to learn more about how the economy impacts our daily lives and Vermont’s future.
• Enhance our website with more engaging and interactive data and economic narratives.

The Vermont Futures Project will continue to be a non-partisan, leading voice for Vermont’s economy through data-based research and education. Vermont can and should be a place with economic opportunities and a healthy environment accessible to everyone, but we have work to do for this to become a reality.

Again, none of this is possible without the generous support of our donors and partners. THANK YOU!

Let’s continue working together to keep the Vermont Dream alive.

Onward with hope,

Kevin Chu
Executive Director
Vermont Futures Project