Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) today announced $1,000,203 in Municipal Planning Grants have been awarded to 47 municipalities, including one multi-town project.
These grants will help communities throughout Vermont write and update town plans and bylaws, plan for public improvements, explore opportunities for new homes, and develop plans to make communities more resilient as they face more extreme weather.
“For decades, this funding has helped communities plan for their future,” said Governor Phil Scott. “By giving them the support needed to plan for housing, infrastructure, and resiliency needs, these local investments will improve towns and municipalities for years to come.”
“As our state faces a growing need for housing and resilient infrastructure, these grants give municipalities the support to plan strategically and involve community members in the process,” said DHCD Commissioner Alex Farrell. “By funding thoughtful planning, we help towns make informed decisions and build a stronger, more sustainable future.”
Awarded annually and administered by DHCD, the Municipal Planning Grant program supports local community revitalization and planning initiatives. The program supports vital aspects of municipal management and rural capacity-building by offering municipalities the funding they need to engage residents in decision-making and to establish a solid vision for their future.
Since 1998, the program has provided over $17 million to 243 cities and towns. The full list of FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects and more information can be found on the Municipal Planning Grant Program webpage.
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects
Municipal Planning Grants support local planning and community revitalization initiatives that ready projects for implementation, build strong communities and improve Vermont’s quality of life. Grants are awarded annually and administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development. Since 1998, the program has provided over $17 million to 243 cities and towns. This year, $1,000,203 in Municipal Planning Grants were awarded to 47 municipalities, including one consortium. The winning FY26 projects are described below.
City of Burlington will work with the Community & Economic Development Office (CEDO) to engage the community in defining the city’s first comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS), which will be a new element of the Municipal Plan. For more information, contact Nicole Losch at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $33,400
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
City of Montpelier plans to re-envision the river’s edge in Montpelier for improved flood resilience, river access, and clean water. For more information, contact Michael Miller at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $95,040
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
Newport City will explore thermal energy networks using existing sewer infrastructure and ambient lake temperatures to lower development and energy costs, to address housing shortages and support goals for affordable, sustainable housing. For more information, contact Frank Cheney at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $33,000
Grant Funds Awarded: $29,700
City of South Burlington will develop a Buildings and Thermal Sector Implementation Plan. For more information, contact Paul Conner at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $40,050
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
Arlington will revise the Town Plan, focusing on facilities, utilities, and incorporating the recently acquired Water Department. The update will also incorporate related planning efforts, including wastewater, fire protection, and other associated matters. For more information, contact Nicholas Zaiac at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $33,375
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Nov 2025 Page 2
Belvidere will work with the community to gather information and develop a comprehensive plan for reuse, operation, and management of the former Belvidere School as a municipal, community, economic and recreation hub within the village. For more information, contact Melissa Manka at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $12,000
Grant Funds Awarded: $10,800
Berkshire will develop a conceptual plan for a walking path from the Town Office to the Berkshire Elementary School in Berkshire Center. For more information, contact Emily Klofft at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $15,370
Grant Funds Awarded: $13,833
Bolton will engage the community in developing stormwater, bicycle, and pedestrian solutions for Bolton Valley Access Road while promoting transparency and fairness in the local process. For more information, contact Dania Allowan at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $29,960
Grant Funds Awarded: $26,960
Bristol will conduct an inclusive public process for updating the town plan to address: flood resiliency, natural resource and renewable energy opportunities, meet current statutory mandates, update maps and statistical information. For more information, contact Freeda Powers at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $21,400
Grant Funds Awarded: $19,260
Chester will modernize the Town Plan to align with Act 181 and the HOME Act, with a focus on expanding housing opportunities and increasing flood resistance. For more information, contact Julie Hance at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $26,600
Grant Funds Awarded: $23,940
Clarendon will develop a plan to advance mitigation investments to reduce risks posed by natural hazards & increase Clarendon’s resilience to their impact. With community planning & action, the town hopes to reduce the impact of expected but unpredictable natural events. For more information, contact Kimberly Young at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $13,151
Grant Funds Awarded: $11,836
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Nov 2025 Page 3
Corinth will update the Town Plan and ensure that residents’ priorities guide appropriate development through widespread community engagement. For more information, contact Stephen Devoto at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $16,320
Grant Funds Awarded: $14,688
