Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program—Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD’s long-awaited $100 million sustainable regional planning grant program is now open. The regional planning grants will be awarded competitively to multijurisdictional and multisector partnerships, as well as regional consortia consisting of state and local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic organizations.

The program will support a number of activities related to the development and implementation of integrated long-range regional plans including:

• Identifying affordable housing, transportation investment, water infrastructure, economic development, land use planning, environmental conservation, energy system, open space, and other infrastructure priorities for the region
• Establishing performance goals and measures
• Providing detailed plans, policies, and implementation strategies to be implemented by all participating jurisdictions over time to meet planning goals
• Engaging residents and stakeholders substantively and meaningfully in the development of the shared vision and its implementation.

Recognizing that areas are in different stages of achieving sustainability, HUD established two funding categories for the Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant program. Category 1 Funds can be used to support the preparation of Regional Plans for Sustainable Development. Category 2 Funds can be used to support efforts to fine-tune existing regional plans so that they address the Partnership's Livability Principles, to prepare more detailed execution plans for an adopted Regional Plan for Sustainable Development, and limited predevelopment planning activities for catalytic projects. Of the funds available, $2 million will be reserved for capacity support grants distributed separately, and not less than $25 million will be awarded to regions with populations of less than 500,000.     

Ultimately, this regional planning initiative will provide a blueprint for public and private investment decisions that will support a more sustainable future for a region. The size of grants awarded will be determined by the size of the applicants geographic area, whether a large metropolitan region or a smaller rural community. Grant applications, which will be reviewed not only by HUD, but also by the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency, are due August 23, 2010.

Click here to connect to HUD's online information about the program.