skip to Main Content
Unpaved road cutting through a field in Leyden MA with trees and mountains and in the distance.

Unpaved Roads Technical Assistance

The expansive network of rural unpaved roads (also referred to as dirt or gravel roads) throughout Franklin County is particularly vulnerable to the effects of changing precipitation patterns, flooding, and…

Amtrak train pulling up to the Greenfield station.

Western Massachusetts Passenger Rail Commission

A Commission to study potential operation, governance and maintenance of expanded passenger rail in central and western Massachusetts was created by the Legislature in 2022.  The FRCOG has a seat…

Large blue house on a corner lot.

Housing Planning

Investment in new and existing housing is a critical need in rural towns, where a mismatch exists between current housing stock and current needs. A lack of housing production, old…

Aerial view of a river with a bridge spanning over it

Climate Resilient Rivers & Watersheds

Untreated, unmanaged stormwater, along with shifts in river pathways due to natural or human causes, are all part of a complex set of stressors impacting our rivers and their watersheds.…

covid-129 virus in front of chart line

COVID-19 Data

Up-to-date COVID-19 data can be found via the following links: Massachusetts Data (via Mass.gov) Cumulative reports on Massachusetts COVID-19 cases, testing, and hospitalizations. Additional reports include nursing facility data, cases…

visit mass.gov/inhomecovidtreatments for eligibility for treatment at home

COVID-19 Treatment

Free treatments for COVID-19 are available. They can help prevent hospitalization and reduce your chance for severe disease. Treatment is available for those who test positive for COVID-19 and have any…

museum on main street display kiosks

Museum on Main Street

The Smithsonian Museum on Main Street, in partnership with Mass Humanities, are sponsoring a travelling exhibit “Crossroads: Changes in Rural America” through 2023. Launched in 1994, Museum on Main Street…

Rural Schools Report Cover - shows image of an empty student desk.

MA Special Commission on Rural School Districts

The report of the Commission on the Fiscal Health of Rural School Districts, “A Sustainable Future for Rural Schools” comprehensively documents how regional differences have translated into students in rural…

logo for Massachusetts Rural Policy Advisory Commission

Rural Policy Advisory Commission

The FRCOG plays a leadership role in the MA Rural Policy Advisory Commission (RPAC). The RPAC was created by the legislature in 2015, and is governed under M.G.L. Chapter 23A:…

Back To Top