From: blog.mass.gov

Local officials in city and town governments interact with the Commonwealth every day on a variety of matters – from accessing resources to understanding obligations and regulations. Sometimes, local officials know which persons, programs or agencies to contact at the state level to access the desired services or information.  However, the state’s previous system which detailed subsidy information was not stored in one place.  This made it difficult for officials to locate which funding support or resources for which they are eligible.

To address this challenge, the Commonwealth has unveiled its Municipal Grant Finder. This one-stop-shop web portal provides local officials with a centralized place where they can learn about grant funding resources, regardless of which state agency manages the grant program.  Secretary of Administration and Finance Glen Shor explained that, “Through the new Municipal Grant Finder, the Patrick Administration is continuing its commitment to provide resources to help our municipal partners deliver core services to their communities.”

To use the Municipal Grant Finder, a local official simply selects the appropriate category (such as Community Development or Education) and is presented with a list of available resources. The user can then see detailed information about the available funding and how to apply. Local officials no longer need to know which of the Commonwealth’s state agencies manage a specific grant program.

For example, with a few clicks, the tool can help a local official identify potential funding sources for:

• Training to enhance local public safety responses to complex emergencies
• Rehabbing abandoned and vacant property in a community
• Reducingazardous household waste in the general waste disposal stream
• Supporting residents as they transition from renting to buying a first time home
• Renovations to a local library
• Converting an old railway line to a scenic recreation trail

The tool also includes a “Contact Us” link on each page to allow users to suggest additional resources which might be added to the grant index, and to give feedback on the tool.

The Commonwealth will continue to enhance the Municipal Grant Finder to help local officials with what they do best: provide services to residents and businesses which help make the Commonwealth’s cities and towns great places to live, work and play.

The municipal grant finder is available at mass.gov/municipalgrants.