What Types of Work Does MRPDC Do for Its Member Communities?

The Mount Rogers Planning District Commission (MRPDC) provides technical assistance to its member localities in four broad areas: planning and transportation, community and housing development, public management and administration, and cartography. It also coordinates regional disaster recovery and resilience projects. This work is aimed at local governments rather than individual residents, so it is most relevant if you are a town, county, or city official, a regional partner, or an organization working on a community project in the region.

Planning and Transportation

MRPDC's planning work covers land use, growth management, and transportation planning for the region. Under its "Our Work" section, the commission lists Planning and Transportation as distinct service areas. In practice, this means helping member localities think through how and where development should occur, and how transportation needs connect to that growth.

The commission frames its overall purpose as promoting "the orderly and efficient development of the economic, physical, and social elements of our region." If your locality needs a plan, a study, or technical input on a transportation question, this is the service line to start with.

Community and Housing Development

Two related service areas appear under "Our Work": Community Development and Housing Development. These cover the commission's assistance with community improvement efforts and housing-related initiatives in the region.

The site also notes that MRPDC helps member localities "plan for growth, connect people to opportunity, and make the most of every regional dollar" — language that points to grant alignment and resource coordination as part of this work.

Public Management, Administration, and Cartography

MRPDC describes its technical assistance as spanning "public management and administration, and cartography." This is the less visible but often most practical support: administrative capacity for local governments and mapping services.

Cartography is worth noting separately. Mapping support can serve planning, infrastructure inventory, and project documentation — and it connects directly to the disaster work described below, where documenting damage and identifying project sites depends on accurate geographic information.

Disaster Recovery and Resilience Initiatives

MRPDC is partnering with state agencies on Disaster Recovery and Resilience Initiatives to identify and develop projects addressing unmet disaster recovery needs across the region. The stated focus areas are:

• Bridge and culvert repairs
• Streambank stabilization
• Environmental protection measures
• Site restoration
• Disaster debris removal

In this role, MRPDC works with local governments and communities to identify eligible projects, document damages, and pursue available funding for long-term recovery and resilience.

Virginia Disaster Assistance Fund

The site also highlights the Virginia Disaster Assistance Fund (VDAF), administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) in partnership with MRPDC. According to the site, this is a $50 million state program providing financial relief to Virginians whose homes, businesses, farms, or community infrastructure were destroyed or heavily damaged by natural disaster. MRPDC directs interested parties to program information and staff who can assist with applications.

How to Decide If This Applies to You

Use this quick check:

If you are an individual homeowner or business owner seeking disaster relief, the VDAF program page is the appropriate entry point rather than the commission's planning services. If you represent a member locality or a community organization, the "Our Work" and "Contact Us" sections of mrpdc.org are where to begin.