PITTSFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito joined state and local officials in Pittsfield Wednesday, to announce $100 million in grant awards, made through the Community One Stop for the Growth application portal.
This application portal was made to support local economic development projects in communities across the state. This event will be awarded funding from 12 state grant programs, for local economic development projects in more than 150 communities.
One Stop for Growth programs include:
- MassWorks Infrastructure Program – $100 million awarded to 63 projects
- Underutilized Properties Program – $21,683,685 awarded to 49 projects
- Rural and Small Town Development Fund – $4,958,995 awarded to 25 projects
- Housing Choice Community Grants – $3,913,384 awarded to 36 projects
- Site Readiness Program – $2,856,150 awarded to 12 projects
- Urban Agenda – $2,654,370 awarded to 31 projects
- Brownfields Redevelopment Fund – $2,612,740 awarded to 13 projects
- Community Planning Grants – $2,386,800 awarded to 40 projects
- Collaborative Workspace Program – $1,197,000 awarded to 39 projects
- Commonwealth Places – $385,663 awarded to 12 projects
- Massachusetts Downtown Initiative – $350,000 awarded to 14 projects
- Real Estate Services Technical Assistance – $250,000 awarded to 7 projects
The full list of grants can be found here.
Pittsfield is receiving more than $3.6 million in awards through the One Stop process, including:
- $3 million MassWorks award to the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority to convert 16.5 blighted acres of a former GE transformer property into greenspace, roadways, utility corridors, and stormwater management.
- $525,000 Underutilized Properties Program award to Allegrone Companies to restore the nationally listed Wright Building.
- $55,122 Urban Agenda award to Blackshires Community Empowerment Foundation Corp., a cohort-based leadership program for Black community members in Pittsfield.
- $15,000 Collaborative Workspace Program award to Berkshire Innovation Center to fund a feasibility study to expand the organization’s coworking environment.
- $15,000 Collaborative Workspace Program award to Berkshire Black Economic Council for feasibility work needed to create a collaborative workspace for underserved Black-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs in Berkshire County.
“When we pulled in, Governor Baker said, ‘Is that the parcel over there, it’s a mess?’ I said I know, but not anymore,” said Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyler. The city has a vision of revamping the 16-acre site, which was a former GE transformer property, into a parcel made up of greenways, roadways, utility corridors and storm water management.
“Since taking office, we have been proud to make significant investments in helping our cities, towns and local partners achieve their economic development goals through a range of grant programs and legislation aimed at advancing the diverse needs of municipalities across the state,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The projects awarded funding today build upon that work and will create jobs, build housing, revitalize spaces and empower communities in every region of the Commonwealth.”
“Our administration has made partnering with cities and towns and fostering relationships with local leaders a priority, and through the One Stop we’ve been able to streamline their process of applying for grant programs while making the Commonwealth an active partner in local economic development strategy,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “From small towns to Gateway Cities, the programs in One Stop, like MassWorks, are delivering funding to meet the unique needs and priorities of our individual communities.”
“From project inception to getting shovels in the ground, the One Stop is delivering resources from multiple state programs to support economic development initiatives in our communities at every stage,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “I appreciate the hard work of our teams at the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Department of Housing and Community Development, and MassDevelopment, who engaged with communities to identify projects in 169 cities and towns that will have a meaningful impact on local economic growth.”
“The One Stop’s single application portal and collaborative review process helps us ensure we take a wide-angle lens in directing funding to communities of all sizes and across all regions,” said Undersecretary of Community Development Ashley Stolba. “This round we were proud to fund about 60-70% of all applications that were submitted in a region, and every region received more awards and more funding than last year.”
“Congratulations to all of the cities and towns who have received One-Stop Awards this year, we are thrilled to support a variety of excellent local projects across the Commonwealth to promote new housing development, downtown revitalization, and other important economic development efforts,” said Housing and Community Development Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox. “The One-Stop Application Process provides communities an opportunity to access multiple state resources at once, and we are excited to see cities and towns leverage these high-impact programs to spur new growth and economic activity.”
“The awards announced today represent an investment that will reverberate in communities across Massachusetts for years to come,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Dan Rivera. “MassDevelopment is grateful to the Baker-Polito Administration for its continued support of these programs, which help communities revitalize vacant sites, build mixed-use facilities, stimulate local and regional economies, and help municipalities plan for the future.”
“MassWorks grants are an important driver for economic development throughout the Commonwealth. I’d like to acknowledge how critical this funding will be for the many worthwhile projects awarded this round and hope that we can fund more in the future to ensure our economic vitality at the local and state level.” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka.
“As Speaker, I’m always proud of the meaningful impact that the Legislature’s economic development appropriations have on the communities that we serve,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano. “It’s our responsibility as elected officials to make investments that will spur the development of new housing and improve critical infrastructure, all while creating jobs in the process. I’m thrilled that Quincy, Weymouth, and Holbrook are receiving state support, and I look forward to seeing these ever-important local projects come to life.”
About the One Stop
The Community One Stop for Growth is a single application portal and collaborative review process of community development grant programs that make targeted investments based on a Development Continuum. This process streamlines the experience for the applicant and better coordinates economic development programs and staff on engagement and grant making. It also reorients the State from a passive reviewer of funding requests to an active partner in economic development strategy, priorities, and investment.
The One Stop benefits communities in the following ways, as they pursue state funding to realize their housing and economic development goals:
- Ability to be considered for more than one grant program simultaneously, saving time on research and applications to different agencies and programs.
- Guidance and State partnerships, allowing applicants to receive key feedback before completing a full application, and allowing the State to holistically and directly engage with local leadership.
- Direct referrals to additional programs that applicants otherwise may not realize could support their priorities.
- Removal of redundant legacy program processes and questions to streamline the application experience
- A broader view of community priorities, allowing the state to understand community vision beyond four corners of a single, discrete application.
- Collaborative review, allowing for State funding coordination and enhanced State awareness and support for community development goals.
For the FY 2023 Round, twelve (12) programs will be administered through the Community One Stop for Growth – one application door to access programs offered by the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Department of Housing and Community Development, and MassDevelopment.
