Vermont small business makes cut in national contest

Vermont won the Simpsons' Springfield online vote last year, pulling a major upset over larger places... can lighting strike twice for this tiny state?

Local success story Front Porch Forum is in the running to win a national contest of innovative community-building projects. It's in a group of 20 finalists winnowed down from nearly 5,000 entrants. The top four vote-getters will each receive $35,000 from the Case Foundation through its Make It Your Own Awards (http://casefoundation.org/myvote).

"We're so fortunate to have Front Porch Forum," said Bruce Seifer of Burlington's Community and Economic Development Office. "It helps people feel part of their neighborhoods and to make real connections. Everyone should vote for it online today... it takes two minutes and anyone may vote. Front Porch Forum's future depends on this support."

Started in 2006 by Michael and Valerie Wood-Lewis of Burlington, Front Porch Forum hosts 130 online neighborhood forums covering all of Chittenden County. Incredibly, more than 8,000 local households subscribe to this free service already, including 30% of places like Burlington, Huntington and Westford. Nine out of ten homes subscribe in some neighborhoods, with half posting messages.

"My daughter wanted a canoe outing with friends for her 14th birthday, so I put out a call for help through our neighborhood forum," says Sharon Monette-Owens of South Burlington. "All the canoes, paddles and life jackets we needed arrived on loan and we got to know more of our neighbors along the way! Front Porch Forum saved us $200 to boot!" Front Porch Forum generates dozens of similar stories every month.

People use Front Porch Forum to share owl sightings, organize group yard sales, report car break-ins, borrow shovels, help ailing neighbors, sell cars, give away strollers, announce concerts, find babysitters, share town meeting insights, and more. And all this is done with clearly identified nearby neighbors.

"Front Porch Forum provides the information necessary for people to participate intelligently in the democratic process," reports University of Vermont professor Susan Comerford. "It provides the support and care that meld individuals who live near one another into engaged, civic-minded neighbors."

"I encourage everyone to go to FrontPorchForum.com and vote," says Michael Wood-Lewis. "Then spread the word via email, Facebook, newsletters, blogs... whatever methods you use. Front Porch Forum needs this funding to add features for our current users and to expand to other communities in Vermont and beyond. We're a long shot, but Vermont has a knack for pulling upsets!" One vote per email address and the polls close April 22, 2008.

The first ten voters to correctly pick the Final Four will be given a $2,500 grant to pass to the charity of their choice. So vote early.

Any Chittenden County resident may sign up for this free local service at http://FrontPorchForum.com Dozens of your nearby neighbors are already on board! Please join the conversation. People outside of greater Burlington are encouraged to vote for Front Porch Forum so that it can expand to their communities.