Through the Urban Agenda Grant Program, the Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) funds projects or programs that build leadership, collaboration, and capacity within Massachusetts cities and towns. Successful applications come from a group of local organizations working together in a single city, town, or neighborhood
Program Information
The Urban Agenda Grant program is no longer accessed through the Community One Stop. Please be advised that EOED plans to publish a new RFP for projects seeking community-based program funding later this Spring. Please check this page for updates in March 2025.
The Executive Office of Economic Development 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. Urban Agenda is focused on supporting economic vitality and cultivating stronger urban neighborhoods across the entire Commonwealth.
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.
Lead applicants can be either Massachusetts municipal governments or nonprofit organizations. The lead applicant manages the grant funds and is responsible for grant reporting on behalf of the coalition.
The lead applicant must show that they are working as part of an active collaboration – that is, that they have at least one partner in the community (and preferably several) all working together on the project. Ideally, these coalitions will include partners from the private and public sectors as well as community groups. Active and collaborative coalitions that receive support from this program are deeper and broader than a mere referral or financial relationship between partners.