On behalf of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS), and the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), we are pleased to make available funding through the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) Program to support public safety initiatives across Massachusetts.

Two funding opportunities are now open:

1. Local Law Enforcement Opportunity

• Eligibility: Massachusetts municipal police departments
• Maximum Award: Up to $40,000
• Notes: A police department must serve as the primary applicant but may subaward funds to community partners.

1. State Agency Opportunity

• Eligibility: Massachusetts state agencies with a law enforcement nexus
• Maximum Award: Up to $60,000
• Notes: A state agency must be the primary applicant but may subaward funds to community partners.

Please note: Each municipality or state agency may submit only one application for consideration.

Key Dates:

• Applicant Assistance Webinar: Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. [Register here]
• Q&A Period: May 7 – May 30, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
• Application Deadline: Friday, June 13, 2025, by 4:00 p.m.

We strongly encourage all eligible entities to apply and take advantage of this opportunity to address unmet public safety needs within their communities.

Governor Maura Healey's Advisory Latino Empowerment Council (LEAC) is organizing a statewide Spring Tour and would love to have you join.

Council members would like to discuss key accomplishments and hear concerns and suggestions facing the Latino community. Your voice and feedback will continue to advise the Healey-Driscoll Administration on recommendations to advance the interests of the Latino community in Massachusetts. 

These meetings will take place in the following cities (please see additional information in the flyers attached below):

• Tuesday, May 6- Lawrence Senior Center
• Tuesday, May 13 – Salem High School
• Thursday, May 15 – Brightwood Elementary School in Springfield
• Wednesday, May 21 – Fall River Library
• Tuesday, May 27 – Girls Inc, Worcester
• Thursday, May 29 – Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable

RSVP Link: RSVP for LEAC Statewide Spring Tour in 6 Cities

More Info: Governor's Advisory Council on Latino Empowerment | Mass.gov

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is reminding residents that, beginning May 7, the federal government is requiring anyone 18 years old or older to have a REAL ID compliant credential to board domestic flights.  Travelers without an acceptable ID may be subject to additional screening.  If you do not yet have a REAL ID, a valid passport can be used as an alternative.

Health Connect will have an upcoming webinar cohosted by MassHealth and Health Connector for Individuals and Families which will focus on Health and Dental Coverage for Massachusetts Residents Losing Employer insurance on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 @ noon. 

• On Wednesday, May 7th at 12 pm, the Health Connector and MassHealth will be presenting information about Health and Dental Coverage Options for Massachusetts Residents Losing Employer Insurance
• Register for event -  https://malink.co/webinar-050725

On behalf of the Healey-Driscoll administration, the Executive Office of Public Safety & Security, and the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), we are pleased to announce the launch of the Child Passenger Safety Education and Assistance Program.

This initiative aims to reduce child passenger injuries and fatalities by partnering with eligible organizations to ensure that low-income families are equipped with the correct car seat and that caregivers are educated on proper installation and use.

Through this program, eligible organizations may request car seats to distribute to families in need. These seats must be properly installed by a certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Technician. The program is funded by federal grants awarded to OGR by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Eligibility:

To qualify, an applicant must:

• Be a Massachusetts municipal or state agency, a not-for-profit hospital, or a 501(c)(3) organization serving children and/or families;
• Have at least one certified CPS Technician on staff who is currently performing in-person car seat checks;
• Meet all additional eligibility criteria outlined in the Solicitation of Applications.

Organizations interested in becoming certified can learn more about training opportunities to become a CPS Technician.

Key Dates:

• Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted or until August 31, 2025, whichever comes first.
• Note: Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Apply Here: Child Passenger Safety Education and Assistance Program | Mass.gov

Please Note: THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT PROVIDE CAR SEATS TO INDIVIDUALS. ONLY AN ELIGIBLE ORGANIZATION MAY SUBMIT AN APPLICATION.

Advisory: Everett

Overnight Lane Closures on Route 16 (Revere Beach Parkway) at Second Street

Overnight closures from Sunday, May 4, through Friday, May 16, from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.

EVERETT – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing it will be implementing overnight lane closures on Route 16 (Revere Beach Parkway) eastbound and westbound at Second Street. These closures will be in place Sunday night through Friday morning from 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. starting Sunday, May 4, through Friday, May 16.

