This spring, the Massachusetts State Legislature will be deciding how to spend quite a lot of extra funds: $2.5 billion dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act and an estimated $4.5 billion in surplus revenues. This is a once-in-a-generation amount of funds that can do a lot of good for cash-strapped cities and towns.
With climate change-driven extreme weather becoming an increasing reality, Massachusetts has a single grant program focused on local climate preparedness: the Municipal Vulnerability and Preparedness (MVP) program. It is an incredibly flexible grant program gives communities money to tackle the climate-related risks they think are most important -- from sprinkler parks to keep kids cool, to fixing culverts to keep roads from blowing out, to expanding wetlands to manage flooding.
The challenge is that there hasn't been nearly enough money to go around -- only $10 to $20 million per year for the whole state. This is where you can help:
Please contact your state representative and state senator and ask them to include $100 million for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program in next year's budget.
Your email or call should include two messages:
First, the request above for $100 million for the MVP program.
Second, think of a simple local reason why it matters to your town -- it could be flooding, or the need for places for people to stay cool, or how public services are at risk from big storms.
Here's a map of all the good work already done using MVP grants if you need inspiration.
Thank you in advance! We will only get this funding when our elected officials hear from their constituents that this funding matters to your community. Your phone call or email will really make a difference!
Here's a sample call script or email you can use!
Hi. My name is ___ and I’m a constituent. I heard that the legislature is deciding how to spend the American Rescue Plan Act money and I’d like to give my opinion.
[pause for them to respond]
I would like to see at least $100 million included for the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program in next year’s budget. The MVP program is important to my town, (Town Name), because ___. Thank you very much!
