Massachusetts Recovery Update

Week of September 7, 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.

Find a Job

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.

Comm-Pass

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: Weatherization Assistance

The Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) will use $122 million of ARRA funds to provide eligible households with full-scale home energy conservation services. The program is administered by a network of local agencies. Households apply for assistance directly, as part of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). An average grant of $5,500 in weatherization funds is awarded for each home for installed energy efficiency measures. Households (including homeowners and tenants) may also be eligible for a variety of utility funded energy efficiency programs that vary by utility service area. Learn More > >

Additional Resources: ARRA Information for Cities and Towns

General Program Updates

Environment: Replanting Trees in Worcester

Photo: Asian longhorned beetle
The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) will use $4.5 million in stimulus funding to hire 20 additional employees to help repair the damage done by the Asian longhorned beetle in the Worcester area. The Massachusetts grant is the 4th-largest award announced nationally by Secretary Vilsack as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's forest health protection projects. "Fighting the Asian longhorned beetle has cost Worcester and neighboring communities thousands of trees," said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. "With these federal funds, we will begin to restore the shade and natural beauty that comes from tree-lined streets and yards." Learn More >>

Research: Massachusetts Biomedical Research Benefits from Stimulus

As reported in the Boston Globe, Massachusetts researchers are receiving more ARRA-funded National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant money than all states but California. The NIH has launched a reporting website--still under development--to show project level details of these direct grant programs.

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.