麻州長Healey簽署第90章法案授權動用2億元資助市鎮修橋補路

 Governor Healey Signs Chapter 90 Bill to Improve Bridges, Roads, and Infrastructure Across Massachusetts  

Legislation includes $200 million in Chapter 90 funding and 

$175 million for six statewide transportation infrastructure grant programs 

MELROSE - Today, Governor Maura Healey signed legislation at an event in Melrose which authorizes $200 million for Fiscal Year 2025 to fund bridge and road maintenance and other infrastructure projects in municipalities across the state under the Chapter 90 program. In addition, the legislation will fund a total of $175 million more for six transportation infrastructure grant programs. 

The Chapter 90 program provides municipalities with an annual funding source for improvements to and investments in local transportation networks. Every municipality in the state is allocated a portion of total program dollars, which allows them to evaluate their unique transportation needs and goals and allocate funding dollars accordingly.   

In addition, Chapter 90 funding helps cities and towns compete for new, istoric levels of federal grant opportunities under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as proof of available matching funds is generally required as a condition of applying for a federal award, and showing the availability of dedicated funds for this purpose dramatically strengthens applications to any such federal program. 

“We know that residents’ quality of life and our state’s economic strength depends on people being able to get where they need to go safely and on time,” said Governor Maura Healey. “These Chapter 90 funds and millions more for six grant programs will help us deliver on critical road, bridge and infrastructure projects that communities and the traveling public need. We're proud to sign this bill into law today and grateful to the Legislature for their partnership.” 

“As a former mayor, I know how much this money means to our cities and towns,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “In particular, Chapter 90 apportionments go a long way in making sure our transportation system is safe and reliable for people who live, work, and visit our communities." 

“MassDOT is pleased to play the role of administrator of the Chapter 90 Program and to support transportation infrastructure needs state-wide with funds available through six grant programs because we have seen the on-the-ground impact the funding can have in our cities and towns,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt.  “From adding to sidewalks, improving pavement condition, building bicycle lanes, and numerous other projects, municipal leaders use Chapter 90 and grant awards to invest in their transportation networks.” 

The funding will facilitate longstanding and newly identified projects and improvements, including bridge repairs and reconstruction; roadway, bike path, sidewalk, and curbing construction; accessibility improvements; milling and paving; and lighting and traffic signal improvements. 

In addition to the $200 million total in Chapter 90 funding for Fiscal Year 2025, the Rural Roadway Funding program and six transportation infrastructure grant programs will each receive a total of $25 million: 

• Municipal Pavement Program, which focuses on the improvement of municipally-owned state-number routes. Projects are selected based on pavement condition data, the proportion of state numbered routes in poor condition in a municipality, and geographic equity. 

• Municipal Small Bridge Program, which provides financial assistance to cities and towns for small bridge replacement, preservation, and rehabilitation projects. To be eligible, bridges must be on a local public way and must be on the State Bridge Inventory with a span between 10 and 20 feet. 

• Rural Roadway Funding Program, which distributes funds to all 351 municipalities using a formula based on local road mileage, municipal population, and rurality.  

• Complete Streets Funding Program, which provides funding for municipalities to build infrastructure for “complete streets” projects that support travel for everyone whether they walk, bicycle, take public transportation, or drive. 

• Municipal Bus Enhancement Program, which provides grant funding to build out infrastructure related to mass transit by bus. 

• Mass Transit Access Grant Program, which provides grants for design and construction improvements to access commuter rail stations or other mass transit stations, such as parking lots, drop-off and pick-up zones, bicycle storage infrastructure, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. 

• Municipal/Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Electric Vehicle (EV) Grant Program, which provides grants to RTAs and municipalities for the purchase of electric vehicles and related charging equipment. 

The Governor signed the bill in Melrose alongside Lieutenant Governor Driscoll, dministration and Finance Secretary Matthew Gorzkowicz, Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt, and Mayor Jennifer Grigoraitis.Melrose has been using Chapter 90 funding to support several road improvement projects on Main Street. The updated construction work will include new concrete sidewalks and new granite upgrades and replacement of the existing asphalt sidewalk. Melrose will be receiving over $520,000 in funding for these projects.   

