Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
A Request for Response for the Public Health Excellence Grant Program for Shared Services was reopened on May 26. The RFR and other materials can be found online.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Office of Local and Regional Health seeks proposals from qualified vendors to support public health cross-jurisdictional, shared-service arrangements. The DPH received new funding in fiscal 2021 for grants to advance the recommendations of the Special Commission on Local and Regional Public Health in its final report of June 2019: “Blueprint for Public Health Excellence: Recommendations for Improved Effectiveness and Efficiency of Local Public Health Protections.”
As noted in the Blueprint, Massachusetts and national evidence supports cross-jurisdictional sharing as a means to improve effectiveness and efficiency. In working together, municipalities are better able to meet statutory requirements, respond to public health emergencies, and plan public health improvements.
The Public Health Excellence Grant Program is designed to address the commission’s recommendations for improved effectiveness and efficiency of local and regional public health by expanding opportunities for sharing of public health services.
Only municipalities, federally recognized tribes, or regional planning agencies/regional government councils representing local boards of health are eligible to receive these grant funds. Applicants may submit proposals that fall into one of the following three categories:
1. To expand shared services arrangements to include more municipalities
2. To expand shared services arrangements to provide a more comprehensive and equitable set of public health services and/or sustainable business model
3. To support new cross-jurisdictional sharing arrangements
The Office of Local and Regional Health anticipates awarding approximately five contracts with an annualized amount of up to $300,000 each. These contracts are in addition to the 29 contracts awarded in April 2021.
Applications must be submitted by June 29 at noon via email.
The application form is available online. Details on how to submit are included in the RFR at the same link.