The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs is accepting proposals through April 26 at 4 p.m. for Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program Action Grants for fiscal 2025.

To be eligible, projects must use climate data and projections to implement priority climate adaptation actions. Projects using nature-based solutions and community engagement efforts, as well as those that help to advance equity in the community, are preferred.

Applicants may request up to $3 million in funding for projects in one municipality, while regional proposals may request up to $5 million.

For fiscal 2024, 112 MVP Program applications were submitted, requesting $47 million for projects across Massachusetts, and 79 projects were funded, for a total of $28.5 million, with an average grant size of approximately $360,000.

The MVP program has received 196 expressions of interest — the most ever — for the upcoming round. The program expects to have approximately $37 million in funding available.

Changes for FY25
For the fiscal 2025 round of action grants, the required match has been reduced from 25% to just 10% of the total project cost. MVP-eligible tribes are no longer required to provide a match for the fiscal 2025 round.

The program has also changed match procedures to account for increased needs related to inland flooding and to take advantage of an additional $7 million in program funding from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Climate Trust. Municipalities that are listed on the new Attachment M and are pursuing inland flooding-focused, nature-based resilience projects will not need to provide a match for those projects if they properly fill out the new attachment. Eligible communities pursuing these projects can make a request to receive a portion of grant funding up-front. Such decisions will be based on demonstrated need.

Resources and details
Additional information is available on the MVP Program website. A recent webinar and accompanying presentation are also available. Information on the request for responses can also be found on COMMBUYS.

Proposals must be submitted by 4 p.m. on April 26. Awards are expected to be announced in August, with projects starting as soon as September and ending by June 30, 2025, or June 30, 2026.

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