Sustainable communities grant program will reward partnership, collaboration
by Fresh EnergyBy Lynne Bly, transportation connections director, Fresh Energy
Over the past few months the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has held dozens of listening sessions and has been requesting comments about its upcoming $100 million Sustainable Communities Grant Program.
The program’s context is the half dozen Livability Principles set out for the federal sustainable communities partnership between HUD, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency:
- Provide more transportation choices
- Promote equitable, affordable housing
- Enhance economic competitiveness
- Support existing communities
- Coordinate policies and leverage investment
- Value communities and neighborhoods
The new grant program is geared toward partnerships between local and regional governments, nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and others who will work together to create regional plans for sustainable development. There will also be more limited funding for detailed action plans and possibly a very few grants to fund very innovative ideas that can be good models for others.
The final requirements for the grant program are expected to be released by mid-April. But preliminary indications are that some grants will be for large metropolitan areas while at least 25 percent of the grant funding must be set aside for small metropolitan and/or rural areas.
Selection criteria ask, “Does the application…
- Further the creation of livable communities by integrating housing, transportation, and environmental decisions?
- Demonstrate a commitment to take well-developed plans and move them into implementation?
- Represent a strong, inclusive, collaborative effort for the region?”
Tentatively, grant proposals are expected to be due in early June 2010, with grant awards by early August.
