Calais, Vermont

Front Porch Forum

Problem

Low trust stalls collaboration, leadership emergence, and shared risk-taking.

Solution

Calais (population 1,661 in 2020) has had a Front Porch Forum since about 2010-2011; a May 2012 Vermont Council on Rural Development story counted 570 members in a town of 680 households and 2,300 postings in the forum's first 15 months, covering lost pets, ride requests, break-in reports and local debates. The Town of Calais posts Selectboard agendas on the forum, and statewide reporting confirms every post is read by paid FPF staff before publication and delivered in a daily email issue.

Patterns used: Trust Infrastructure

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