“Chapter 90 funds give towns and cities the chance to improve the safety, function and beauty of our local neighborhoods and local transportation infrastructure,” said Melrose Mayor Jen Grigoraitis. “The additional Chapter 90 funding in the law signed today will make a world of difference for cities like Melrose and enable us to continue to pursue proactive and high-impact improvements to local roads and routes.” 

Below is the list of Chapter 90 recipients announced today, by town or city and the monetary award:  

• Abington - $385,435  

• Acton - $709,809 

• Acushnet - $313,888 

• Adams- $284,946  

• Agawam- $805-391 

• Alford - $70,567 

• Amesbury – $437,424 

• Amherst– $833,877 

• Andover - $1,362,139 

• Aquinnah - $39,411 

• Arlington -$790,987 

• Ashburnham - $336,128 

• Ashby - $223,282 

• Ashfield - $289,986 

• Ashland – $472,316  

• Athol - $503,211 

• Attleboro - $1,220,613  

• Auburn - $605,026 

• Avon - $182,627 

• Ayer - $266,419 

• Barnstable - $1,980,780 

• Barre - $426,910 

• Becket - $233,920 

• Bedford – $636,803  

• Belchertown - $632,286 

• Bellingham - $539,407 

• Belmont - $546,536  

• Berkley – $260,415 

• Berlin - $191,674 

• Bernardston - $180,576 

• Beverly – $1,046,159 

• Billerica - $1,327, 921 

• Blackstone - $229,253  

• Blandford - $257,382 

• Bolton - $289,192 

• Boston - $15,104,336  

• Bourne - $603,110 

• Boxborough - $201,736 

• Boxford - $410,397 

• Boylston - $203,872 

• Braintree - $959,128 

• Brewster - $311,313 

• Bridgewater - $718,971 

• Brimfield - $276,893 

• Brockton - $2,029,666 

• Brookfield - $167,473 

• Brookline - $932,977 

• Buckland - $180,774 

• Burlington - $1,058,71 

• Cambridge – $2,949,411 

• Canton - $805,131  

• Carlisle - $253,121  

• Carver - $407,774  

• Charlemont - $177,452  

• Charlton - $620,276 

• Chatham - $340,670 

• Chelmsford - $1,153,375  

• Chelsea - $601,965  

• Cheshire - $195,993 

• Chester - $228,641  

• Chesterfield - $214,769  

• Chicopee - $1,312,999 

• Chilmark - $66,055 

• Clarksburg - $73,345  

• Clinton - $326,366 

• Cohasset - $222,193 

• Colrain- $314,701 

• Concord - $678,089 

• Conway - $260,606 

• Cummington - $195,985  

• Dalton- $214,429  

• Danvers - $872,429  

• Dartmouth - $1,156,180  

• Dedham - $676,712 

• Deerfield - $379,535  

• Dennis - $725,434 

• Dighton - $301,897 

• Douglas - $362,456 

• Dover - $278,137 

• Dracut - $820,059 

• Dudley - $426,586  

• Dunstable - $184,722 

• Duxbury - $536,289 

• East Bridgewater - $389,516  

• East Brookfield - $93,423  

• East Longmeadow - $573,373 

• Eastham - $244,752 

• Easthampton - $479,018 

• Easton - $724,420 

• Edgartown - $240,493 

• Egremont - $150,037  

• Erving - $83,502  

• Essex - $130,002  

• Everett - $696,953 

• Fairhaven - $507,654  

• Fall River - $1,889,867 

• Falmouth - $1,255,705 

• Fitchburg - $1,106,435  

• Florida - $159,304 

• Foxborough - $621,564  

• Framingham - $1,765,973  

• Franklin - $939,828 

• Freetown - $401,116 

• Gardner - $595,266  

• Georgetown - $306,938 

• Gill - $146,502 

• Gloucester - $652,942 

• Goshen - $104,057 

• Gosnold - $8,553  

• Grafton - $502,553  

• Granby - $272,708  

• Granville - $259,425  

• Great Barrington - $400,670  

• Greenfield - $622,758 

• Groton - $511,162  

• Groveland - $226,403  

• Hadley- $352,859 

• Halifax - $262,573 

• Hamilton - $234,493 

• Hampden - $251,250 

• Hancock - $66,837 

• Hanover - $520,536  

• Hanson - $319,282 

• Hardwick - $353,856 

• Harvard - $354,085 

• Harwich - $680,375 

• Hatfield - $236,836 

• Haverhill - $1,556,313 

• Hawley - $162,221 

• Heath - $206,384 

• Hingham – $767,198 

• Hinsdale - $152,640  

• Holbrook - $250,542  

• Holden - $632,306  

• Holland - $151,532  

• Holliston - $507,781 

• Holyoke – $1,000,258 

• Hopedale - $172,319  

