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Municipal ADA Improvement Grant Cycle Opens August 1

Grant timeline and information

The FY24 Municipal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Improvement Grant Program application opens August 1, 2023 at 9 AM and closes September 15, 2023 at 5 PM. Any Massachusetts city or town (hereinafter referred to as “Applicants”) is eligible to apply. All grants must be submitted using the online application portal.

These grants support capital improvements specifically dedicated to:

• improving programmatic access,
• removing barriers encountered by persons with disabilities in Applicant facilities,
• or both of the above

Types of grants

There are two grant types available:

1. Project Grants of up to $250,000 will be awarded to successful Applicants to remove barriers and create and improve accessible features and programmatic access for persons with disabilities throughout the Commonwealth.
2. Planning Grants of up to $250,000 will be awarded to assist Applicants in creating or updating a Self-Evaluation or Transition Plan required under Title II of the ADA.

Examples of project grants include: addition of ramps, elevators, power lifts and Limited Use/Limited Application (LULAs), signage, communication access devices, curb cuts and/or any other features that are designed to improve architectural access or programmatic access. 

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to projects that demonstrate real and tangible positive impacts to persons with disabilities. 

Tips: How to increase your application score

1. Contact qualified consultants: Applicants should contact qualified consultants for an RFP prior to or shortly after applying. This will help to outline total project or planning cost and help the Application and Selection Committee select a diverse and wide pool of awardees.
2. Enter the Community Compact Cabinet (CCC) Best Practice Program and select the Public Accessibility Best Practice option: Applicants who are current members of the CCC program and selected the Public Accessibility Best Practice option (related to the development of a Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan) will receive additional points to their initial application score.
3. If applying for a Project Grant, link it to a specific area of concern: Project grant applicants that link their projects to specific areas of concern outlined in their Transition Plans will receive additional points to their initial application score.
4. Read about the grant and changes from previous years: Before applying, read through the Municipal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Improvement Grant Program webpage carefully. Some sections of the grant application have been amended from previous years. For example, applicants are no longer required to pledge matching funds as part of their applications.

Thank you for your interest in improving access for persons with disabilities. We look forward to working with you. 

Please share this with your department heads.

If you have questions after reviewing the information page, please reach out to the Grant Compliance Coordinator Evan George at [email protected] or at 857-248-7924.