Carbondale graduates from Blueprint Communities initiative

Blueprint Communities Carbondale team members at opening ceremony in Harrisburg on April 29, 2024

Valley In Motion is proud of its support to the City of Carbondale as it graduated from Pennsylvania’s Blueprint Communities initiative in a ceremony in Harrisburg on November 12, 2025. This community revitalization program sponsored by Federal Home Loan Bank Pittsburgh strengthened local leadership, accelerated neighborhood investment, and helped Carbondale create long-term, people-centered change. This initiative provided Carbondale a momentum boost toward a brighter, more resilient future.

What Is the Blueprint Communities Initiative?

Blueprint Communities is a proven, collaborative approach that helps towns and cities:

• Develop stronger leadership teams

• Build capacity among local development partners

• Create clear, actionable community plans

• Coordinate targeted public and private investments

• Strengthen relationships among residents, organizations, and regional partners

By bringing these elements together, the initiative provides communities with tools and support to move from vision to action — ensuring that good ideas don’t just stay on paper but turn into meaningful improvements.

Why This Matters for Carbondale

Carbondale is a community rich with history, talent, and untapped potential. Over the past several years, local residents and organizations have worked hard to define shared priorities and goals for the city’s future. Much of this collective vision was captured in the Carbondale Heart & Soul Report, drafted by Valley In Motion after years of community conversations and input.

Blueprint Communities provided Carbondale the structure and support needed to bring many of those recommendations to life, including creating six murals in its downtown in 2025 that memorialized values agreed upon by residents in its Heart & Soul process.

Working Together for Community-Led Change

One of the strongest aspects of the Blueprint Communities model is its emphasis on collaboration. The initiative brought together:

• Local government

• Community groups

• Business leaders

• Nonprofits

• Residents

By empowering these partners to plan and act together, Carbondale pursued several projects that reflected the community’s voice and priorities, including:

• Better walkability

• Stronger physical and visible connection to the Lackawanna River

• Business incubator

• Improved housing options downtown

• Neighborhood and downtown revitalization

Valley In Motion was honored to be part of this effort and will continue to support Carbondale as they implement their Blueprints plan.