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Frenchtown wins $70,000 grant for age‑friendly planning; board to survey residents and seek volunteers
Summary
The borough received a $70,000 State Department of Human Services grant to run a roughly 13‑month age-friendly planning process with community surveys, Rutgers technical assistance and an AARP network affiliation; board members volunteered for outreach and quick-win actions.
The Frenchtown Planning Board discussed details of a new $70,000 award to support an age‑friendly planning process focused on seniors’ needs, community engagement and small, immediate interventions.
A committee member reported the borough “is being awarded a $70,000 grant” from the State Department of Human Services to fund a roughly 13‑month planning effort, ending in mid‑2026, that will include community surveys, listening sessions and technical assistance from Rutgers and the AARP network.
Planned activities include a community survey and targeted listening sessions at local events, demographic analysis to compensate for lagging federal census data, and best-practice research to produce a set of recommendations for municipal and non-profit action. The board discussed quick wins (for example, carve-outs for medically necessary ramps or generators) that could be advanced while the larger plan proceeds.
Members emphasized keeping the committee balanced — with planning-board members, council representatives and public volunteers — and suggested tapping local volunteer expertise and existing resources (faith groups, foundations) rather than waiting for all consultant funding to be in place.
Next steps: staff will prepare an RFP scope of services for a consultant once the award letter is finalized and the purchasing agent has boilerplate documents; several members volunteered to assist with survey outreach and early tasks.
