Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $52 Million in Climate Resiliency Funding to Communities through the MVP Program

The Healey-Driscoll administration have announced a landmark commitment of $52.4 million in grants dedicated to advancing climate resilience across Massachusetts. This significant investment is the largest in the history of the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program. This year, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) is providing an additional $7 million to help communities impacted by devastating inland flooding in 2023.

The MVP Program combines local leadership and expertise with a significant investment of resources and funding from the state to tackle the ongoing impacts of climate change, such as inland flooding, more frequent and severe storms, rising sea levels, drought, and extreme temperatures. The MVP Action Grant will be used to carry out priority climate change adaptation measures identified through the MVP Planning process, or a similar climate change vulnerability assessment and action planning. A total of 71 projects have been awarded grants, including 62 for municipalities, seven for regional planning agencies, and two for tribes. 

MVP Accepting EOI Form Submissions

The MVP Program is now accepting Expression of Interest (EOI) forms for FY26 MVP Action Grant project ideas. The EOI is not mandatory. This process serves as a resource prior to the submission of a formal FY26 MVP Action Grant application (released Spring 2025). We strongly encourage communities, that meet this criterion, to submit an EOI this year:

• Have never applied for an MVP Action Grant
• Have not been awarded, an MVP Action Grant, in the last three (3) funding cycles (FY23-25)

PROCESS & TIMELINE

The deadline to submit an EOI form is Friday, November 1, 2024. 

The EOI form requests that applicants provide basic information about their project idea and requests for support on climate data, public engagement, etc. The EOI submissions are reviewed on a rolling basis and will be prioritized accordingly for feedback with the MVP team and a wider range of state agencies. The EOI process will proceed as follows:

1. Complete an internal review of all EOI submissions between November-December 2024.
2. Schedule feedback-calls to occur between January-March 2025 (before to the release of the FY26 MVP Action Grant).

EOIs that meet the above criteria will be prioritized for a 1:1 feedback call. All other EOI submissions may receive more limited feedback or an invitation to a group feedback call.

RESTRICTIONS

The applicant may submit a maximum of TWO Expression of Interest (EOI) forms, each of a different project idea.

Welcoming Director of Climate Analysis Daniel Engelberg

The EEA Climate team welcomes Daniel Engelberg as the new Director of Climate Analysis!

Prior to joining EEA, Daniel worked as a postdoctoral researcher on the Common SENSES, a community-based climate justice research project with communities in Roxbury and Dorchester, the City of Boston, and Northeastern University. In 2023, Daniel completed his PhD in Urban Studies and Planning, with a focus on planning in conditions of uncertainty. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys biking, birding, and experiencing the joys of young fatherhood. 

EEA Climate Team Contact and Staff Directory

NECEC Partnership of the Year Award

It was recently announced the Springfield Partners for Community Action and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs have won the Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC) Partnership of the Year award! 

The partnership between Springfield Partners and the EEA focuses on addressing energy efficiency and economic challenges through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The partnership combines the organizations’ missions in fighting poverty and protecting and enhancing environmental resources. 

The award was presented during NECEC’s 2024 Green Future Gala, celebrating the transformative power of civic engagement and its crucial role in shaping our clean energy future. NECEC leads the just, equitable, and rapid transition to a clean energy future and a diverse climate economy. The gathering consisted of over 800 climate economy champions, including influential policymakers, dedicated activists, transformative corporate leaders, and innovative startups.  

To learn more about climate action you can take in Springfield click here!

MassCEC Prepares to Launch Home Modernization Navigator in Springfield & Lowell

With funding from EEA, MassCEC is preparing to launch the Home Modernization Navigator services in Springfield and Lowell this November. The Navigator will provide customized and ongoing guidance to help residents pursue electrification, efficiency, and renewable energy projects, and navigate the complex landscape of programs and incentives. The Navigator will focus on equitable customer outreach and support, particularly for underserved groups, such as renters, low- and moderate-income residents, and environmental justice populations. Pending the outcomes of the first year of the Navigator in Springfield and Lowell, MassCEC and EEA may expand the services statewide.

Subscribe to MassCEC's Clean Energy Lives Here Newsletter for updates and to explore other ways you can reduce your carbon footprint! If you have any questions, please contact buildings@masscec.com.

