DESCRIPTION:THIS AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING UNDER THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT (IRA). THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FUNDING TO THE RECIPIENT, NORTHWEST REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION (NRPC). NRPC WILL WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO DIRECT RESOURCES TO ADDRESS TRANSPORTATION, HEALTH AND INEQUITY GAPS IN THE REGION. NRPC WILL COLLABORATE WITH UNITED WAY OF NORTHWEST VERMONT (UNITED WAY) AND OTHER COMMUNITY#8208;BASED PARTNERS TO ACCELERATE AND STREAMLINE EQUITABLE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE FRANKLIN GRAND ISLE BUILDING AND EXPANDING EQUITABLE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS IN NORTHWESTERN VERMONT PROJECT (BEEAT). THE BEEAT PROJECT WILL REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY DECREASING THE NUMBER OF AUTOMOBILE TRIPS, INCREASE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR POPULATIONS THAT HAVE DISPROPORTIONATE RATES OF OBESITY RELATED DISEASE, AND STRENGTHEN EXISTING PARTNERSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN AREAS THAT SERVE THESE POPULATIONS. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, THE PROJECT TEAM WILL ASSESS AND PRIORITIZE 5#8208;8 ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROPOSALS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT ON IMPROVING QUALITY AND STRENGTHENING ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE FOR DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED POPULATIONS. THE TEAM WILL PROVIDE CRITICALLY NEEDED CAPACITY AND TECHNICAL RESOURCES TO MOVE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLANS FORWARD AND PROVIDE SUPPORT AND PROGRAMMING NECESSARY TO ENSURE EQUITABLE ACCESS AND USE THAT WILL IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH OUTCOMES.ACTIVITIES:THE FIRST PHASE OF ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT TO BUILD LOCAL SUPPORT AND ALLOW FOR MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT INCLUDING SELECTING TARGET AREAS THAT WILL HAVE THE MOST IMPACT ON IMPROVING ACCESS AND OUTCOMES TO ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION FOR VULNERABLE AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES. THE SECOND PHASE WILL COMPLETE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND DEFINE PROGRAMMING TO INCREASE MOBILITY AND ACTIVE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION. THE THIRD PHASE WILL WORK WITH COMMUNITIES AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS) TO FACILITATE TAKING TRANSPORTATION PLANS TO THE NEXT PHASE OF IMPLEMENTATION. CBOS WILL INTEGRATE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION AND EQUITY INTO THEIR PROGRAMMING SERVING VULNERABLE AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED POPULATIONS IN TARGET AREAS.SUBRECIPIENT:AS THE CORE PARTNER IN THE FRANKLIN GRAND ISLE BUILDING AND EXPANDING EQUITABLE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS IN NORTHWESTERN VERMONT PROJECT (BEEAT), THE UNITED WAY OF NORTHWEST VERMONT (UNITED WAY) HAS COMMITTED TO (1.) SERVE AS THE FISCAL SPONSOR FOR COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS SELECTED AS PART OF THE PROJECT, (2.) PARTICIPATE IN PROJECT PRIORITIZATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES WITH NRPC, WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON AMPLIFYING VOICES OF DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, AND (3.) COORDINATE WITH NRPC AND COMMUNITY PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO SUSTAIN AND EXPAND ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAMMING. OUTCOMES:THE ANTICIPATED DELIVERABLES INCLUDE PROMOTING EQUITABLE AND INCREASED ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, ENGAGING COMMUNITIES IN INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING, REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, AND IMPROVING COMMUNITY HEALTH FOR THE FRANKLIN GRAND ISLE BUILDING AND EXPANDING EQUITABLE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION NETWORKS IN NORTHWESTERN VERMONT PROJECT (BEEAT). TO ENGAGE COMMUNITIES IN INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING, THE NORTHWEST REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION (NRPC) AND THE UNITED WAY OF NORTHWEST VERMONT (UNITED WAY) WILL FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS (CBOS) TO POSITIVELY IMPACT HEALTH OUTCOMES OF VULNERABLE AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES IN TARGET AREAS. CBOS ALONG WITH VULNERABLE AND DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES WILL BE ENGAGED AND INVOLVED IN DEFINING SOLUTIONS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. MUNICIPALITIES WILL BE RECEIVE SUPPORT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COMPLETE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING WITH TECHNICAL RESOURCES, NRPC SUPPORT, AND CONSULTANT SERVICES. COMMUNITY HEALTH WILL BE