Archive | November, 2020

New Local Rapid Recovery Planning Program

The Commonwealth opened a new state technical assistance program to support local governments in revitalizing downtowns and commercial districts.  Called Local Rapid Recovery Planning, applications are being accepted through December 18, 2020 at 3 pm. All municipalities are eligible to apply, and non-profit entities, such as Business Improvement Districts, Main Street organizations or Community Development Corporations, are eligible to lead the planning process with local government support. For more information, go to https://edit.mass.gov/forms/local-rapid-recovery-planning-application.

COVID-19 Data and Updates

For an archive of all the emails sent by the state on re-opening, click here
For a Franklin County data dashboard from the Public Health Institute of Western MA, click here.
For the state’s COVID data page, click here.
For the latest situation reports from the MA COVID Command Center, click here.
For the COG’s COVID Municipal Resources Page click here.
For the COG’s Board of Health COVID Resources Page click here.
For local public health COVID case management contacts (public health nurses), click here. 
For the Region 1 Health and Medical Coordinating Coalition, click here.
For resources and guidance for businesses, organizations, entrepreneurs, and job seekers, click here.

Click here for testing resources

 

 

To read the FRCOG’s Municipal Leader COVID-19 updates:

COVID Winter Holiday Safety Tips

Documents:

Web Links:

New rounds of the MassDOT Shared Streets & Spaces Grant

MassDOT has announced new funding for the Shared Streets and Spaces Program to help municipalities address the challenges of winter and the ongoing public health crisis. This new phase of the Shared Streets and Spaces Program is called Shared Winter Streets and Spaces. The program provides grants from $5,000 to $300,000 for quick-build improvements to sidewalks, curbs, streets, on-street parking spaces, and off-street parking lots in support of public health, safe mobility, and renewed commerce.

MassDOT has allocated $10 million for this program. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and decisions will be made in four rounds. The deadlines for the 4 rounds are December 4th, January 5th, January 29th, and February 26th. Please note that this review schedule is different from the first, summer version of the Shared Streets and Spaces Program.

For further details about the program go to https://www.mass.gov/shared-winter-streets-and-spaces-grant-program.