Do you have the information, tools and resources you need to make the place you call home better? Do you want to make your city or town more attractive, vibrant, and prosperous? Did you know that Municipal Planning Grants have helped communities just like yours implement town plan recommendations and jump start initiatives to find wastewater solutions, update zoning regulations to increase local housing options, and develop strategic plans to diversify the local economy?
Towns may apply for up to $22,000 and joint applications from several municipalities (a consortium) may apply for up to $35,000. A wide range of municipal planning and implementation activities are eligible for funding. Strong grant applications must demonstrate community engagement and buy-in. Strong applications should also demonstrate a commitment to identifying opportunities and strategies for change.
Please review the Program Description for eligibility requirements and use the new Application Guide and the criteria for successful applications. Even the smallest Vermont towns can write a winning application and open doors to new opportunities.
Grant applications are due Tuesday, October 1, 2019 and grants will be awarded by mid-December.
NRPC staff can assist your municipality with developing a project and drafting a grant application. Please contact Taylor Newton by email or at (802) 524-5958. For technical assistance and for questions about the online grants management system please contact Jenni Lavoie at the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (email or at (802) 828-1948).
Public Meeting: I-89 Exit 16
Diverging Diamond Interchange
The Vermont Agency of Transportation is hosting a public meeting on the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) planned for I-89 Exit 16 interchange along the US Route 2/US Route 7 corridor in Colchester. The presentation will outline how Exit 16 will be reconfigured to better accommodate both vehicle and bicycle/pedestrian traffic.There will a public meeting at 1:00 PM and 6:30 PM on Tuesday September 24, 2019 at the Colchester Town Offices, 781 Blakely Road, Colchester, VT. For more information about the project visit and to watch an educational video on DDIs.
Rendering of the Diverging Diamond
Interchange planned for the I-89 Exit 16 area.
What is a Diverging Diamond
Interchange (DDI)?
In DDI, traffic crosses to the left side of the roadway allowing for ease of access to the interstate by eliminating difficult left turns. With traffic diverted to the left side of the roadway, vehicles making a left onto the interstate entrance ramps do not have to cross oncoming traffic, creating fewer conflict points.
Islands Drive Electric Day
In partnership with Drive Electric Vermont, Vermont Electric Cooperative will be celebrating Drive Electric Week on Saturday, September 21st from 10am-1pm at the Grand Isle School at 224 US Route 2 in Grand Isle.
At "Islands Drive Electric Day," there will be All-Electric Vehicles (AEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) on hand along with their owners (many of whom are members of Vermont Electric Co-op) who will be available to talk with interested people at the event. The event will take place along a well-traveled main road in the Champlain Islands during the same hours as the weekly Saturday Champlain Islands Farmers' Market, located less than a half mile from the school, on the same road. VEC and Drive Electric will have a highly visible tent and plenty of EV expertise and EV information on hand, so come out and join us!
NRPC welcomes Emily Klofft as the AmeriCorps VISTA for NRPC this year! Emily graduated in May 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in statistics, and previously worked at nonprofits as a quality assurance intern and helped to develop a program evaluation. As a VISTA, Emily will be developing grant and programming opportunities to combat substance misuse. Additionally, she will be working to support the mission of the NRPC by collecting data for the Northwest Regional Plan and the online scorecardsand by assisting with municipal plans. Emily is especially interested in how to best collect and display data, as well as with issues such as substance misuse and community development.
Grant Funds to Support Development of New Child Care Center in Alburgh
The community of Alburgh has received two substantial grant awards in 2019 to develop a new child care center at the Alburgh Community Education Center.The new childcare center in Alburgh will provide new jobs, offer support for working parents, and help prepare children in the community to succeed in elementary school and beyond.The proposed child care facility will be owned by Alburgh School District and operated by a private child care provider.
In April 2019, the Town of Alburgh received a Planning Grant from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development (VCDP) in April 2019. The grant award of $60,000 will be used to fund the planning and pre-development work for a new childcare facility on the grounds of the Alburgh Community Education Center. Once planning and pre-development work is completed, a grant enhancement of $440,000 will be provided by VCDP to fund construction.VCDP grant writing assistance was provided by the United Way of Northwest Vermont.
VCDP grant funds awarded to the Town of Alburgh will also be used to match a $250,000 grant award from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) to Alburgh School District. This grant, awarded in August 2019, will solely be used to fund construction of the new child care facility. Grant writing assistance for the NBRC grant was provided by Northwest Regional Planning Commission.
The child care center project in Alburgh is the result of the efforts of a group of community members and stakeholders that have met twice monthly for over two years to develop and advocate for the project. The organization, now incorporated as the Alburgh Family Club House, is determined to prepare children in the community for success when they enter school. The Alburgh Family Club House Board is composed of representatives from the Town of Alburgh, Alburgh School District, Alburgh Library, and other involved citizens. The Alburgh Family Club House is currently seeking 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
Additional funding will be needed to construct the project. The community will continue to apply for grants to fund construction, but is also open to private donations. The Alburgh Family Club House plans to begin fundraising efforts in the coming months. For more information on donations, please contact Alburgh Family Club House Chair Chloe Viner-Collins or Vice Chair Gina Lewis. All donations are tax exempt.
