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What's New

Agency announces new round of Connecting Communities funds

AMATS announces that a second round of funding is available to Greater Akron area communities through its Connecting Communities Planning Grant Program.

The agency’s program awards funds for the study of potential improvements that promote livability such as bicycle, pedestrian and transit-oriented projects.  The program had a successful inaugural year, according to AMATS Mobility Planner Heather Davis Reidl.

Last December, the agency provided two $50,000 grants to the city of Akron and METRO of Summit County for their Downtown Akron Connectivity Study and to the Village of Richfield for its Crossroad of Commerce & Community Study.  (Both studies are underway and additional information about these efforts are available by clicking here.)

“We received 17 applications from project sponsors last year.  Awarding the grants wasn’t easy because some of the proposals were really innovative.  We’re eager to see what this year’s round of applicants will propose,” Davis Reidl says.

AMATS wants to build on the program’s momentum as it enters its second year and will again award two $50,000 grants.

“We want to encourage walking and biking by investing in healthy, safe and walk-able neighborhoods in all areas – rural, urban and suburban.  If a community has an idea to make its downtown more accessible by foot or wants to connect a neighborhood to a bike trail, we want to help,” Davis Reidl explains.

Key dates for communities interested in applying for these funds are:

  • Sept. 1 – AMATS will begin accepting applications.  Application forms will be available on this date.
  • Oct. 14 – This is the deadline to submit completed applications to the agency.

A 10-member task force of area leaders will review and score project applications and issue recommendations to the AMATS Policy Committee.  The committee is expected to announce grant recipients during its December meeting.