Community One Stop for Growth offers office hours, webinars

Staff and program managers from Community One Stop for Growth are holding virtual office hours during March and April covering general One Stop information as well as specific grants within the One Stop program.

A series of prerecorded webinars covering the One Stop technology system and individual grant programs is also available.

Community One Stop for Growth is a portal that provides access for municipalities and organizations to 14 state economic development grant programs. Applicants are able to work on their fiscal 2027 applications in the portal.

Programs in Community One Stop offer direct funding and support to housing and economic development projects related to placemaking, planning and zoning, site preparation, building construction, and infrastructure.

The portal offers a streamlined process for communities, organizations, and developers to access a range of economic development grants and technical assistance across multiple agencies. One Stop grant programs are administered by the Executive Office of Economic Development, the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, and the quasi-public MassDevelopment agency.

Municipalities and organizations wishing to apply for funding through Community One Stop may begin by participating in an optional Expression of Interest process that runs through June 3. During this time, applicants may receive guidance on priority projects from Executive Office of Economic Development staff before submitting a full application.

The EOED will accept full application submissions from May 4 through June 3, with awards announced in October and contracting expected to begin in November.

Grant programs accessible through Community One Stop include:
• MassWorks Infrastructure Program
• Massachusetts Downtown Initiative
• Vacant Storefront Program
• Rural Development Fund
• Housing Choice Grant Program
• Community Planning Grant Program
• HousingWorks Infrastructure Program
• Underutilized Properties Program
• Site Readiness Program
• Brownfields Redevelopment Fund
• Real Estate Services Technical Assistance
• TDI Equity Investment Program

This year, Community One Stop is adding two existing state economic development programs to the portal: the Seaport Economic Council Grant Program and the MBTA Communities Catalyst Fund.

The Seaport Economic Council Grant Program provides capital funds to coastal communities for community planning and investment to stimulate economic development, advance maritime technology development and innovation, and to construct, enhance and protect coastal assets.

The MBTA Communities Catalyst Fund supports activities related to horizontal infrastructure associated with housing.

Since its launch in 2021, Community One Stop has given nearly 1,500 awards totaling more than $744 million in grants to 306 communities, including $227 million to Gateway Cities and $179 million to rural and small towns.

For more information and application details, visit www.mass.gov/onestop.