A Newsletter for Community Planning in the Berkshire Region
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Join us on May 29th for a 5th Thursday networking and educational event!
Presenter: Corrin Meise-Munns
Deputy Asst. Secretary for Environmental Policy
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs
Topic: the Massachusetts Integrated Land Use Strategy
4 pm - 6 pm at Mazzeo's Ristorante, 1015 South Street, Pittsfield (Presentation begins at 5 pm)
hors d'oeuvres reception and cash bar
Tickets: $20/person - purchase tickets online
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Accessible Trails Public Forum- May 8, 6-8 pm
The Massachusetts Office Of Outdoor Recreation and the Massachusetts Trail Access Work Group are hosting an online public forum to learn about the experiences, barriers, and challenges folks with disabilities, or other mobility considerations, encounter when recreating on nature trails.
If you or someone you’re close to has experienced challenges– whether that’s finding trails, getting to trails, not having accessible spaces near you, design barriers, or anything else– please attend! If trails have benefited you and you’d like to help bring more trails to others, attend the forum and share your ideas and experiences.
Register: http://www.bit.ly/AccessibleTrails1. For questions, contact: info@dodsonflinker.com
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May is Berkshire Bike Month! We encourage Berkshire County residents to get out on two wheels, whether it be for fun, fitness, work, or errands. You would be surprised at what you can accomplish by bike. Bookmark the Berkshire Bike Month Link Tree to get the latest information as events are updated!
- Friday, May 9: Pittsfield Social Ride - start and end at Hot Plate Brewing
- Friday, May 16: National Bike to Work Day
- Sunday, May 25: Family fun ride on the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
- Saturday, May 31: Pittsfield Farmer’s Market Bike Day
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Philanthropy Massachusetts Introduction to Grants Research
Learn about Foundation Directory Pro and other search engines.
Tuesday, May 20, 10 am - 12 pm
To register, email pcorkum@philanthropyma.org - tell Phyllis that BRPC's Berkshire Funding Focus sent you and the $40 fee will be waived!
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Western Massachusetts Historical Commission Coalition
Show Me the Money: Funding History and Heritage Projects
Learn more about available funding sources for projects in your community
Thursday, May 22, 10 am
Register here for Zoom Link or contact Stacia Caplanson, Preservation Massachusetts.
Topics:
- Survey and Planning Grants and MA Preservation Projects Fund Grants
- MA State Historical Records Advisory Board Grants and Programs
- MA Historic Preservation Matching Grant Program
- MassDevelopment Grants - Underutilized Properties Program and Cultural Facilities Fund
- Technical Assistance and Grant Writing
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Massachusetts Housing Partnership - 18th Housing Institute
MHP's 18th Housing Institute will be held on June 4 & 5 at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester. This intensive two-day training engages participants in discussion and problem-solving activities related to the development of affordable homes across Massachusetts. More information on the Housing Toolbox website, registration will open in April.
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Berkshire State of Work Summit
From Hiring to Thriving: A New Era of Workplace Culture
Mark your calendar for an important event for all employers, including municipal governments in Berkshire County. June 18th will be a day packed with practical ways to tackle your recruitment & retention, workplace culture, and employee "soft skills" goals.
BRPC has a limited amount of funding (on a first-come, first-served basis) to cover the cost of municipal officials wishing to attend this summit - a $75 value. Please contact Laura Brennan as soon as possible to reserve your spot!
Read more here: www.berkshirecc.edu/news-events/2025/work-summit.php
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Community One Stop for Growth Portal Open
The fiscal year 2026 application portal for the Community One Stop for Growth is open. One Stop programs offer funding and support to housing and economic development projects related to activation and placemaking, planning and zoning, site preparation, construction, and infrastructure.
Applications can be accessed in the application portal; EOED will accept applications through June 4th, with awards announced in the fall.