East Montpelier will develop an adoptable master plan for the Historic Village of North Montpelier to guide resilient housing, infrastructure, connectivity, food security, and economic revitalization—grounded in community engagement and climate adaptation. For more information, contact Jennifer Devine at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $29,500
Grant Funds Awarded: $26,550
Granville will revise its Town Plan to comply with statutory requirements, and to explore ways to ensure a thriving future for a very small rural town. For more information, contact Cheryl Sargeant at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $14,880
Grant Funds Awarded: $13,392
Guilford will engage in a community-driven process to develop land conservation and growth regulations that reflect residents’ priorities for Guilford’s future. Any regulations adopted will be compatible with state Smart Growth goals. For more information, contact Jeannette Tokarz at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $30,000
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
Hartford will study feasibility of increasing multimodal transportation & parking options in Downtown WRJ to meet increasing demand related to redevelopment of the Hotel Coolidge site & other parcels to meet housing & economic viability needs. For more information, contact Lori Hirshfield at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $33,425
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
Holland will hire an architectural and engineering firm to develop the design, plans, cost estimates, and site layout drawings for the redevelopment of the town garage facility and building three vehicle storage buildings. For more information, contact Diane Judd at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $19,970+
Grant Funds Awarded: $17,973
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Nov 2025 Page 4
Ira will develop a plan to advance mitigation investments to reduce risks posed by natural hazards and increase Ira’s resilience to their impacts. The goal with community planning and action is to reduce the impacts of expected but unpredictable natural events. For more information, contact Maggie O’Brien at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $13,149
Grant Funds Awarded: $11,834
Jay will develop Resilient Jay: A Town Plan Focused on Climate Resilience. For more information, contact Lynnette Deaette at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $29,425
Grant Funds Awarded: $26,482
Jericho will conduct an analysis complementing a wastewater Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) linking engineering to land use, housing units, municipal fiscal impact, options to finance construction, and informing an outreach strategy and financial justification. For more information, contact Chris Shaheen at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $53,440
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
Killington will develop schematic plans for the retrofitting of the former Killington Town Hall as a recreation/community center. The town offices have been relocated, and the building is available for adaptive reuse as a community center. For more information, contact Lisa Davis-Lewis at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $35,270
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
Middlesex will provide more opportunities for housing in already developed areas, while improving flood and hazard resilience for homes, families and town roads, and encouraging better forest, wildlife and natural resource planning for the future of Middlesex. For more information, contact Elaine Toohey at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $30,000
Grant Funds Awarded: $27,000
Morristown and Johnson (consortium) will each create a townwide Capital Improvement Plan with separate asset inventories and replacement schedules, using an open, public planning process to guide long-term investments and municipal budgeting and planning. For more information, contact Adele Taplin at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $42,820
Grant Funds Awarded: $36,397
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Nov 2025 Page 5
Newfane will develop a plan for a flood-prone area that also overlaps designated village centers, town owned “FEMA buyout” sites, a busy town highway, and a cherished riverfront. A rubric will be developed for future planning and decision making. For more information, contact Melissa Brown at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $28,700
Grant Funds Awarded: $25,830
North Hero will do a comprehensive Town Plan update with broad community outreach. For more information, contact Corinn Julow at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $19,420
Grant Funds Awarded: $17,478
Norwich will create a new Village Master Plan in 2026, engaging the community to address growth, housing, infrastructure, and resilience to ensure a vibrant, sustainable future for all residents. For more information, contact Steven True at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $28,777
Grant Funds Awarded: $20,899
Panton will update its Municipal Plan, and in doing so refine the community's housing goals, identify and preserve scenic and natural resources, improve recreational assets, and work to coalesce our shared vision for the future. For more information, contact Kyle Rowe at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $19,037
Grant Funds Awarded: $17,133
Pittsford will advance mitigation investments to reduce risks posed by natural hazards and increase Pittsford's resilience to their impact. With Community planning & action, the goal is to reduce the impact of expected but unpredictable natural events. For more information, contact Ann Reed at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $12,963
Grant Funds Awarded: $11,667
Plymouth will update the Town Plan to ensure it meets all statutory requirements, receive regional plan approval, a determination of energy compliance, and address the latest challenges facing Plymouth, including a shortage of affordable housing. For more information, contact Bryan Kovalick at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $14,585
Grant Funds Awarded: $13,126
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Nov 2025 Page 6
Poultney will develop a comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to guide responsible, long-range investment in municipal infrastructure, facilities, and equipment. For more information, contact Sarah Pelkey at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $30,000
Grant Funds Awarded: $27,000