• Hopkinton - $637,543  

• Hubbardston - $357,072 

• Hudson - $575,936  

• Hull - $273,737 

• Huntington - $159,073  

• Ipswich - $437,677  

• Kingston - $413,800 

• Lakeville - $410,595  

• Lancaster - $323,173  

• Lanesboro – $212,254 

• Lawrence - $1,355,037 

• Lee - $284,382  

• Leicester - $422,454 

• Lenox - $274,945 

• Leominster - $1,125,569 

• Leverett - $147,269  

• Lexington - $964,592  

• Lincoln - $267,235  

• Littleton - $397,563  

• Longmeadow - $476,861 

• Lowell - $1,867,903  

• Ludlow - $684,604  

• Lunenburg - $418,227 

• Lynn - $1,513,008 

• Lynnfield - $414,236  

• Malden - $920,974  

• Manchester - $144,654  

• Mansfield - $730,448 

• Marblehead - $447,867  

• Marion - $166,641  

• Marlborough - $1,188,863  

• Marshfield - $740,623  

• Mashpee - $596,055  

• Mattapoisett - $229,721 

• Maynard - $264,869 

• Medfield - $411,101  

• Medford - $947,821 

• Medway - $395,457  

• Melrose - $523,286  

• Mendon - $274,704  

• Merrimac - $197,327  

• Methuen- $1,190,944 

• Middleboro - $874,773 

• Middlefield - $151,250  

• Middleton - $310,954 

• Milford - $815,521  

• Millbury - $419,799 

• Millis - $270,792 

• Millville - $109,084  

• Milton - $621,685 

• Monroe - $64,298 

• Monson - $454,957 

• Montague - $481,778 

• Monterey - $194,808 

• Montgomery - $123,052  

• Mount Washington - $68,974 

• Nahant - $88,312 

• Nantucket - $658,778 

• Natick - $975,699  

• Needham - $903,528 

• New Ashford - $42,533  

• New Bedford - $2,061,233  

• New Braintree - $203,707 

• New Marlborough - $337,028 

• New Salem - $143,939 

• Newbury - $265,986  

• Newburyport - $523,352  

• Newton - $2,248, 505  

• Norfolk - $401,897  

• North Adams - $414,871  

• North Andover - $809,565  

• North Attleboro - $785,095  

• North Brookfield - $306,023  

• North Reading - $515,025  

• Northampton - $1,022,897 

• Northborough - $515,682  

• Northbridge- $465,747  

麻州州長 Healey 將巡迴八地宣傳州政府房屋政策

Healey-Driscoll Administration to Launch Statewide Campaign in Support of Governor Healey’s Housing Agenda 

Cross-cabinet events will highlight housing’s impact on residents, communities, businesses, transportation, health and the economy  

BOSTON – Next week, the Healey-Driscoll administration will launch a statewide campaign calling attention to the urgent need to act to lower housing costs across Massachusetts and highlighting housing’s impact on everyday life. Each event hosted by the administration over the next few weeks will highlight a different way in which housing impacts residents’ lives and the need for action to make housing more affordable for everyone. Governor Maura T. Healey, Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll, and cabinet secretaries will also advocate for the administration’s strategies to increase housing production and lower costs, including the Affordable Homes Act and the MBTA Communities Law. 

“Everywhere we go in Massachusetts, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and I hear that the high cost of housing is the number one challenge facing our residents, communities, workers and businesses,” said Governor Healey. “That’s why we’ve gone big on our housing agenda to lower costs for everyone – from proposing the largest housing investment in state history with the Affordable Homes Act, to partnering with communities to help them rezone for multifamily housing as part of the MBTA Communities Act, to passing significant incentives for housing development and relief for renters and senior homeowners in our tax cuts package. Over the next few weeks, our team is going to be visiting communities across the state to highlight the ways in which housing impacts every aspect of our residents’ quality of life and our economy and call for urgent action to make housing more affordable for all.” 

