
What you need to know
- The Expanded Gaming Act created the Community Mitigation Fund to help entities offset costs related to the construction and operation of a gaming establishment.
- The application period for the 2019 Community Mitigation Fund is now closed, and awards were voted upon by the Commission in a public meeting on July 18.
- The Community Mitigation Fund may be used to offset 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 2019 Community Mitigation Fund
Since its inception, the Commission has worked to help the Commonwealth realize the benefits of expanded gaming. These benefits include the thousands of expected jobs for Massachusetts residents in the areas of construction, hospitality and tourism, and the generation of millions of dollars in new revenue for the Commonwealth and its cities and towns. The Commission has also worked to help the Commonwealth avoid or minimize potential negative impacts associated with the arrival of expanded gaming. As part of the effort to help offset impacts that may result from the development and operation of gaming facilities in the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Legislature created the Community Mitigation Fund (“CMF”) as part of the Expanded Gaming Act.
The Commission looks forward to an ongoing dialogue with communities and other interested parties regarding the use of these funds in the future.
To read the full guidelines for the 2019 Community Mitigation Fund, click here.
For more information on the 2019 Community Mitigation Fund, click here.
2019 Community Mitigation Fund Applications
Transit Project of Regional Significance Grant Applications
- Cities of Everett and Somerville 2019 Transit Project of Regional Significance Application
- Pioneer Valley Transit Authority 2019 Transit Project of Regional Significance
Specific Impact Grant Applications
- City of Everett 2019 Specific Impact Grant Application
- City of Lynn 2019 Specific Impact Grant Application
- City of Springfield – Focus Springfield 2019 Specific Impact Grant Application
- City of Springfield – Springfield Police Department 2019 Specific Impact Grant Application
- Hampden County District Attorney’s Office 2019 Specific Impact Grant Application
- Hampden County Sheriff’s Office 2019 Specific Impact Grant Application
Transportation Planning Grant Applications
- Cities of Everett and Somerville 2019 Transportation Planning Grant Application
- Cities of Revere and Saugus 2019 Transportation Planning Grant Application
- City of Boston 2019 Transportation Planning Grant Application
- City of Lynn 2019 Transportation Planning Grant Application
- City of Medford 2019 Transportation Planning Grant Application
- Town of West Springfield 2019 Transportation Planning Grant Application
Workforce Development Pilot Program Grant Applications
- City of Boston 2019 Workforce Development Pilot Program Application – Boston Pipeline Initiative
- Holyoke Community College 2019 Workforce Development Pilot Program Application
- MassHire MetroNorth Employment Board 2019 Workforce Development Pilot Program Application
Non-Transportation Planning Grant Applications
- Cities of Chelsea and Everett 2019 Non-Transportation Planning Grant Application
- Cities of Chicopee and Springfield 2019 Non-Transportation Planning Grant Application
- City of Northampton 2019 Non-Transportation Planning Grant Application
- City of Revere 2019 Non-Transportation Planning Grant Application
- Town of Saugus 2019 Non-Transportation Planning Grant Application
- Towns of Foxborough, Plainville, and Wrentham 2019 Non-Transportation Planning Grant Application
Reserve Planning Grant – Tribal Gaming Technical Assistance Applications
About the Funds
Transit Project(s) of Regional Significance Grant – New
The Commission will consider funding no more than one project that offers significant transit benefits in each Category 1 region and one project related to the Category 2 facility. Any CMF assistance provided would only be for a percentage of the costs of any such project and that significant other federal, state, local and other funding would need to be available to pay for the costs of any such projects.
Reauthorization of the 2015/2016 One-time Reserves
Communities that received approval for 2015/2016 Reserves do not need to re-apply. The 2015/2016 Reserve will automatically be preserved for use in 2019. Funds may be used on a rolling basis when specific impacts are determined or the specific planning activity is determined. Once known, communities should contact the Ombudsman’s Office, which will assist the community in providing the needed information.
