What you need to know

• The Expanded Gaming Act created the Community Mitigation Fund to help entities offset impact costs related to the construction and operation of a gaming establishment.
• The Community Mitigation Fund may be used to compensate for impact costs related to both Category 1 full casino facilities (MGM Springfield and Encore Boston Harbor) and the state’s Category 2 slots-only facility (Plainridge Park Casino).

About the 2022 Community Mitigation Fund

The Massachusetts Legislature legalized casino gaming to produce broad-based economic development, including jobs and revenue. The Legislature also established an equally important mandate to mitigate unintended impacts associated with the arrival of casino gaming. To that end, the law created the Community Mitigation Fund to support communities and governmental entities in offsetting impact costs related to the construction and operation of gaming facilities.

Since 2015, the MGC has issued approximately $28 million in funding to advance needs in transportation, community planning, workforce development and public safety for municipalities and government entities located in the vicinity of the casinos.

2022 Community Mitigation Fund Applications

Specific Impact Grant Applications

• City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts & Culture 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application
• City of Everett Fire Department 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application
• City of Everett Police Department 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application
• City of Springfield Fire Department 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application
• City of Springfield Police Department 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application
• City of Springfield Office of Community Development 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application
• Hampden County Sheriff’s Department 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application
• Town of Mansfield Police Department 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application
• Town of Plainville Police Department 2022 Specific Impact Grant Application

Public Safety Impact Grant Applications

• City of Boston Police Department 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• City of Everett Fire Department 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• City of Malden 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• City of Medford 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• Hampden District Attorney’s Office 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• Southeastern MA Regional 911 District 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• Town of Foxborough Police Department 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• Town of Longmeadow 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• Town of Plainville Police Department 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• Town of Saugus 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application
• Town of West Springfield 2022 Public Safety Impact Grant Application

Transportation Planning Grant Applications

• City of Boston 2022 Transportation Planning Grant Application
• City of Chelsea 2022 Transportation Planning Grant Application
• City of Everett & Boston 2022 Transportation Planning Grant Application
• City of Malden 2022 MBTA Transportation Planning Grant Application
• City of Malden 2022 Traffic Signal Inventory Transportation Planning Grant Application
• City of Medford 2022 Transportation Planning Grant Application

Transportation Construction Grant Applications

• City of Everett 2022 Transportation Construction Grant Application
• City of Medford 2022 Additional Bluebikes Stations Transportation Construction Grant Application
• City of Medford 2022 Haines Square Transportation Construction Grant Application
• City of Springfield 2022 Court Square Transportation Construction Grant Application
• City of Springfield 2022 DPW Transportation Construction Grant Application
• Town of Agawam 2022 Transportation Construction Grant Application
• Town of West Springfield 2022 Transportation Construction Grant Application

Workforce Development Programs Applications

• Holyoke Community College 2022 Workforce Development Programs Application
• MassHire Metro North & City of Boston 2022 Workforce Development Programs Joint Application

Community Planning Grant Applications

• City of Everett 2022 Community Planning Grant Application
• Town of Foxborough 2022 Community Planning Grant Application
• City of Lynn 2022 Community Planning Grant Application
• City of Malden 2022 Community Planning Grant Application
• City of Medford 2022 Community Planning Grant Application
• City of Northampton 2022 Community Planning Grant Application
• City of Revere 2022 Community Planning Grant Application
• City of Springfield 2022 Community Planning Grant Application

About the Funds

Reserves have expired as of 12/31/21

Communities have until December 31, 2021 to have funding committed to a project. Any funding not committed to a project by that time will be rolled back into the CMF and allocated equally between the Regions.

Specific Impact Grants

The 2022 Specific Impact Grant may be used only to mitigate operational related impacts that are being experienced or were experienced from the gaming facilities by the January 31, 2022 application date. MGC has placed a limit for the 2022 Specific Impact Grant of $500,000, subject to request for waiver.

Public Safety Impact Grants

Public Safety applications are now under their own category. Communities may submit for public safety operational costs, which also may include specific training related to gaming facility issues. To receive a public safety grant an applicant has to demonstrate three specific things (1) that the grant addresses an issue caused by the casino, (2) the impact is not addressed in the host or surrounding community agreement and (3) the funding will supplement and not supplant historical operational funding.

Incentive for Regional Cooperation

MGC established incentive funding for applications involving more than one community. These joint applications must specifically show the interrelationship of the communities in their endeavor.

Transportation Planning Grants

The 2022 CMF authorizes communities to apply for Transportation Planning Grants. MGC approved a target of $200,000 per grant (plus potentially a regional incentive).

Transportation Construction Grants

In 2022 MGC will continue grant funding for transportation construction costs. MGC has established a maximum contribution from the CMF of 1/3 of the total construction costs up to a maximum grant amount of $1,500,000. However, MGC has retained the ability to increase this award amount and other award amounts if funds are available.

Workforce Development Programs in Region A and Region B

MGC will make $500,000 in funding available for workforce development programs. One in each Regions A and B.

Community Planning Grants

MGC will make funding available for certain planning and technical assistance activities through Community Planning Grants. These grants may be used to achieve further benefits from a gaming facility or to avoid or minimize adverse impacts. The maximum

grant amount for 2022 is $100,000. In the event that a Community Planning Grant involves more than one community for the same planning project, applicants would be eligible for a Regional Planning Incentive Award.

Tribal Gaming Technical Assistance

MGC is making technical assistance funding available to assist in the determination of potential impacts that may be experienced by communities in geographic proximity to the potential Tribal Gaming facility in Taunton. This funding will only be made available if it is determined by the MGC that construction of the gaming facility will likely commence prior to or during Fiscal Year 2022.

Emergency Mitigation Grants

This category of grants is for significant impacts that may be identified outside of the normal CMF application process. Any impact must be newly identified and be of an emergency nature that would cause significant harm to the community if it were not remedied in an expeditious fashion. The intent of this grant is to allow MGC to be more responsive in addressing significant casino-related issues that do not fall within the normal CMF timelines.

2022 Community Mitigation Fund Guidelines and Instructions

The application period for the 2022 Community Mitigation Fund is now closed , and applications were due by January 31, 2022.

• Chair Cathy Judd Stein 2022 Community Mitigation Fund Letter
• Appendix A – 2022 Community Mitigation Fund Guidelines
• Appendix B – Instructions for Filing Grants

The following application forms are meant for reference only. Applications must be submitted via COMMBUYS (BD-22-1068-1068C-1068L-64803), per the instructions. If you have any questions or concerns contact the COMMBUYS Help Desk at COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or during normal business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET Monday – Friday) at 1-888-627-8283 or 617-720-3197. 

Applications must be sent to www.commbuys.com. 

• Appendix C – Specific Impact Application 
• Appendix D – Transportation Application
• Appendix E – Workforce Development Pilot Program Application
• Appendix F – Community Planning Application
• Appendix G – Tribal Gaming Technical Assistance Application
• Appendix H – Transportation Construction Application
• Appendix I – Public Safety Impact Application