For more information, visit www.mass.gov/onestop.
| | The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (MassEVIP) Workplace and Fleet Program will now fund level 1 and 2 (up to 36kW) charging station projects for medium- and heavy-duty vehicle fleets, in addition to light-duty fleets. You must have at least one light-, medium- or heavy-duty electric vehicle in your fleet, or on order (proof required before payment issued), to participate in the program. You can apply here: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-massevip-workplace-fleet-charging-incentives. If you have any questions, contact massevip.massdep@mass.gov | | |
Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure: Purchasing Strategies and Statewide Contracts
Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General & Operational Services Division
Learn about new legislation that provides municipalities with a path to procure EVs and install charging infrastructure in a single, combined procurement under Chapter 30B.
Webinars - Register Here
May 15, 10 - 11:30
June 17, 10 - 11:30
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Municipal ADA FY26 Improvement Grants Open May 1
Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD)
Overview of MOD's Municipal ADA Improvement Grant and tips for applying for funding to cities and towns to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.
Monday, May 19, 11 to Noon Register Here.
These grants provide reimbursement funding for:
· Updating a municipality’s ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition plans, or
· Making capital improvements that improve access or remove barriers in municipal programs, services, and facilities.
BRPC is available to assist communities with grant writing, planning, and implementation
services. Interested communities should email Community Planner Andrew McKeever or call 413-442-1521 ext. 27.
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The Massachusetts Statewide Electric Bike Incentive Program, launched by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), offers income-based vouchers—up to $1,200—to help residents purchase electric bicycles. The program will award about 3,000 vouchers total, selected monthly from April through September.
The program features two types of vouchers:
- Enhanced Voucher: Up to $1,200 for applicants with incomes below 225% of the Federal Poverty Line or participants in qualifying programs.
- Standard Voucher: Up to $800 for applicants with incomes at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Line or participants in qualifying programs.
Participants will also receive up to $150 for safety gear and a bike pump.
| | The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Sustainable Materials Recovery Program supports municipal recycling, composting/organics, re-use, source reduction, program development, and education and enforcement activities. | | The Dam and Seawall Removal or Repair Program provides financial assistance to plan and implement repairs to key infrastructure that provides storm damage protection and flood and erosion control OR to remove unneeded infrastructure to increase climate resilience or establish natural protection solutions. | | Conservation Partnership grants further protection of conservation and recreation land so that outdoor recreational opportunities are available to every Massachusetts resident. | | | | Overwhelmed? Reach out to your BFF (Berkshire Funding Focus) for help navigating grant applications! Take a look at additional grant opportunities and resources on our website: www.berkshirefundingfocus.org. | | |
Open Space and Recreation Plans Updated Guidance
The Massachusetts Division of Conservation Services has announced updated guidance for municipalities in drafting Open Space and Recreation Plans. The newly released workbook, replaces the 2008 version and has a number of changes worth noting when updating the plan.
The most significant changes include:
· A change in lifespan of the document from 7 to 10 years.
· The ability of smaller towns (less than 5,000 residents) to partner together to produce a regional OSRP submitted jointly by two or more communities. The maximum number of communities able to partner together is 5 and must total 10,000 residents or fewer.
· Additional resources for public participation.
· A new section focused on climate change and its impact on municipalities.
· Additional resources and advice on Environmental Justice communities.
· An OSRP Checklist to ensure inclusion of all required sections and elements.
· Removal or modification of many sections and chapters of the report.
In the past several years, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission has worked with several Berkshire County communities to update their Open Space and Recreation Plans, including: Becket, Cheshire, Monterey, New Marlborough, West Stockbridge, Williamstown, and Pittsfield.
Communities with recently completed plans can work with the state to extend their plans from 7 to 10 years by revising the implementation table to reflect a 10 year rather than 7-year window. Revised plans must be submitted to the State of Massachusetts by September 30, 2025.
The current status of a community’s Open Space and Recreation Plan can be found at: open-space-and-recreation-plan-status.
For information about updating a local plan through BRPC contact Senior Community Planner, Seth Jenkins. For information about state requirements, contact Melissa Cryan, Melissa.Cryan@mass.gov.
