Municipal Planning Grant

Economic Development Housing Community Development Planning Your Town’s Future Planning for Tomorrow’s Flood State Designation Programs Funding and Incentives Vermont Community Development Program (VCDP) CDBG Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Downtown and Village Center Tax Credits Downtown Sales Tax Reallocation Federal Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credits Downtown Transportation Fund Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Grant Program Municipal Planning Grant (MPG) Bylaw Modernization Grants Housing Funders Roundtable Resources and Rules Current Initiatives Success Stories Events, Training and Workshops Historic Preservation Tourism and Marketing About the Agency Municipal Planning Grant The Municipal Planning Grant (MPG) program encourages and supports planning and revitalization for local municipalities in Vermont. Awarded annually and administered by the Department of Housing and Community Development, the MPG program works to strengthen Vermont by funding local planning initiatives that support statewide planning goals. Since 1998, the MPG program has provided over $17 million to 243 cities and towns across Vermont to help breathe new life into communities, plan for future growth and development, and improve the quality of life. See our MPG Program Annual Report (PDF) for more information Accessibility Notice : Documents on this page required to comply with Federal Accessibility Standards are in the process of being updated. Certain documents are  exempt from the regulation . To request an accessible version, please contact [email protected] . FY27 Application/Grant - Important Dates Below August 1, 2026 - Application Opens October 5, 2026 - Application Due November/December  - Award Decisions December 1, 2026 - Grant Term Starts December 31, 2028 - Grant Term Ends January 31, 2029 - Grant Closeout Due FY26 Awards Information about this year's grant recipients can be found on our list of FY26 Municipal Planning Grant Recipients . (PDF) For information about previously funded grants see the complete list of projects funded since 1998 . (xls) The 2026 Vermont Planning & Community Investment Survey Results (PDF) -  T he Division of Community Planning + Revitalization in the Department of Housing & Community Development produces a survey on Vermont planning and development topics every three years, including an evaluation of the Municipal Planning Grant program.  These results report on stakeholders’ planning and development priorities and help the Department of Housing & Community Development evaluate the Municipal Planning Grant (MPG) program for updates.  The Department thanks participants for their time as we continuously work to improve projects that support Vermont. APPLICANT GUIDANCE All the documents, and reference materials needed to successfully apply for a Municipal Planning Grant. Before Applying 2027 Program Description (PDF) - Provides an overview of the grant program including the purpose, available funding, competitive criteria, and this year's grant priorities. Review to determine the eligibility of your town and project. Pay special attention to the competitive criteria and statewide priorities to determine if your project is a good candidate for funding through this program. 2027 Application Guide (word)  - Provides an overview of all grant application questions. Please use this guide to prepare your responses offline. You can then cut and paste these responses into the online system when it opens. Rural Towns List (PDF)  - A list of towns eligible to have the Regional Planning Commission serve as an agent of the town for the MPG. Accessing and Using GEARS Legacy GEARS - The legacy version of GEARS hosts all Municipal Planning Grants from 2024, and earlier. GEARS-IGX  - GEARS-IGX, is the newest version of GEARS, and hosts Municipal Planning Grants from 2025, 2026, and future rounds.