On Monday, May 6, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll will kick off the week in Lynn with mayors and municipal managers from across the state to highlight the ways in which increasing housing production will help municipalities meet the needs of their residents. The Governor and Lieutenant Governor will also applaud the communities that have complied or are on the path to complying with the MBTA Communities Law. On Wednesday, May 8, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor

Driscoll will join business leaders in Worcester for a roundtable discussion about how building more housing and lowering costs is essential for our economic growth, competitiveness and innovation. 

On Thursday, May 9, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll will join hospital executives and health care leaders for a roundtable discussion on the ways in which housing is a social determinant of health and critical to supporting Massachusetts’ world class health care workforce. The event will be held at Boston Medical Center, which is a national leader on innovative approaches to housing as medicine and has invested millions of dollars into affordable housing. 

On Friday May 10, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit a local housing authority development to highlight the importance of revitalizing and preserving public housing, which provides stable and affordable homes for residents with low incomes, including seniors and people with disabilities. The Affordable Homes Act proposes $1.6 billion for the repair, rehabilitation and modernization of the state’s more than 43,000 public housing units. 

On Thursday, May 16, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit a community development organization in Chesterfield to highlight the important role that partnership with neighborhood organizations plays in addressing our housing challenges. 

On Friday, May 17, Secretary Augustus and MBTA General Manager Phil Eng will visit Attleboro to highlight the importance of transit-oriented housing, which can increase housing affordability, reduce commuting costs, expand accessibility, and foster sustainable development. The MBTA recently executed an MOU with Attleboro for a transit-oriented development (TOD) project with up to 600 housing units. The MBTA also recently announced that service will be partially restored to the nearby South Attleboro train station on May 20. 

On Monday, May 20, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit Gloucester to highlight the importance of ensuring that affordable housing projects have supportive services for residents. They will also discuss the importance of senior housing, which provides tailored accommodations and support services for older adults, fostering independence, social connections, and access to health care, while addressing the unique needs and preferences of aging populations for a fulfilling retirement experience. Accordingly, the Affordable Homes Act authorizes $200 million for the Housing Innovation Fund, which supports innovative rental housing, including for seniors. It also establishes a commission to research and recommend policy changes to expand supportive housing for seniors.  

On Monday afternoon, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and Secretary Augustus will visit Haverhill to highlight the ways in which the state supports first-time homebuyers through the CommonWealth Builder and MassDREAMS programs. The Affordable Homes Act proposes $100 million for CommonWealth Builder to spur construction of affordable homeownership opportunities and up to $50 million for MassDreams to create first-time homebuyer opportunities for households in Disproportionately Impacted Communities. 

臺灣傳統週2024美東巡演 十鼓擊樂團 5/4 牛頓臺灣日

波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮(前右一)和波士頓僑務委員郭競儒(前右四)在
御園餐廳為十鼓擊樂團洗塵。(周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange 周菊子麻州報導) 僑委會主辦，以「臺灣印象」為主題的「2024年美國臺灣傳統週暨加拿大亞裔傳統月」文化訪問團(美加東團)，由曾入圍葛萊美獎的「十鼓擊樂團」擔綱，第一站來到波士頓，將於5月4日在麻州的牛頓臺灣日中演出。

潘昭榮主任(左一)和2名波士頓僑務委員郭競儒(左二) 、陳仕維(前右三)夫婦，
以及牛頓臺灣日籌備委員陳玉瑛(前右一)歡迎謝懷玨(前左三)
善領的十鼓擊院團到訪波士頓。 (周菊子攝)

波士頓僑務委員郭競儒和波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮，5月2日親自到羅根機場接機，也是波士頓僑務委員的陳仕維特地派出一輛大卡車去載運團員和大鼓等各式樂器。晚上再假Dedham御園餐廳為十鼓擊樂團洗塵。

十鼓擊樂團是個在臺灣開闢、經營有2個文化園區的本土打擊樂團，宗旨為「傳創台灣本土文化，發揚鼓樂藝術薪傳」，由謝十於2000年在台南創辦以來，曾入圍臺灣金曲獎，第52屆葛萊美獎，也受邀到過英法美澳，馬泰韓印，南非，杜拜，約旦，土耳其，捷克等世界各國表演。

謝懷玨(中)和郭競儒(左)互贈紀念品。(周菊子攝)

