Subject: Digitization of Land Records Grant Application is now available Vermont's municipal offices that have been impacted by COVID-19 closures now have an opportunity to digitize their municipal land records, under a grant program created under Act 137<https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2020/Docs/ACTS/ACT137/ACT137%20As%20Enacted.pdf> of 2020. * The Coronavirus Municipal Records Digitization grant application is now live on the Tax Department website at: https://tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus/municipal-grants. * The deadline for grant application submissions is September 1, 2020. * Guidelines for the grant application are available here: https://tax.vermont.gov/sites/tax/files/documents/Digitization%20Grants%20Guidelines.pdf Background The Vermont Legislature has appropriated $2 million to assist municipalities in digitizing land records for online public access. The Agency of Administration, through the Vermont Department of Taxes, is responsible for distributing the grant funds. The grants are being issued to provide economic support to town offices which have been impacted by increased customer demand due to the COVID-19 public health emergency but are otherwise unable to successfully allow those customers to search land records. Land records are defined in 24 VSA Sec. 1154<https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/24/035/01154>. The funds can be used both to pay necessary expenditures that municipalities face and costs directly associated to digitizing land records. The Agency of Administration has set a grant cap of $20,000 and will review applications prior to disbursement to promote geographic equity in distributing the funds. The Agency has sought advice from municipal stakeholders to ensure that the grant cap will have a meaningful impact on the ability of the public to access digitized land records online. For More Information Additional guidance on Coronavirus Municipal Grants is available here: * The “Funding through Municipal Grants” webpage will be updated frequently: https://tax.vermont.gov/coronavirus/municipal-grants * Questions can be emailed to: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Jill Remick | Director Property Valuation and Review Division | Vermont Department of Taxes (802) 828-6639 | 133 State Street | Montpelier, VT 05633-1401 | tax.vermont.gov This email may contain confidential tax information. The information is intended only for use by the individual or entity addressee. If you are not the intended recipient, you are prohibited from any disclosure, copying, distribution or the taking of any action in reliance on the contents of this information, and any such action would subject you to civil and/or criminal prosecution under state and Federal confidentiality laws. If you received this email in error, immediately delete this email and contact us at 802-828-6639 or [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> for further instructions.