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Community Development Block Grants – Housing Rehabilitation
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) submitted two regional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) applications to the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) on April 14. These grants would help fund Housing Rehabilitation Programs in New Marlborough, Mount Washington, Otis, Hinsdale, and Florida.
The New Marlborough – Mount Washington – Otis regional grant is for a total of $1,250,000 to support a Housing Rehabilitation Program in the three towns with a goal to rehabilitate 15 homes. The Hinsdale – Florida grant is for a total of $950,000 for the same type of program with a goal to rehabilitate 11 homes. New Marlborough and Hinsdale will be the lead communities for their respective regional grants, with BRPC serving as Grant Administrator and Housing Rehabilitation Program Manager.
CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Programs assist homeowners in completing repairs and deferred maintenance on such items as roofs, windows, doors, plumbing, and electrical systems. The program serves low to moderate income households and provides 0% interest, deferred payment, and forgivable loans to cover the associated work. The towns will know if their applications are funded sometime after July 1, 2025.
BRPC has applied for and administered CDBG funds on behalf of Berkshire County communities for over 15 years. This work includes the FY 22/23 Sheffield Housing Rehabilitation Program and the FY24 Becket – Dalton Housing Rehabilitation Program. In addition, BRPC has helped communities use CDBG funds for ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Planning, Public Infrastructure planning and construction, and Social Services programming.
If your community would like to work with BRPC on future CDBG applications, please contact Brett Roberts, Senior Planner.
| | Data & Information Services | | |
Poverty Statistics
According to the latest American Community Survey data (2019-2023), the number of individuals in poverty in Berkshire County has been rising since 2020. The current rate is 11.0%. The rate for blacks, Hispanics, some other race, and two or more races is more than double the overall county rate. The highest percentages among the municipalities tend to be in the county's northern portion, but high poverty also exists in many communities in the southern portion.
This increasing trend is counter to both the state and the nation, which have seen a steady to decreasing poverty rate. The number of families in poverty in the county follows a similar pattern, with an increasing rate since 2020 and higher concentrations in the county's northern portion. For more information, check out
https://berkshirebenchmarks.org/.
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Measles
As of April 17, 2025, a total of 800 confirmed measles cases were reported by 25 jurisdictions: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. The vast majority of these cases are in unvaccinated individuals.
Please visit getvaccinatedberkshires.org for updates and information regarding measles.
Best protection is to get vaccinated. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective.
People in high risk groups such as health care workers, health science students and international travelers should have 2 doses of MMR, regardless of year of birth. Infants six months through eleven months of age should receive one dose of MMR vaccine prior to international travel.
Adults born in or after 1957 should have at least 1 dose of MMR.
If you have been exposed contact your doctor if you are not sure of your vaccination status. You can get the vaccine within 3 days (72 hours) after being exposed.
People with measles should avoid all public activities until they are well again. State regulations require anyone who catches measles to be isolated for 4 days after the rash appears. That means they stay away from public places like day care centers, school and work.
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Planning for a Bike Share Program
In our continuing efforts to improve local and regional mobility, BRPC has been evaluating the viability of a regional bike share system for Berkshire County. In our discussions with the county’s various stakeholders, including municipal and local leaders, community organizations, and businesses, we have received positive feedback and been encouraged to develop a viable program further. The intent is to launch a system that is equitable, accessible to the region’s residents, expandable, and has financial solvency to ensure long-term success.
This effort has further developed on the feasibility study produced in 2021 by Alta Planning + Design, which was commissioned by BRPC, Pittsfield, Lenox, and Great Barrington. While initial projections of a fully electric bike share system are costly to implement, BRPC has consulted with other bikes hare systems in the Commonwealth, including ValleyBike, Minuteman Bike Share, and their vendors, to learn about their experiences and discover viable grants and other cost-saving initiatives.
Currently, BRPC is considering a mix of both primarily pedal-only and electric-assisted bicycles as part of the bike share program. While BRPC is still evaluating the practicability of a bike share system here in Berkshire County, residents and organizations can reach out to Ryan Griffis with any questions or comments.
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