Thriving Communities Program

Laying the Groundwork for an Equitable, Connected Community

The Thriving Communities Program is a national initiative led by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). It was created to help historically under-invested communities build the planning and technical capacity needed to access future federal infrastructure investments. Through a two-year technical assistance grant, the program supports 64 communities across the country by focusing on:

  • Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD)
  • Infrastructure readiness and capital investment strategy
  • Cross-sector collaboration
  • Long-term, place-based economic development

The program helps communities identify barriers, align planning processes, and design data-informed solutions that promote equity, sustainability, and opportunity. It also encourages participation from residents and local leaders to ensure that future infrastructure reflects community priorities.

Local Implementation

Pottstown, PA

Residents, nonprofits, and civic partners are encouraged to participate in the Thriving Communities Program.

Lead Partner

The Pottstown Regional Community Foundation (PRCF) serves as the local coordinating agency for the Thriving Communities Program in the greater Pottstown area. PRCF leads this work through cross-sector partnerships with local government, nonprofit organizations, housing experts, transportation planners, and residents.

Geographic Scope

The program focuses on the Borough of Pottstown and nearby municipalities within PRCF’s ten-mile service radius in western Montgomery, northern Chester, and eastern Berks Counties.

Purpose

The Thriving Communities Program is designed to address long-standing disparities in housing, transportation, and economic opportunity. Pottstown’s plan is grounded in Equitable Transit-Oriented Development, a strategy that connects people to services, jobs, and resources by integrating transit access, affordable housing, and inclusive economic growth.

Why It’s Needed

Pottstown is a diverse, post-industrial community with deep civic roots. Despite its strengths, residents face significant structural barriers:

  • Nearly 30 percent of the population identifies as Black or Latino
  • Median household income in the study area is just $35,000, compared to $99,000 in Montgomery County
  • Homeownership in the study area is 30.8 percent, far below the county rate of 71.7 percent
  • Poverty in the study area is 27 percent, compared to 6.6 percent countywide

These disparities reflect decades of disinvestment, limited mobility options, and exclusion from regional growth. The 2023 Pottstown Community Survey, conducted across six underserved census block groups, confirmed the need for focused investment in housing, economic development, and infrastructure.

Median Household Income

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All Block Groups

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All of Pottstown

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Montgomery County

Core Focus Areas

The Pottstown Thriving Communities Program advances five interdependent goals:

Equitable Transit-Oriented Development

Advance infrastructure that connects residents to jobs, services, and opportunity through walkable, transit-accessible design. Position the region for future rail restoration and improved multimodal mobility.

Housing and Environmental Justice

Promote development strategies that increase affordable housing and address environmental conditions affecting health and equity. Prioritize sustainability and neighborhood resilience in revitalization efforts.

Economic Revitalization and Local Business

Encourage small business development and reinvestment in downtown corridors and underutilized commercial spaces. Build a more resilient local economy and support long-term job creation.

Community Voice and Resident Engagement

Embed resident priorities into planning through inclusive engagement and collaboration. Ensure solutions are relevant, equitable, and grounded in lived experience.

Data-Driven Planning and Regional Alignment

Use local data and multi-municipal coordination to guide investment decisions. Focus resources where they can drive the greatest measurable impact.

Learning from Other Communities

Pottstown’s approach is informed by peer cities that have implemented successful ETOD strategies under similar conditions.

Fredericksburg, Texas

Focus: Rail Restoration and Walkable Redevelopment

A $45 million investment to reinstate passenger rail sparked downtown revitalization through mixed-use zoning and pedestrian infrastructure.

  • Public engagement shaped station design and land-use priorities
  • Equity goals guided business incentives and community benefits
  • Small business growth and housing access were central to the strategy

Northfield, Minnesota

Focus: Cultural District and Green Infrastructure

A $30 million public investment revitalized the River Arts District with trails, cultural spaces, and affordable housing.

  • Walkability improvements connected underserved neighborhoods to opportunity
  • Public-private coordination preserved affordability while spurring growth
  • The project balanced environmental planning with long-term economic sustainability

Applying the Lessons to Pottstown

  • Public participation leads to better planning outcomes
  • Transit access can transform neighborhood economies
  • Redevelopment must center affordability, identity, and inclusion

The Thriving Communities Program gives Pottstown the tools to plan effectively and the framework to ensure that revitalization benefits every resident.

  • Take the ETOD community survey
  • Attend local planning forums
  • Support the effort through charitable giving
  • Partner with us to shape implementation

Welcome to Your Community Foundation

Please have patience with our website, it is still under construction from our transition to our new name. If you have any questions, please reach out to Samuel Mirarchi, Marketing & Communications Specialist at smirarchi@pottstownfoundation.org. Thank you