Looking to help your community respond to COVID-19?

We’ve compiled some of our resources, how-tos, kits and best practices to help communities and volunteers organizing community COVID-19 response. This set includes resources both for short-term response and long-term recovery, for everyone from planners to grassroots organizers to folks who just want to help their neighbors.

Toolkits & Resources

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Giant Lawn Games Toolbox
COVID Resources, Activities, Art, Games, Fun, Placemaking, CommunitySpirit, Kids
Giant Lawn Games Toolbox
COVID Resources, Activities, Art, Games, Fun, Placemaking, CommunitySpirit, Kids

Life’s not all fun and games, and communities aren’t either. But adding some supersized fun and games to your town or public space will certainly give people a lift — and your local economy too. Check out these free designs and instructions for giant versions of lawn games like checkers, kerplunk, twister, scrabble and more.

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COVID Resources, Activities, Art, Games, Fun, Placemaking, CommunitySpirit, Kids
VT Covid Toolkit.jpg
COVID Resources, Organizing, Collaboration, Planning, Vermont, Partnerships, Project Management
Vermont COVID Community Response Toolkit
COVID Resources, Organizing, Collaboration, Planning, Vermont, Partnerships, Project Management

Looking to organize or support community response or mutual aid for COVID-19? The Vermont COVID-19 Community Response & Mutual Aid Toolkit includes best practices, steps, examples, success stories, resources and more. This free resource is geared toward small towns and rural areas that are looking to build collaborative, cross-sector responses.

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COVID Resources, Organizing, Collaboration, Planning, Vermont, Partnerships, Project Management
Digital Toolbox for Rockstar Community Organizers
Digital, Organizing, Planning, Outreach, Funding, Project Management, COVID Resources
Digital Toolbox for Rockstar Community Organizers
Digital, Organizing, Planning, Outreach, Funding, Project Management, COVID Resources

Here’s a big shout out to all the community-organizing, people-engaging, smile-inducing, neighborhood-improving, change-making rock stars out there. You do this work because you love it. We’ve compiled a toolbox of free digital platforms to make this work easier, from scheduling apps to project management and graphic design.

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Digital, Organizing, Planning, Outreach, Funding, Project Management, COVID Resources
Community Resilience Planning Toolkit
Resilience, Games, Planning, Events, Activities, Fun, COVID Resources
Community Resilience Planning Toolkit
Resilience, Games, Planning, Events, Activities, Fun, COVID Resources

Communities face a host of unpredictable challenges — stronger storms and heavy rains, pandemics and wires, heat waves and droughts. Yet it’s not easy to engage people in planning for them. What if we could make it a game?

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Resilience, Games, Planning, Events, Activities, Fun, COVID Resources
Small Change: Funding Toolbox for Small Community Projects
Funding, Projects, Vermont, Organizing, Project Management, COVID Resources
Small Change: Funding Toolbox for Small Community Projects
Funding, Projects, Vermont, Organizing, Project Management, COVID Resources

Small projects can have big impacts for neighborhoods and communities. Think block parties and celebrations, public art, community gardens, or parklets.

Many of these projects need less than $5,000 (or even $500!), but that funding is critical to helping projects get off the ground. Here is a list of the top places to look for funding that supports small projects with big impact. Plus, we’ve included a special list of specific funding programs for our Vermont communities.

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Funding, Projects, Vermont, Organizing, Project Management, COVID Resources

Best Practices & Tips

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Tip Sheet: Building Community Partnerships
COVID Resources, Collaboration, Partnerships
Tip Sheet: Building Community Partnerships
COVID Resources, Collaboration, Partnerships

Strong partnerships are essential to community projects and problem solving. But it’s not easy to create them. Here are 10 tips and best practices for finding great partners, doing impactful work, and making it last.

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COVID Resources, Collaboration, Partnerships
Improv Community: Lessons for Building Community from Improv Comedy
Organizing, Planning, Outreach, Project Management, COVID Resources, Activities, Games, CommunitySpirit, DIY, Collaboration, Fun
Improv Community: Lessons for Building Community from Improv Comedy
Organizing, Planning, Outreach, Project Management, COVID Resources, Activities, Games, CommunitySpirit, DIY, Collaboration, Fun

Is your town stuck in a rut? Too many plans and not enough action? Do you hear too much “no” and not enough “why not”? Sounds like you need a lesson in improv community. Cities, groups, neighborhoods, boards — all can spark big ideas and make things happen by taking a few notes from improv comedy.

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Organizing, Planning, Outreach, Project Management, COVID Resources, Activities, Games, CommunitySpirit, DIY, Collaboration, Fun
DIY Community Cookbook
Placemaking, Projects, Vermont, DIY, COVID Resources
DIY Community Cookbook
Placemaking, Projects, Vermont, DIY, COVID Resources

A do-it-yourself guide to making your community a more livable place. Dive in and start cooking up happier, safer, healthier, stronger, more connected and livable towns and neighborhoods.

Read online or download for free.

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Placemaking, Projects, Vermont, DIY, COVID Resources

Kits & Projects

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DIY Community Cookbook
Placemaking, Projects, Vermont, DIY, COVID Resources
DIY Community Cookbook
Placemaking, Projects, Vermont, DIY, COVID Resources

A do-it-yourself guide to making your community a more livable place. Dive in and start cooking up happier, safer, healthier, stronger, more connected and livable towns and neighborhoods.

Read online or download for free.

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Placemaking, Projects, Vermont, DIY, COVID Resources
Local Heroes Kit
Activities, CommunitySpirit, Fun, Events, Freebies, Placemaking, Art, Guerrilla, COVID Resources
Local Heroes Kit
Activities, CommunitySpirit, Fun, Events, Freebies, Placemaking, Art, Guerrilla, COVID Resources

Who are the local heroes in your community? The firefighters and schoolteachers, the people who quietly pick up trash and pull weeds, the movers and shakers, or the peacemakers? Whoever they are, there's power in recognizing them. Download our free Local Heroes kit with printable cards. Hang it up at an event or public space, and watch your community smile as you honor these special folks.

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Activities, CommunitySpirit, Fun, Events, Freebies, Placemaking, Art, Guerrilla, COVID Resources