The Montco 2040 Implementation Grant Program assists municipalities in making targeted physical improvements that achieve real progress toward the goals of county comprehensive plan, Montco 2040: A Shared Vision, and the plan’s themes of Connected Communities, Sustainable Places, and Vibrant Economy. The 2023 grant awards account for nearly $2,500,000 across 15 municipalities. Since its inception in 2016, a total o127 grants ($15.2 million combined total) have been awarded to 53 municipalities.
In 2023, the county received 25 applications from municipalities, totaling almost $4 million in requests. Projects were evaluated in terms of impact, equity, county and local planning consistency, project readiness, and funding attributes by a committee consisting of Montgomery County Planning Commission Board members and interdepartmental county staff. Projects also were given heightened consideration when addressing one of three focus categories for 2023: Walk/Bike Montco – Trails, Paths, Sidewalk Connections and Bike Facilities; Downtown and Community Destination Support; and Adaptation and Resiliency. The county continues to address equity concerns through this program, asking municipalities about how their projects would address equity locally, whether through proposing the project or the process the municipality would intend to take (or has already taken) when planning for or implementing the project.