The Better Connections Program (BC) provides technical assistance and funds to local communities to help them achieve their goals and plan for growth.
Donor Name: Vermont Agency of Transportation
State: Vermont
County: All Counties except Chittenden County (VT)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/17/2023
Size of the Grant: $35,000 and $67,500
Details:
The Better Connections Grant Program (the Program) is a competitive grant reimbursement program available to Vermont municipalities outside of Chittenden County. The Program encourages municipalities to proactively coordinate land use decisions with transportation investments that build community resilience, with a particular emphasis on projects that support the implementation of innovative transportation and land use concepts.
The Better Connections Program (BC) is a partnership between the Vermont Agency of Transportation (V Trans), the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD), the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and the Department of Public Health (VDH).
The program funds planning efforts to increase multi-modal transportation options and to improve land use, water quality, public health, and economic vitality in Vermont communities. The interagency program provides targeted municipal assistance to: help communities identify and prioritize their goals and projects; develop an action-oriented plan to achieve the goals and move projects directly to implementation; and link the communities to a growing network of public and philanthropic partners to help them implement their priority projects.
Priority Consideration
Priority consideration will be given to projects that:
- Are located within (or adjacent to) a state designated downtown, village center, neighborhood development area, new town center or growth center. (To determine if your community has a state designation, visit the Vermont Planning Atlas).
- Represent inter-municipal efforts.
- Support public health policies, increases access to healthy food, recreation opportunities, and/or other opportunities for physical activity in the community.
- Support water quality improvements that reduce nutrient and sediment pollution (by applying for a Clean Water Fund planning project as part of the Better Connections application).
Program Objectives
The Program works in partnership with municipalities and other stakeholders to accomplish the following objectives:
- Provide a safe, multi-modal and resilient transportation system that supports the Vermont economy.
- Support downtown and village economic development and revitalization efforts.
- Lead directly to project implementation (demonstrated by community capacity and readiness to implement).
Funding Information
The Program awards grants on a bi-annual basis and provides a total of $200,000 in funding consisting of $180,000 in grant funds and $20,000 in local cash match. A 10% local cash match minimum is required. It is anticipated that the Program will fund up to 3 projects per grant cycle, which runs every other year. Awards may range between $35,000 and $67,500. The maximum total grant award is $67,500 (with 10% match requirement for a total project cost of $75,000). Grantees generally have eighteen (18) months to complete projects.
Grant funds consist of $160,000 in Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) State Planning and Research Funds and $20,000 in ACCD funds. Total funds for the Program may vary from year to year based on the availability of federal and state resources. V Trans and ACCD reserve the right to modify the grant program without prior notice.
Eligibility Criteria
- For the purposes of the Program, a municipality is defined by 24 V.S.A §4303 (12). Under this definition, an incorporated village is not considered a separate municipality unless the village adopts its own village plan and one or more bylaws either before, concurrently with, or subsequent to such action by the town.
- Inter-municipal efforts are encouraged, and multiple municipalities may apply as a consortium. If applying as a consortium, all towns must have a confirmed municipal plan by February 17, 2023. Consortium applications must address a shared issue and identify a lead municipality to administer the project. If applying as a consortium, each town must submit a resolution, designating the same local project manager and showing support from the legislative body of each municipality, such as select board, village trustees, or city council.
- Only one project per municipality can be funded in each grant cycle. If a municipality is awarded funds in the two previous grant years, the municipality is not eligible to apply in this year’s grant cycle.
- If a municipality is awarded an ACCD Municipal Planning Grant in the same fiscal year, the municipality cannot apply for a Better Connections Program grant.
- Municipalities are ineligible to receive funds if they are:
- Suspended or debarred by the Federal Government.
- Delinquent in submitting their sub recipient annual reports.
- Delinquent in submitting their Single Audit Reports (if required).
For more information, visit VTrans.
