Massachusetts Recovery Update

Week of August 10, 2009

The Massachusetts Recovery Update is a periodic email update of recovery-related news in the Commonwealth. If you find this information useful, please forward it to others and encourage them to subscribe or follow our updates via Twitter, RSS, or http://Mass.Gov/Recovery.

Opportunities for Individuals: Find a Job using JobQuest

Employers who create jobs using Recovery funding must post those job announcements to the Commonwealth's JobQuest system. A wide range of stimulus-related positions--ranging from career counselors to communication specialists are available. This system is constantly updated, so residents should check back for new opportunities.

Opportunities For Businesses: Search for Contracts

For the most up to date ARRA business opportunities , head to Comm-PASS, the Commonwealth's sole online procurement record site which supports all bid and grant records related to any ARRA funds distributed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Comm-PASS is available for use free of charge and provides you with the ability to search for a variety of contracts by either category or department.

Opportunities for Municipalities: Police & Fire

$71 million of Federal Recovery funds will help ensure police and firefighters are retained during these challenging financial times for cities and towns. Additionally, cities and towns should apply by August 21 for a share of $26 million in ARRA grants to retain firefighters and police.

Additional Resources: ARRA Information for Cities and Towns

General Program Updates

Technology: Mass. Applies for Broadband Grants

photo: Workers
The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) submitted proposals this week for a total of $105 million in federal stimulus funding including $100 million for broadband infrastructure in western Massachusetts and $5 million for statewide broadband mapping. The proposed fiber-optic infrastructure project would build upon the recently announced $4.3 million, 55-mile segment of MBI fiber being deployed along the Interstate 91 corridor and create job, educational, and business opportunities in the western region of Commonwealth.

All federal broadband stimulus funding will be awarded based upon a competitive review and scoring process of grant applications from across the nation. Two additional federal broadband stimulus grant funding rounds will be held in 2010. The MBI expects to learn about its round one federal award funding for broadband in November 2009. View a map of the project and communities and learn more >>

Labor & Workforce: 10,000 Summer Jobs for Youth

Governor Patrick speaks with teens that are part of the summer jobs project
Thanks to an innovative combination of state and federal recovery funds, more kids than ever will have a chance to work, earn and learn this summer. Currently, over 10,000 youth are at work in the Commonwealth through summer jobs funded in part by ARRA.
Learn more...


Housing: $40 million in Community Development Block Grants

Sixty-five Massachusetts cities and towns will receive regular CDBG program funding from the Department of Housing and Community Development. With the addition of recovery funds, nine of those communities, and an additional 10 towns, will also receive support for projects that were not successful in getting funded in FY 2008. According to DHCD Undersecretary Tina Brooks, "We are delighted that many good projects, including a number of public housing capital improvement proposals, that weren't accepted in 2008 can now move forward thanks to the use of these federal recovery funds."

Contact Us

For the latest recovery news and updates:

As always, please feel free to visit our website or contact the stimulus office at 617-979-8380 if you have any questions.