Proctor will advance mitigation investments to reduce risks posed by natural hazards and increase the town’s resilience to their impact. With community planning & action, the goal is to reduce the impact of expected but unpredictable natural events. For more information, contact Judy Frazier at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $13,151
Grant Funds Awarded: $11,836
Randolph will revitalize the Randolph Town Plan with the latest census data and population projections, adapting to new housing policies, and comprehensively engaging with our community to create infrastructure for sustainable community development. For more information, contact Mark Rosalbo at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $16,698
Grant Funds Awarded: $15,000
Rupert will engage community members to devise an action-oriented town plan with measurable milestones to guide Rupert in addressing 21st-century challenges while protecting its distinctive rural and historic character. For more information, contact Samantha Page [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $29,400
Grant Funds Awarded: $26,460
Shrewsbury will advance mitigation investments to reduce risks posed by natural hazards and increase the town’s resilience to their impact. With community planning & action, the goal is to reduce the impact of expected but unpredictable natural events. For more information, contact Alaina Cimonetti at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $13,151
Grant Funds Awarded: $11,863
South Hero will engage residents and key stakeholders in defining a vision and strategic plan to develop portions of the newly acquired Lavin property in alignment with its community wastewater project. For more information, contact Susan Arguin at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $15,240
Grant Funds Awarded: $13,716
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Nov 2025 Page 7
Stamford will develop a new Town Plan which will detail a guiding vision and policy objectives that align with community priorities and state planning goals. For more information, contact Callie Fishburn at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $28,000
Grant Funds Awarded: $25,200
Sutton has two specific aims 1) To develop a comprehensive and representative community survey on key issues which influence the Town Plan. 2) To generate a report of the survey results to form the basis for a revised Town Plan. For more information, contact Robert Simms at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $8,575
Grant Funds Awarded: $7,627
Troy will update its development bylaws to be consistent with state statute and draft subdivision bylaws, which Troy currently lacks. Doing so will allow the town to qualify for Tier 1B designation, making it easier to build housing in North Troy. For more information, contact Terri Medley at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $12,443
Grant Funds Awarded: $11,199
Underhill will engage the public to mobilize resident support for infill housing in the Riverside Flats designated as a Village Center. A Report will explore opportunities, constraints & infrastructure needed to enable development to meet Act 181 targets. For more information, contact Larry Lewack at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $23,310
Grant Funds Awarded: $20,970
Wallingford will advance mitigation investments to reduce risks posed by natural hazards and increase the town’s resilience to their impact. With community planning & action, the goal is to reduce the impact of expected but unpredictable natural events. For more information, contact Sandi Switzer at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $13,183
Grant Funds Awarded: $11,865
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Nov 2025 Page 8
Waterbury will complete a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) in advance of Waterbury’s planned zoning and subdivision bylaws. For more information, contact Thomas Leitz at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $34,200
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
West Fairlee will explore new housing potential in West Fairlee, including ways in which the town can meet its housing targets, and will include strong public outreach to guide the conversation around local housing needs.
For more information, contact Delsie Hoyt at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $14,370
Grant Funds Awarded: $12,933
Weston will complete a Zoning and Subdivision Bylaw Update with a focus on addressing key objectives that came from the recently completed Town Plan. Weston will focus on updates to the bylaws to improve housing access, affordability, and flood resiliency. For more information, contact Kim Seymour at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $32,700
Grant Funds Awarded: $29,430
Wheelock will conduct an update to the Town Plan. One that is broadly inclusive to help the rural under-resourced town prioritize: funding, commitments, and efforts. For more information, contact Alison Low at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $14,155
Grant Funds Awarded: $12,739
Windsor will update the Town Plan to align with Act 181 and the HOME Act, producing clear land use and housing strategies that remove regulatory barriers, attract investment, and create a roadmap for expanded housing opportunities. For more information, contact Hallie Abuayyash at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $28,460
Grant Funds Awarded: $25,614
Winhall will create combined, unified zoning, subdivision and flood hazard regulations with a focus on implementing the 2025 Town Plan and addressing Vermont bylaw reforms under Act 181 and HOME Act 147. For more information, contact Tamatha B Blanchard at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $36,500
Grant Funds Awarded: $20,000
FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Projects Vermont Department of Housing and Community Development Nov 2025 Page 9
Village of Swanton will create and update vital regulatory water department guidance documents to protect and enhance the Water Dept for the next 20 years. This will include asset management, risk & resiliency, emergency response & source protection plans. For more information, contact Heidi Britch-Valenta at [email protected]
Total Project Cost: $33,350
Grant Funds Awarded: $30,000
State Award Funding Totals: $1,000,203.00
1.2.2026. 109 State Street | The Pavilion | Montpelier, VT 05609-0101 | www.vermont.gov
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