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Berkshire Economic Recovery Project |
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Economic Recovery and Resilience Resources
for Berkshire County Municipalities
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Berkshire Economic Recovery Project - Technical Assistance Program |
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Register Now: SEPTEMBER 28th - CYBERSECURITY
A free online workshop will address cybersecurity concerns and solutions for municipalities on September 28th at 10am. Space is limited and participation includes up to two hours of one-on-one consultation specific to your community with the presenter, Renatus Solutions, following completion of workshop and feedback forms.
Space is limited, please use this link to register:
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Community Compact Cabinet FY22 Programs |
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Community Compact
IT Grant Program
MA Division of Local Services
Applications open on September 15th
The IT program focuses on innovation and transformation at the local level, seeking efficiency, savings, and improved access.
Grants up to $200,000 will support the implementation of innovative IT projects by funding one-time capital needs such as technology infrastructure or software. Incidental costs for planning, design, installation, implementation and initial training are also eligible. Answers to frequently asked questions are available here.
Applications open on September 15th and close on October 15th, 2021. To preview instructions and components of the application, click here.
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Community Compact
Best Practices Program
MA Division of Local Services
Rolling Applications opened August 15th
Under a Community Compact Best Practices agreement, a municipality implements at least one best practice they select from a variety of eligible areas.
Applications for Year 7 of the program can be submitted by municipalities who did not apply in FY21. Every Berkshire County municipality is eligible this year. Passcodes were emailed on August 9th.
To view instructions and apply, please click here. Note that typical awards fall in the $15,000 to $20,000 range, and do NOT require a local match. Sample past projects are available here. For assistance in estimating a project budget, please contact us as soon as possible.
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In addition to the Best Practices and IT programs described above, FY22 CCC programs also include:
The E&R program supports regionalization and other efficiency initiatives, directed toward one-time or transition costs in projects with a plan for long-term sustainability. Applications open on January 10 and close on February 10, 2022. Project must be complete by September 15, 2022.
The Municipal Fiber program was created to assist municipalities with the construction of municipal fiber broadband infrastructure and related projects. Applications open on March 15 and close on April 15, 2022.
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The Economic Development Administration (EDA) has announced a portfolio of ARPA-funded grant opportunities, representing $3 billion in pending investment.
Of particular interest in Berkshire County:
Good Jobs Challenge ($500 million) to develop and strengthen regional workforce training systems and sector-based partnerships.
Economic Adjustment Assistance ($500 million) to help communities across the nation plan, build, innovate, and put people back to work through projects tailored to local needs.
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Contact us as soon as possible if you're interested in applying, or in being a part of a regional application. Please email us with your potential project(s). Learn more at: https://eda.gov/arpa/
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Online Communication Best Practices |
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Critical Event Management Tools |
Many Berkshire County communities make use of CodeRED from OnSolve to deliver geo-targeted, urgent messages to their residents. This is an opt-in service easily linked to from your website's homepage. In addition to messages issued by municipal leadership, residents can subscribe to automated weather alerts received directly from the National Weather Service. Watch a preview:
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Berkshire Regional Planning Commission
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