• Massachusetts communities can use bond money over a period of up to ten years to cover the cost of aerial photographs being used for preparing assessors maps (see MGL Ch 44, sect 7(18)). This source of funding could be used, at least in part, to cover the costs of developing orthophotos for a geographic information system.


• The Office of Geographic and Environmental Information (MassGIS) in the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs provides grants to subsidize the cost of creating digital parcel files. The first grant round was in the spring of 2001. Announcement of the second grant round is expected to be late in 2002. Additional rounds are expected in the future. Each round of the grant program is announced on the MassGIS web site and publicized through regional planning agencies, relevant professional associations, and e-mail list serves.
   

• The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has a loan and grant program to assist communities with water pollution control projects. For information on the 604(b) Water Quality Management Grant Program and the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (no interest loans) go to http://www.state.ma.us/dep/brp/mf/mfpubs.htm.
• Then click on link titled "Grant Programs and Additional Information."
• On the page that appears, scroll down to the downloadable document:
• "Grant and Loan Programs: Opportunities for Watershed Protection, Planning and Implementation"

• The Open Data Consortium web site distributes a useful document called "10 Ways to Support GIS".  The document includes some useful examples from around the country of how GIS projects have brought in revenue.
  

Last Updated 10/31/2000
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