Vermont’s economy, climate, and development needs are changing at a rapid pace. Municipal Planning Grants help Vermont’s cities, towns and villages adapt to change and prepare for the future. This flexible State funding for planning and resilience can pay for a variety of eligible projects, such as:
- A new or updated municipal plan;
- New or updated bylaws that that implement Act 47 of 2023 (HOME Act) and Act 181 of 2024 (Resilience, Biodiversity & Land Use Act), including zoning & subdivision bylaws;
- Climate resilience and flood recovery projects;
- Projects related to housing development;
- New or updated capital programs and budgets for infrastructure maintenance and improvements;
- Physical improvement plans or other planning for a State Designation in coordination with Department of Housing & Community Development program staff; and
- Projects that support communities for all ages that align with Age Strong Vermont: A Roadmap for an Age-friendly State.
Individual towns may apply for up to $30,000, and multi-town applications (a consortium) may apply for up to $45,000. A local cash match of 10% of the total project costs is required, except for zoning/subdivision bylaw projects in municipalities without zoning/subdivision bylaws.
Please review the Program Description for eligibility requirements and the Application Guide for application questions. A wide variety of municipalities access this funding, including the Vermont’s smallest towns.
Application Schedule for FY2025 Grants
- Regional Planning Commission confirmation of municipal planning process (to be eligible to apply for projects other than a municipal plan): December 31, 2024
- Online application opens: January 27, 2025
- Application Deadline: March 31, 2025, at 6:00 p.m.
- Award Decisions: April 30, 2025
- Project completion: April 30, 2027 (2-year grant term to complete a project)
Please note, this round of Municipal Planning Grants will use the new upgraded version of GEARS. Webinars on use of the new GEARS will be available in January prior to the application opening. Learning and adapting to this new software can take some patience.
For questions about the Municipal Planning Grants or if you wish to talk through project ideas, contact Jacob Hemmerick at 802-828-5249 or Jenni Lavoie at 802-828-1948.