Openings on the NRPC Board of Commissioners
Are you interested in the regional commission and our programs and projects? Would you like to get more involved? The NRPC Board of Commissioners is made up of two representatives of each municipality, appointed by the Selectboards and Trustees. We have openings in several municipalities including: Alburgh Village, Bakersfield, Berkshire, Enosburgh and Enosburg Falls, Highgate, Montgomery, North Hero, and Richford. In addition, we have an opening for a high school youth member from Grand Isle County. The Board meets the last Wednesday evening of each month in the St. Albans area. Interested? For more information please contact Catherine by
email or at 524-5958 or your local town office, and take a look at these
video highlights of our work!
SFY20 Municipal Highway and
Stormwater Mitigation Grant Program
In a commitment to improving the quality of state waters and providing funding to municipalities to assist in their efforts, the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) is pleased to announce this funding opportunity.
Grants funded through this program must have a transportation link. The enabling legislation that determines eligibility follows:
Any environmental mitigation activity, including pollution prevention and pollution abatement activities and mitigation to address stormwater management, control, and water pollution prevention or abatement related to highway construction or due to highway runoff.
VTrans has identified the following as potentially eligible project types:
Planning Studies (stormwater inventories, flow restoration plans, phosphorus control planning)
Salt/Sand Sheds
Bank Stabilization
Culvert Replacement/ Re-sizing
Stream Bank Stabilization
Detention Ponds
Check Dams
Swirl Separators
Permeable Pavers
Infiltration Basins
Gravel Wetlands
Subsurface Detention Systems
Bio Filters
Bio Retention Systems
Eligible applicants for this grant program are municipalities. There is not a program cap on the amount of funding granted to a specific project. However, there is a 20% local match requirement. All projects must be developed in accordance with applicable federal and state regulations.
All projects shall be developed according to the guidelines published in the Municipal Assistance Bureau - Local Projects Guidebook for Municipally Managed Projects. The document and appendices can be found here.
The Federal Highway Administration has an excellent webpage available with additional information for federal-aid projects found here.
Some of the requirements highlighted in the above sources include compliance with the following:
National Environmental Policy Act
Uniform Act for Right-of-Way acquisition
Buy America Provisions
Low bid, sealed bid process for construction - Force Account generally not allowed
This a reimbursement program, municipalities must submit invoices for completed work to be reimbursed appropriately up to the grant amount. All projects must be completed or all expended federal funds will be required to be paid back.
All applications require a letter of support from their Regional Planning Commission (RPC). Projects located in or adjacent to a state maintained right of way must submit a description of the project and/or plans to the District Transportation Administrator (DTA) in that region. A copy of this correspondence to the DTA must be attached to your application.
Applications must be received on or before October 4, 2019. A hard copy or electronic submittal via email is acceptable although electronic submittals are preferred.
An informational workshop will be held via Skype Meeting on Wednesday, September 18th. It is strongly recommended that an official representative of the applicant listen in on the workshop to fully understand the requirements associated with federal-aid projects. Applicants may participate from any computer connected to the internet using the link below. No password or pre-registration is required but it is recommended that you visit the this link prior to the meeting to ensure that your computer is properly equipped for a Skype meeting.
Informational Workshop
Wednesday, September 18th from 1:00pm - 3:00pm
For more information or for questions, please contact:
Municipal Assistance Bureau - Local Projects Group
Vermont Agency of Transportation
One National Life Drive
Montpelier, VT 05633-5001
(802) 595-4933
State Government Municipal Day
Register now for the 2019 workshops taking place in 5 locations around Vermont!
When Governments Cooperate is sponsored by the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. This annual training includes a wide variety of workshops and gives you the opportunity to network and engage with State and municipal colleagues. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. Over the years, our offerings have grown. We try to meet people where they are by holding training opportunities at our regional offices - close to where you live and work. New this year, flexible registration is offered at several locations so those who aren't able to attend for a full day still have an opportunity to participate.
3SquaresVT, the largest federal nutrition program, provides benefits to an average of 70,000 Vermonters each month. This conference will offer an opportunity to gain a deeper knowledge of 3SquaresVT eligibility, deductions, benefits and the application process, learn about recent and upcoming policy changes, enhance outreach skills, network with colleagues from your region, and participate in focused discussions with seasoned advocates.
Date & Time
Location
Vermont Law School
164 Chelsea Street
South Royalton, Vemont
For more information on this conference click here.
Northwest Regional Planning Commission
Address: 75 Fairfield Street, St. Albans, VT 05478
