Programs
InvestNH Municipal Planning & Zoning Grants
Are zoning regulations getting in the way of achieving your community’s vision for itself over the next five, ten, twenty-plus years? As part of Governor Sununu’s $100 million InvestNH initiative, $7.9 million has been allocated to provide grants to municipalities to analyze and update their land use regulations to help increase housing development opportunities. The NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs contracted with New Hampshire Housing to administer this program.
For more information on this program, visit NHHOPgrants.org.
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Note: The first round of funding for the InvestNH Municipal Planning and Zoning Grants Program has been fully obligated. A second round of funding for additional Housing Opportunity Planning (HOP) Grants was approved by Governor and Executive Council in March 2024. For more information, register for an info session below. (Updated 6/5/24)
Illustrations Courtesy of Barnstead, NH Charrette
Read More About Program Outcomes
What type of grants were made available through this program?
Funding through the InvestNH Municipal Planning & Zoning Grant Program was aimed at increasing housing opportunities across the state of New Hampshire by funding local municipalities to work on one or more of the items outlined below alongside a consultant from a list of pre-approved qualified consultants which can be found on NHHOPgrants.org.
- Relevant Master Plan Updates
- Housing Needs Assessments
- Land Use Regulatory Audit
- Regulatory Development
Which communities were awarded through this program?
Over 80 communities across the state benefited from the InvestNH Municipal Planning & Zoning Grant Program. A list of all grantees can be found on NHHOPgrants.org.
What type of grants are available through this program?
1) COMMUNITY HOUSING NAVIGATOR GRANTS are for municipalities to hire local staff who will coordinate regulatory change to help increase housing development. Navigator awards were made in October 2022. Grant applications for the Navigator program are no longer being accepted 2.
2) HOUSING OPPORTUNITY PLANNING (HOP) GRANTS are for municipalities to hire consultants to work on one or more of the three phases of regulatory change outlined below. Municipalities may hire consultants using a competitive process or they may choose a consultant from a list of pre-approved qualified consultants, which will include their regional planning commission.
- Phase 1: Needs Analysis and Planning Grants
- $25,000 grant maximum for this phase.
- The application deadline for Phase 1 was January 27, 2023.
- Phase 2: Regulatory Audit Grants
- $50,000 grant maximum for this phase.
- The applications deadline for Phase 2 was June 30, 2023.
- Phase 3: Regulatory Development Grants
- $100,000 grant maximum for this phase.
- While the application deadline for Phase 3 was planned for November 15, 2023, program funding has been fully obligated and receipt and review of new grant applications has been suspended as of August 16, 2023.
General Program Information
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The InvestNH Municipal Planning & Zoning Grants Program is partnership between New Hampshire Housing, Plan NH, and UNH Cooperative Extension. Housing Opportunity Planning Grants are intended to support meaningful community engagement and the hiring of planning consultants for the purposes of needs analyses, regulatory audits, and regulatory development. For more information on these grants, visit nhhopgrants.com.
For information on other InvestNH programs, visit invest603.com.
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Please note: The previously administered MTAG Program is currently on hold while the program partners focus on the InvestNH Municipal Planning & Zoning Grants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions about the program and application. Email a brief description of the project along with any questions you might have to tiffany@plannh.org. Or, feel free to call us at 603-452-7526.
No. MTAG funds are specifically for technical assistance in reviewing, re-writing or creating zoning regulations or ordinances related to housing. You may want to do this in support of/to meet the goals of your existing/current housing chapter.
No. Grant funds may only be used to pay for approved expenses incurred after the MTAG award date. Grant funds cannot be used to offset expenses incurred prior to the grant award.
Yes, as long as the grant will be administered by a single municipality. Note that no matter the number of municipalities within one application, the funding limits ($5,000 – $25,000) are per application.
Contact the MTAG Administrator at Plan NH as soon as possible.
No. We will work with you and your consultant to figure out a timeline that makes sense for your project and your community. We recognize on occasion an extension may be needed for a project. Communicate any shift in project timeframe through your monthly reports.
