Berkshire Regional Planning Commission will provide technical assistance and subcontractor oversight for the completion of the FY21 Town of Adams Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership grant to undertake conceptual planning for a Forestry Center at Greylock Glen.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission will provide technical assistance and subcontractor oversight for the completion of the Town of Adams Mohawk Trail Woodlands Partnership grant to undertake conceptual planning for climate change education to take place at the future Outdoor Center at Greylock Glen. Though this project, Memoranda of Understanding will be drafted for use in delivering services to a range of audiences, an Educational Plan will be created to establish climate change programming before and after Outdoor Center construction, and initial Outdoor Center exhibition concepts and content will be developed.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, in partnership with project partner 1Berkshire, will respond to economic injury to the region as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, through regional resiliency planning, recovery project support, economic indicator tracking, technical assistance and capacity building for businesses and municipalities, and workforce and industry support.

This project will facilitate the development of Berkshire County's 2023-2027 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy. The work will include and updated SWOT analysis for the region, revisions to past goals and strategies, consideration of priority projects, analysis of economic trends and conditions, as well as the identification of metrics to measure progress, resulting in a clear articulation and prioritizing of economic goals in our region.

This project will raise awareness of the Berkshires, with a focus on three key themes of downtown shopping and dining, outdoor recreation, and Cultural Districts. The multifaceted campaign will capture visitation information across many partner sites, as well as on Berkshires.org, and re-target those visitors with a broader Berkshire message, ultimately encouraging them to travel to, and spend time and crucial dollars in, our region.

BRPC staff will assist 1Berkshire with administration of the Best Foot Forward Façade Improvement Grant Program, focused on supporting façade improvement for businesses within downtown commercial districts of Berkshire County communities.

The Berkshire County COVID-19 Adaptation Fund provided grants to small for- and non-profit businesses in Berkshire County to address fixed debt, payroll, accounts payable, documented lost sales, other working capital expenses that could have been recognized had the COVID-19 pandemic not occurred. The fund also considered applications from established non-profit organizations to support programs aimed at supporting individuals and groups of individual’s impact economically by COVID-19.

The goal of the Fridge Filler program is to provide fresh, healthy, locally sourced food products to frontline workers in a convenient, safe manner through pre-packaged bags of food products including fruits, vegetables, breads, and prepared foods such as soups and salad in approximately 25 servings per week, most of which is sourced from local purveyors.

BRPC will assemble a body of information that can be used as the foundation for future phased-in, asset-based economic development planning in Cheshire, MA.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) is provided services of a Senior Planner to improve long-term fiscal sustainability through economic development activities in the Town of Lenox, specifically through tasks pertaining to the implementation of the recently designated Lenox Cultural District.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) provided the services of an Economic Development planner to assist the Town of Richmond to advance economic development activities in the town.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, in collaboration with Adams, North Adams, Williamstown, Cheshire, and other northern Berkshire communities, will design and implement an indoor educational exhibit highlighting regional climate change impacts, forest-focused solutions, and the value of land conservation for people and wildlife.

The Town of Lenox requested assistance in preparing an application for designation of a Cultural District within their downtown. The application was submitted to the Mass Cultural Council (MCC) during FY19.

The LRRP program will provide technical assistance to the communities of Adams, Great Barrington, North Adams, and Williamstown to help them develop plans tailored to the unique economic challenges and immediate COVID-19 impacts that have affected downtowns, town centers, and commercial areas. Plans will be action oriented and will include short, medium, and long-term recovery strategies, offering communities and stakeholders a concise roadmap for project-related investments. Each plan will include a thorough analysis and exploration of COVID-19 related challenges and barriers and conclude with a set of well-defined projects and strategies to address recovery needs.

The LRRP Subject Matter Expert program will provide technical assistance on an as-needed basis to communities and Plan Facilitators working on rapid recovery planning in Massachusetts through the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).

To create a Municipal Digital Equity Plan for the town of Dalton through a multi-pronged process involving municipal coordination, situational analysis of existing conditions, community outreach and engagement, exploration of future funding opportunities, and recommendation development leading to a final report and plan.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission was selected by the City of Pittsfield to lead a Digital Equity Planning process that includes a comprehensive existing conditions analysis; expanded community/stakeholder engagement related to digital literacy, devices, connectivity, affordability, and digital equity; strategic recommendations to meet the needs and goals of residents experiencing impacts of the digital divide; and an assessment of existing or future funding available through sources such as the American Rescue Plan Act ("ARPA") and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ("IIJA").

BRPC will work with the City of North Adams to create a simplified system for existing and new businesses to access the information and guidance they need to operate in the city.

BRPC will complete a GIS-based map that provides thorough information on outdoor recreation locations across the Berkshires, linking them to nearby amenities and commercial districts.

BRPC, through BTI, is providing assistance to Mill Town in convening outdoor recreation forums and continue ongoing planning and research related to outdoor recreation.

BRPC has been selected to provide services to support MBI’s stakeholder engagement process for Digital Equity Act (“DEA”) and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (“BEAD”) statewide planning efforts as well as future implementation activities under these programs. Working with local organizations that serve specific target populations, BRPC will plan and execute focus groups with members of one or more of the Target Populations for the purpose of gathering key information, input, and lived experiences from these populations.

The Berkshire County Small Business Recovery Fund will provide small for-profit businesses in Berkshire County with emergency assistance in adherence with the parameters set forth by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office: addressing fixed debt, payroll, accounts payable, lost sales, lost opportunities, and other working capital expenses that could have been recognized had the COVID-19 pandemic not occurred. The focus of this fund will be on fixed costs that cannot be avoided despite the applicants inability to operate as they did prior to regulations pertaining to non-essential business functions.

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission will provide program coordination, linkage, and affiliation for the Baystate Alliance for Digital Equity to support MBI's Digital Equity Partnerships Program. BRPC's work will involve conducting interviews with key informants and convening stakeholder leaders to learn about regional challenges, needs, gaps, and strategies to address digital equity programming needs for eligible populations. In our advisement capacity, BRPC will help identify three regional partners (North, Central, South) to serve as Digital Navigators in their sub-regions and offer guidance to those entities as they seek to increase digital access, adoption, and affordability.

To increase enrollment in the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program and conduct regional asset mapping activities in alignment with the Statewide Digital Equity Plan development.