年僅26歲的十鼓擊樂團藝術總監謝懷玨指出，該團特色不僅在於鼓具有專人設計、用獸皮製作，連演出曲目都自己創作，講究在地文化意涵，歷史人文風貌，視覺效果，甚至揉合武術功夫、笛子吹奏及舞蹈等元素，希望鼓術能普及全民，激發腦力，並凝聚，串連起人們對台灣這片土地的感情，也讓外國友人看到臺灣是個多棒的島嶼。

牛頓臺灣日籌備委員會特地請十鼓擊樂團團員們吃龍蝦。
(周菊子攝)

牛頓臺灣日籌備委員會主任委員暨波士頓僑務委員郭競儒為了歡迎十鼓擊樂團，特地為團員們準備了每人一整隻2磅重龍蝦，配上周打魚湯，貽貝的大餐，還送給每人一頂紅襪隊球帽做紀念品。

波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮非常高興的指出，這是他到任三年以來，第一次有國內派來巡迴表演團參加牛頓臺灣日，將使當天表演更精彩，希望能感動僑胞，讓主流社會人士藉此更認識臺灣的藝術與文化。

十鼓擊樂團團員們大快朵頤前先拍照。(周菊子攝)

波士頓僑務委員陳仕維坦言自己從未學過打鼓，但已聽聞「十鼓」名聲，雖然自己當天需赴外地開會，仍十分期待「十鼓」在牛頓臺灣日中震撼演出。

                        「十鼓擊樂團」的臺灣傳統週巡演，將拜訪美加東個城市，共演出13場，依序為麻州牛頓市 (5月4日)，佛羅里達州奧蘭多(5月7日)，加拿大魁北克省蒙特婁(5月10日)，喬治亞州肯尼索 (5月12日)，北卡洛麗市(Ralegih，5月15日)，馬里蘭州洛克維爾市(Rockville, 5月18日)，賓州匹茲堡市(Pittsburgh, 5月22日)，新澤西州北澤西(5月25日)，紐約州紐約市(5月26日)，紐約州阿爾巴尼市(Albany, 5月29日)，伊利諾州芝加哥市(6月1日)，印地安納州印城(Carmel, 6月3日)，明尼蘇達州雙子城 (Minnetonka, 6月7日)。

Resilience in Response to Anti-Asian Harassment Training To Be Offered in Thirteen Asian Languages

Resilience in Response to Anti-Asian Harassment Training To Be Offered in Thirteen Asian Languages

Advancing Justice - AAJC and Right To Be Work With Community-Based Organizations To Bring Training Directly To Impacted Communities

WASHINGTON D.C. – As we enter into Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJC and Right To Be (formerly Hollaback!) have announced a new initiative to equip twelve community-based organizations across the country to bring their “How to Respond to Anti-Asian Harassment and Practice Resilience When Experiencing Anti-Asian Harassment” training directly to impacted communities. Trainings will be delivered in-person and in thirteen Asian languages in addition to English, including Cantonese, Dari, Hindi, Hmong, Karen, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Mandarin, Nepali, Pashto, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.

Since launching joint trainings in the spring of 2020 on how to safely respond to anti-Asian hate and harassment, Advancing Justice – AAJC and Right To Be have reached over 100,000 people through free online training sessions on bystander intervention, conflict de-escalation, and how to respond when experiencing anti-Asian harassment.

“We felt it was important to move beyond the online format and offer training in-person and in Asian languages,” said Marita Etcubañez, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Advancing Justice – AAJC. “By equipping community-based organizations to deliver the training in different Asian languages, we aim to bring this training to audiences we have not yet reached, including members of our community who may not have found the online format easily accessible.  We also hope that offering training in-person will create opportunities for dialogue about the harassment that Asian Americans continue to face and the solutions that the community feels are needed.”

The new initiative was born out of a desire from local organizations to build resilience in their communities in response to the surge in anti-Asian hate in recent years. Partner organizations will be adapting the core training to reflect the specific needs of the communities they serve. 

“As Asian Americans continue to experience anti-Asian hate and harassment, we wanted to find more ways to directly support the community, especially our elders here in Houston, to learn about how to address harassment, both in the moment and how to begin healing afterwards,” said Jannette Diep, Executive Director of Boat People SOS Houston. “We are so pleased that our staff are now able to provide anti-harassment training and are excited to host in-person trainings in Vietnamese, and in partnership with OCA Houston, in Chinese.” 