The Town of Sudbury is participating in the pilot round of the new MVP 2.0 program, which provides a grant for municipalities to revisit their climate resilience priorities with a focus on equity and translate those priorities into action. Sudbury's 2.0 Core Team, comprised of municipal staff and community members, created a video for their local cable access channel to spread the word about their Climate Conversations Survey.

Through this survey, the Core Team hopes to better understand residents' concerns about the impacts of climate change on Sudbury. This is just one of the many strong examples of community engagement strategies that pilot communities are using to inform their MVP 2.0 process. 

Click here to see Sudbury's informative video!

This year’s field trip series is exploring adaptation actions and nature-based solutions in response to inland flooding. After the trip, stay for optional lunch/networking time from 12pm-1pm.

There have already been two successful field trips this year and we hope to see you at the third in North Branch Hoosic River!

FIELD TRIP #1: Easthampton exploring green infrastructure projects in a residential setting and learn about community engagement and maintenance.

FIELD TRIP #2: Devens/Ayer Exploring a variety of nature-based solutions projects, including low-impact development techniques, pocket forests, and stream daylighting, across commercial, residential, and recreational sites. Learn how municipalities can incorporate nature-based solutions into all of their planning, development, and climate resilience efforts.

FIELD TRIP #3: North Branch Hoosic River  

Oct. 21 (rain date Oct. 28), 10am-1pm: Register here

Visit the Beaver Mills Dam in North Adams, and the former Briggsville Dam in Clarksburg, to learn about dam removal benefits, including flood mitigation, stream continuity, and fish passage. Explore how watershed-scale partnerships, community engagement, and the prioritization of climate justice are all essential parts in increasing resiliency.

Events & Opportunities

• Massachusetts Office of Climate Science (OCS): The Massachusetts Office of Climate Science (OCS) is launching office hours for external (non-state) agencies/partners. You can sign up for scheduled reservations, however the office welcomes suggestions on the cadence, additional dates/times, etc. and are always reachable at climatescience@mass.gov to find an alternate date/time if needed. OCS provides expertise on statewide climate science and future projections used to inform state and local climate adaptation planning and projects. Sign up here: Outlook Bookings page. 
• ResilientCoasts Public Meetings: CZM will host two virtual ResilientCoasts Public Meetings in October. Join us to get an update on the ResilientCoasts Plan, learn about Coastal Resilience Districts, and provide input on the plan's approach. The meetings will be identical and held virtually. Register for the one that works best for you at the links below. Interpretation will be provided in the following languages: Spanish, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, and Vietnamese. If you require interpretation in a different language, please contact Deanna Moran at deanna.moran@mass.gov at least 78 hours before the meeting. Click to register for the October 9, 6:00-7:30pm or October 11, 10:00-11:30am.
• Climate Beacon: The global climate change gathering is back from October 16-18 at the UMass Club and the Boston Society of Architects. This is where corporate, municipal, institutional, and community leaders all come together with experts and practitioners to share information, get down to brass tacks, and chart paths to more sustainable, livable futures. Register here: Climate Beacon 2024 Registration (whova.com). 
• Environmental Justice Council: The EEA’s Office of Environmental Justice and Equity will be hosting an EJ Council hybrid meeting on September 26, 2024 at 6:30 PM. The EJ Council is a council to advise and provide recommendations to the Secretary of EEA on relevant policies and standards to achieve environmental justice principles. In-person Location: North Shore Community College, 300 Broad Street, Lynn, MA 01901 Register here:  Webinar Registration - Zoom (zoomgov.com). 
• Climate Adaptation Forum: Community Engagement for Climate Resilience, Climate Adaptation Forum, EBC & Sustainable Solutions Lab. For new and long-term practitioners alike to understand what skills and practices are involved and what benefits are possible when project teams and community members partner to identify problems and solutions to climate challenges. 9:30am-12:30pm on 9/27. Hybrid. Register here: Community Engagement for Climate Resilience: What is it and how do you do it well? – Climate Adaptation Forum
• Stone Living Lab: Wicked High Tides are back! These annual tides are 2-4 feet higher than normal and give us a window into how sea level rise will soon affect our daily lives. Join Stone Living Lab staff and partners at Long Wharf to learn about this natural phenomenon, try out our Climate Cart activities, and learn how climate change is affecting our communities. Waterproof shoes and a camera are highly encouraged! Register here: Events - Stone Living Lab. 
• City of Boston: Join us for the first annual Deployables Day, a citywide training exercise on temporary flood protection. Boston is among the most vulnerable cities in the country to flooding. As sea levels rise, damaging floods will shift from a rare occurrence to a common reality. September 27, 2024 | 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Register here: Deployables Day | Boston.gov 
• Barnstable Land Trust: As part of National Environmental Awareness Month this September, Barnstable Land Trust will explore climate-related topics through walks and talks including art, literature, and science programs culminating in a Rising Waters/Fish Flags temporary public art installation created by community members in Aselton Park/Hyannis Harbor on Saturday, September 21, from 1 – 3:00 pm. Working with 18 community partners, month-long highlights include story walks and upcycled crafts at various libraries, a watch party and discussion of the 2012 animated film based on Dr. Seuss’ book The Lorax, a beach clean-up, a climate change trail hike by Resilient Woods Hole, an author talk about climate conversations, and much more. A full calendar of events, resources, and more information can be found at https://blt.org/climate-conversations.
• Recharge America Massachusetts Symposium: Envisioning an Equitable EV Transition for Massachusetts. The transportation sector is Massachusetts’ largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and the day will feature panels – including members of EEA, DOER, and MassCEC – covering topics essential to the state’s transportation decarbonization plans such as infrastructure and grid impacts, the central role of diversity in building out the EV workforce, and the suite of federal and state incentive programs. Register here to join on October 9th: Recharge Massachusetts Symposium 2024 | Recharge America (recharge-america.org).
• Mass ECAN Peer Learning Program: Massachusetts Ecosystem Climate Adaptation Network is excited to announce the launch of their Peer Learning Program for a second year! This Program brings together a small cohort of climate adaptation practitioners over an 8-month period to learn from each other and foster collaboration. See the Call for Applications and apply here by October 14 to be considered.