The lane closures are necessary to allow Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) crews to perform water main repairs under a state highway access permit. Depending on the work location, additional traffic impacts or detours may be implemented to safely accommodate construction activity.

Appropriate signage, law enforcement details, and advanced message boards will be in place to guide drivers through the work area.

Drivers traveling through the area should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution.

All scheduled work is weather dependent and subject to change without notice.

For more information on traffic conditions, travelers are encouraged to:

• Download the Mass511 mobile app or visit www.mass511.com to view live cameras, travel times, real time traffic conditions, and project information before setting out on the road. Users can subscribe to receive text and email alerts for traffic conditions.
• Dial 511 and select a route to hear real time conditions.
• Follow @MassDOT on X (formerly known as Twitter) to receive regular updates on road and traffic conditions.

A funding opportunity through the Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (ORRF).

RIZE announced a new grant opportunity to support children and families impacted by the opioid overdose crisis from Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership (Mosaic), a unique public-private collaboration funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and administered by RIZE. Through the Family Resilience Grant program, RIZE will distribute $7.5 million over three years to community-based organizations that are building comprehensive support systems for families across Massachusetts. 

Below you will find the RIZE announcement, which includes information on the grant process, timeline, and resources available to potential grant recipients. Note that RIZE will also host a webinar on Monday, April 28, 2025 at 1:00PM at which attendees can learn more about applying for the new grant opportunity.

Background

The Legislature established both the ORRF and an Advisory Council in 2021.. These settlement agreements are intended to hold accountable several corporations that flooded Massachusetts with opioids and bring desperately needed relief to people and communities impacted by the ongoing opioid crisis.

The ORRF is administered by the Massachusetts Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Advisory Council. The Advisory Council has also committed over $5 million annually in grant funding for municipalities and community organizations providing services to people and communities affected by the overdose crisis. Following an RFR process, the Council selected RIZE Massachusetts in early 2024 to build and operate the grant program. 

The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) is changing its backend Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) vendor. As a part of this transition, there will be a planned temporary outage of EBT services, meaning that all SNAP cards will not be able to be used for a brief period of time.

On Saturday, April 26, starting at 11 p.m. until midday Sunday, April 27, EBT cardholders will not be able to use their cards for food purchases, cash purchases, or cash withdrawals.

Real-time updates will be available on DTA's website and our social media pages throughout the transition period.

This month, MassDEP is making three grant programs available to cities and towns, nonprofits, schools and colleges, businesses, and regional authorities to address solid waste and recycling issues. These programs support many solid waste and recycling areas including composting, rescue/reuse/repair, and innovative waste reduction technologies and strategies.

Program: Sustainable Materials Recovery Program Municipal Grant
Eligible Entities: Cities, towns, regional authorities

Application Opens: April 1, 2025

Application Deadline: June 2, 2025

Additional Information: MassDEP seeks grant proposals from municipal entities for the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP), which supports local recycling, composting/organics, re-use, source reduction, program development, and education and enforcement activities that increase diversion and reduce disposal.

Website: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-sustainable-materials-recovery-program-smrp-municipal-grant

Program: Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grants
Eligible Entities: Nonprofits, businesses, schools, colleges, regional authorities, cities and towns

Application Opens: April 15, 2025

Application Deadline: May 15, 2025

Additional Information: Micro-Grants range from a minimum of $3,000 to a maximum of $10,000 for projects that reduce waste by extending the life of products through donation, sharing, rescue, reuse and/or repair. These grants are not for recycling and composting projects.

Website: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/massdep-reduce-reuse-repair-micro-grant

Program: (new!) Waste Reduction Innovation Grants
Eligible Entities: Nonprofit and for profit companies

Application Opens: April 15, 2025

Application Deadline: July 15, 2025

Additional Information: MassDEP announces the first-time offering under the Waste Reduction Innovations Grant (WRIG) program for businesses, organizations, and institutions in Massachusetts that are incorporating cutting edge solutions, new waste reduction applications and innovative technologies for waste reduction, reuse and recovery strategies. WRIG will support critical materials management and infrastructure improvements, allow substantial regional reuse/recycling capacity for new and difficult to manage waste materials with greater efficiency, and increase the quality, performance, and value of recovered materials.

Website: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/waste-reduction-innovation-grant