Specific Impact Grants
The 2019 Community Mitigation Fund for mitigation of specific impacts may be used only to mitigate impacts that either have occurred or are occurring as of the February 1, 2019 application date and any police training costs in Region A. In recognition that the Category 2 gaming facility in Plainville opened during calendar year 2015, and MGM Springfield opened earlier this year, the Commission will make available funding to mitigate construction or operational related impacts that are being experienced or were experienced from those facilities by the February 1, 2019 date.
The Commission has determined that the 2019 Community Mitigation Fund is available only to mitigate impacts related to the construction and police training costs of the Category 1 gaming facilities in Region A. The Commission has placed a per grant limit for the 2019 Specific Impact Grant awards of $500,000.
2019 Transportation Planning Grant
The 2019 Community Mitigation Fund program also authorizes communities to apply for a Transportation Planning Grant. The communities that are eligible for a 2019 Transportation Planning Grant are those communities in Regions A & B and for the Category 2 facility, including each Category 1 and Category 2 host community, each designated surrounding community, each community which entered into a nearby community agreement with a licensee, any community that petitioned to be a surrounding community to a gaming licensee, and each community that is geographically adjacent to a host community in Regions A & B and to the Category 2 facility. The Commission approved a target of $1,000,000 for the total allocation for 2019 Transportation Planning Grants with no more than $200,000 per grant authorized (plus potentially a regional incentive)
Incentive for Regional Cooperation
Last year the Commission initiated the establishment of incentive funding (beyond the baseline amounts stated in the Guidelines) for applications involving more than one community. These joint applications must specifically show the interrelationship of the communities in their endeavor.
Workforce Development Pilot Program in Region A and Region B
The Commission will also make available funding for certain career pathways workforce development pilot programs (Workforce Development Pilot Program Grant) in Regions A and B for service to residents of communities of such Regions, including each Category 1 host community and each designated surrounding community, each community which entered into a nearby community agreement with a licensee, any community that petitioned to be a surrounding community to a gaming licensee, and each community that is geographically adjacent to a host community.
Non-Transportation Planning Grant
The Commission shall make available funding for certain planning and technical assistance activities through Non-Transportation Planning grants. These planning funds will be available only to those communities that have allocated their One-time Reserve and received Commission approval for the use of the Reserves. Any community applying for planning funds would also need to provide detail on what it will contribute to the planning projects such as in-kind services or planning funds.
Tribal Gaming Technical Assistance Grant
Additionally, the Commission shall make available technical assistance funding 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. Such funding will only be made available, after approval of any application by the Southeast Regional Planning & Economic Development District or a comparable regional entity, if it is determined by the Commission that construction of such gaming facility will likely commence prior to or during Fiscal Year 2020.
2019 Community Mitigation Fund Guidelines and Instructions
The application period for the 2019 Community Mitigation Fund is now closed. Pursuant to the Expanded Gaming Act, applications for funds are annually due in the beginning of February [February 1, 2019].
- Acting Chairwoman Cameron’s 2019 Mitigation Fund Explanation Letter
- Appendix A – 2019 Cmmunity Mitigation Fund Guidelines
- Appendix B – Instructions for Filing Grant Applications
The following application forms are meant for reference only. Applications must be submitted via COMMBUYS per the below instructions.
- Appendix C – Specific Impact Grant Application
- Appendix D – Transportation Planning Grant Application
- Appendix E – Workforce Development Pilot Program Grant Application
- Appendix F – Non-Transportation Planning Grant Application
- Appendix G – Reserve Planning Grant – Tribal Gaming Technical Assistance Application
- Appendix H – Transit Project(s) of Regional Significance Application
Further detail on this year’s program may be found in the Guidelines or by contacting Joe Delaney. Mr. Delaney can be reached at joseph.e.delaney@state.ma.us. The Commission’s address is 101 Federal Street, 12th Floor, Boston, MA 02110.