- Massachusetts Office on Disability
The Massachusetts Office on Disability recently awarded a total of $2,924,998 directly to 44 cities and towns across the Commonwealth as part of the Municipal ADA Improvement Grant Program.
The grant program, which has been in place since 2017, gives direct funding to municipalities for city-wide accessibility planning (ADA Self-Evaluation and/or Transition Plans) or individual projects to remove architectural or communication barriers.
This year’s funded projects include a newly constructed skate park and baseball field in Salisbury, accessibility improvements at the Veterans Center in Fall River, and newly purchased accessibility signage across Attleboro.
One grant recipient shared, “As Town Manager, I have been making accessibility a major priority…This is the best holiday gift to keep [us] moving in the right direction to address accessibility issues which have not been given attention for many years.”
This year was a competitive grant cycle, with 115 applications requesting a total of approximately $11 million in funding. While resources are not limitless, MOD was able to provide a diverse array of much-needed grants, including 22 planning grants and 24 project grants.
Grant Compliance Officer Evan George shared, “I am incredibly grateful that I get to assist municipalities of all sizes, but especially smaller towns that are so often overlooked for services, and make sure they have the funding necessary to improve the quality of life of all their community members.”
Visit the Municipal ADA Improvement Grant Program page to learn more. The application submission period for the FY24 grant cycle is expected to open in August 2023.
