Assessment
As we experience more extreme weather events, climate adaptation and resilience is imperative. Over the past year, natural hazards increased and intensified by climate change continued to impact communities across the Commonwealth. 2025 saw a number of hazards including prolonged droughts, summer heat waves, and coastal and inland flooding. During the June 23-25 heatwave, over 40 locations in Massachusetts saw daily record high temperatures,2 with Boston experiencing its hottest June temperature ever recorded. On July 10, 2025, eastern MA experienced heavy rainfall and flash flooding, with some areas seeing 200-year precipitation (statistically seen once in 200 years or with 0.5% chance of occurrence in any given year). The state has made progress implementing several initiatives and priority actions to address storms, floods, extreme heat, and other climate impacts.
Major new ResilientMass initiatives are underway, such as the Department of Conservation and Recreation's (DCR's) Project Shade to mitigate extreme heat impacts, the ResilientCoasts Strategy to help prevent damages to coastal properties, the Office of Climate Science’s efforts to develop the first Massachusetts Climate Science Report, and the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) wetland, forest, and floodplain restoration projects that mitigate flooding, drought, and extreme heat impacts while protecting biodiversity. To address housing and climate priorities together, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities provided climate resilience funding to seven additional state-aided housing developments. Through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program, EEA has supported nearly all cities and towns and three Tribes in planning and implementing on-the-ground projects that enhance community readiness and local engagement. In 2025, the number of communities with MVP 2.0 plans that engage priority populations and center equity in resilience planning doubled and Tribal governments gained greater access to funding.
| Metric | Submetric | 2023 Report Value | 2024 Report Value | 2025 Report Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount of federal and state resilience funding | State resilience-related funding per fiscal year (for sector-specific information, reference the ResilientMass Metrics Dashboard) | >$90 million in FY24 | >$155 million in FY25 | ~$155 million in FY26 |
| Federal funding through American Rescue Plan Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law / Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and other federal funding sources to support resilience-related projects and programs, awarded | >$224.5 million from FY19-23 | $90.7 million in FY241 | $94.9 million in FY252 | |
| Amount of capital funds for MBTA projects with resilience benefits | Dollars of capital funds for MBTA projects with resilience benefits over the next 5 years | New in 2024 | >$1.8 billion to 135 projects in FY2025-2029 | $2.2 billion to 139 projects in FY2026-2030 |
| Number of communities with updated MVP 2.0 or Hazard Mitigation Plans (HMPs) | Cumulative number of municipalities and tribes with updated or in-progress MVP 2.0 plans | 33 municipalities (10%) and 1 Tribe | 33 municipalities (10%) and 1 Tribe | 66 (20%) and 1 Tribe |
| Number of communities with FEMA approved hazard mitigation plans by the end of the fiscal year | 211 (60%) | 196 (56%) | 207 (59%) | |
| Number of 2023 ResilientMass Plan actions in progress, in development, or complete | 98 actions (69% of total) in progress/development | 130 actions (90% of total)
| 145 actions (85%)
| |
| Percent of state-aided housing developments identified as highly vulnerable to multiple climate hazards that have received climate resilience funding | Percent of state-aided housing developments that are highly vulnerable to multiple climate hazards that have received climate resilience funding through Office of Housing and Livable Communities | New in 2024 | 13% (23 of 180) | 17% (30 of 180)
|
| Percent of MVP and Coastal Resilience grants that are regional/joint | New in 2025 | New in 2025 | 21% for FY25 | |
| Number of resilience projects conducted in collaboration with Tribal Nations and Tribally serving (Native serving) organizations | State-supported climate resilience projects led, planned, and/or implemented by or in collaboration with Tribal Nations and Tribally serving (Native serving) organizations annually | New in 2025 | New in 2025 | 31 projects (cumulative) |
| Percent of population with public outdoor recreation opportunities for cooling within half mile of home | Percent of population living within half mile of Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) pools, splashpads, swimming areas, or publicly accessible conservation-based open space | New in 2024 | 69.1% of total population
| 69.7% of total population ` |
| Percentage of EJ/priority populations living within half mile of DCR pools, splashpads, swimming areas, or publicly accessible conservation-based open space | New in 2025 | New in 2025 | 61.9 % of residents in EJ neighborhoods | |
| Acres of drinking water supply watersheds protected through state programs | Cumulative acres of land protected under DCR Division of Water Supply Protection control (active and emergency systems; includes reservoirs) and Division of Conservation Services Drinking Water Supply Protection Grant Program | New in 2024 | 138,338 acres | 142,714 acres4 |
Primary Challenges
- The withdrawal of key federal funds for local resilience efforts such as the FEMA BRIC program has left many communities without the resources they need to implement large-scale and regional adaptation projects. Many of these critically important projects are priced at $20M or more, and that funding gap cannot be filled with existing state or local resources.
- The loss of access to critical federal climate data such as the National Climate Assessments and the National Oceanic and Atmsopherice Agency's (NOAA’s) climate.gov6 has made it increasingly challenging for communities to advance projects that mitigate the impacts of natural hazards.
- As municipalities move from climate resilience planning to action, demand for state grant funding far exceeds available resources. For example, in 2025, the MVP program funded $29M of $110M (26%) requested.
How we are meeting the moment
In June 2025, Governor Healey filed the Mass Ready Act to help communities build resilience through investments in infrastructure, clean water, and land protection. The bill will streamline permitting, expand resources for MVP, ResilientCoasts, and ResilientMass, and create new financing tools like a Resilience Revolving Loan Fund, to support municipalities in funding larger scale resilience projects. This year, Massachusetts also launched initiatives to simplify permitting, coordination, and funding for resilience projects. EEA launched the Environment and Climate (ECO) One Stop, a joint application for seven climate resilience grant programs that will open in January 2026 to simplify access to funding and reduce administrative burdens for municipalities. The MVP program, in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, launched the Climate Resilience Playbook, an interactive online tool offering step-by-step guidance to help local planners identify, prioritize, and implement resilience actions tailored for their communities. The ResilientCoasts Strategy was launched to define new coastal resilience districts that improve regional planning for sea level rise and storms. A cross-government effort has also begun to incorporate climate resilience measures into the next edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code and resilience considerations into existing infrastructure design standards. Throughout 2025, EEA also held monthly meetings with its Community Climate Advisory Council, a collective of local and regional stakeholders from across the state helping the agency integrate community voices into its work. Finally, EEA is now using ResilientMass Metrics to set clear, measurable goals, track progress across sectors, identify gaps in community resilience, and direct resources where they are needed most.