The Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED) recognizes that urban centers face unique economic and quality of life challenges, and that the path to success lies in tapping into the unique local assets that they already possess, rather than in one-size-fits-all directives from government. The Urban Agenda grant program offers funding, on a competitive basis, to local partnerships to implement projects that are based on creative collaborative work models with the goal of advancing and achieving economic progress.
Program Information
The Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED) is pleased to announce the availability of funds for the FY2024 round.
The Urban Agenda Grant Program is part of the Community One Stop for Growth, a single application portal and collaborative review process of community and economic development grant programs that make targeted investments based on a Development Continuum. Access to this program is now exclusively available through the One Stop. Learn more about the One Stop.
The program is designed to support community economic development that is grounded in collaboration and local leadership development. Generally, applicants should base their project proposal on locally significant economic opportunities. The key is that the project be in direct response to a need or opportunity that the community group has identified and deemed important.
The primary funding priorities of the program, based on the development continuum outlined in the Community One Stop for Growth, will be Community Activation and Placemaking, specifically action grants focused on implementing a community development program. Project categories include 1) Entrepreneurship, Small Business Development and Technical Assistance, 2) Workforce Development, Training Initiatives, and Job Pipelines, 3) Supporting Access to Opportunity (providing services to support workers e.g., childcare, housing stabilization, reentry services), and 4) Community Organizing and Leadership Development.
Municipal governments or nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts cities and towns proposing to create or expand a community-based coalition and/or to develop/implement a coalition-based project are eligible to apply. In all cases, the application must be led by the municipality in partnership with a main community organization, either of which can act as the lead applicant. Priority will be given to projects located in urban communities with median household income that is less than 90% of state average.
Finally, EOHED will continue to give special consideration to projects that align with the recommendations outlined in the 2018 reports issued by the Governor’s Black Advisory and Latino Advisory Commissions.
For reference and access to the Commissions’ reports:
How to Apply / Key Dates
Information on how to apply to the Urban Agenda Program can be found at mass.gov/onestop.
For Specific Program Rules see the Guidelines:
Application Deadline: June 2, 2023 @ 11:59PM