Tools & Resources

• ResilientMass Maps and Data Center: ResilientMass was created by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to support the Commonwealth with climate change science and tools. This maps and data center features interactive applications to explore the latest statewide climate data and projections curated to support climate resilience in Massachusetts. Learn more about how Resilient Mass bolsters resilience with climate data and tools here.
• Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Climate Grant Viewer has been updated. This version has a new design and the following programmatic updates:
• Addition of the Dam and Seawall Report or Removal Program.
• MVP and CZM Coastal Habitat and Water Quality grants through FY25.
• PARC, CZM Coastal Resilience, and CZM Coastal Pollution and Remediation through FY24.
• Future enhancements will include continuous updates to keep program data current.
• 2022 Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment Data: the datasets created during the Climate Change Assessment are now available for download. These include spreadsheets and GIS layers for the Climate, Economy, Environment, Governance, Human, and Infrastructure sectors, along with general statewide datasets. See the 'Find or Browse Data by Theme' section to download this data.
• Guides for Equitable and Actionable Resilience (GEAR) Maps - originally designed to be used with and accessed through the GEAR guides for the MVP 2.0 pilot process, this interactive mapping tool is also now available on the Maps & Data Center page for use by the general public for all planning and grant application support. Visit the 'Maps and Data Gallery' section to access this tool.
• Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Metrics: Public resources that provide key information and performance indicators relevant to Massachusetts' greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plans (CECP).
• Learn about the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ (AGAR) Climate Program: This flyer was created in an effort to better connect constituents with climate-related education, programming, and resources.
• MassDEP's Guidance for Salt Marsh Restoration Techniques: New guidance document on salt marsh restoration techniques, including runnels, ditch remediation, and marsh habitat mounds. This guidance was developed in close collaboration with many state agencies and stakeholders.

Contact the EEA Climate Team

The EEA Climate Team, led by Undersecretary Katherine Antos, seeks to stem the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and prepare Massachusetts communities to be resilient to the effects of a changing climate.

For direct contact information, you can reference our team directory here: EEA Climate Team Contact and Staff Directory