“AJSOCAL is thrilled to bring this updated How to Respond curriculum in-person to Asian and Asian American communities in southern California,” said Christina Yang, General Counsel and Pro Bono Director for Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California.  “We have been providing the bystander intervention training since 2021, but that training focuses more on allies of the community, so it’s exciting to now also offer the How to Respond training, which more directly addresses how folks of Asian descent can take care of themselves if they experience harassment.”

Under this new initiative, partner organizations anticipate hosting a combined one hundred training sessions in 2024.

"I am both grateful and inspired by our collaboration with Advancing Justice – AAJC to make our anti-harassment training more accessible and relevant to Asian communities across the nation,” said Jorge Arteaga, Vice President of Movement Building at Right To Be. “By delivering these crucial trainings in-person and in thirteen different Asian languages, we are not just educating people on how to respond to anti-Asian harassment; we are empowering them to reclaim their right to be respected and safe in their communities. Our hope for this next phase of our work is to deepen our impact and reach even more folks who can benefit from these resources, fostering resilience and action against hate and harassment in every form."

波士頓市彌平差距小額補助款 20萬元 徵非牟利機構提出服務退伍軍人計畫

               (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市推出「彌平差距迷你補助計畫 (Bridge the Gap Mini-Grant Program) ，將以20萬元總額資助非牟利機構服務退伍軍人，每項計畫最高可申請9999元，申請截止日期為5月24日。

              非牟利機構協助退伍軍人的項目可包括居住，交通，醫療及身心健康，改善經濟的移動性，法律服務，教育性項目等。

              波士頓市長吳弭( Michelle Wu)表示，波士頓市正藉由和地方組織建立關係，來為退伍軍人提供重要的服務。

              波士頓市退伍軍人服務局局長Robert Santiago表示，「彌平差距」補助旨在退伍軍人及其家庭提供需要但還未得到的服務。

              波士頓市政府列出的申請條件為，補助款收受者須為一家非牟利的免稅組織 (501 (C) (3))，或者有個正式的財務贊助者；致力支持波士頓市內退伍軍人社區的生活品質；理解多元退伍軍人社區所面對的需求；財務狀況良好，遵循申請法規，能夠提供評估款項分發效益的數據；必須具有成功辦理項目支持退伍軍人社區的能力

              波士頓市政府預定6月底公佈申請結果。查詢更多詳情，可上政府退伍軍人服務辦公室網頁https://www.boston.gov/departments/veterans-services。

MAYOR WU & OFFICE OF VETERANS’ SERVICES ANNOUNCE MINI-GRANT PROGRAM

BOSTON - Thursday, May 2, 2024 - Today Mayor Michelle Wu and the City’s Office of Veterans’ Services announced the launch of the new Bridge the Gap Mini-Grant Program, designed to support veterans, service members, and their families. The mini-grants will be awarded to organizations that support the veteran community of Boston and “bridge the gap” that may exist for veterans after accessing other benefits. Funds will be used to support Boston nonprofits that help veterans with key issue areas, including: housing, transportation, health and wellness, upward economic mobility, legal services, and educational programming. A total of $200,000 is available across the grant program, with individual applicants able to apply for up to $9,999 in funding. Applicants can apply here. “In Boston we’re working to expand our reach to our veterans by building relationships with local organizations providing crucial services,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This new grant program will channel funds back into our nonprofits to give our veterans access to the benefits they deserve.” “The Mayor’s Office of Veterans’ Services is committed to pioneering innovative solutions that bolster the well-being of veterans, service members, and their families, and foster environments where they can thrive. In line with this mission, I am proud to announce the Bridge the Gap Mini-Grant Program, an initiative designed to provide vital support to organizations that are dedicated to serving the veteran and military community of Boston,” said Veterans’ Services Commissioner Robert Santiago. “The Bridge the Gap Mini-Grant Program aims to address the unmet needs of our veterans and their families, bridging the gap that may exist even after accessing other benefits.” All applications and required documents are due by Friday, May 24, 2024. Grant recipients must:  Be a nonprofit 501(c) (3) tax-exempt organization or have an official fiscal sponsor   Be committed to supporting the quality of life of the veteran community in the City of Boston Understand the needs facing the diverse veteran community Be in good financial standing, adhere to all applicable laws and regulations, and be able to provide data that allows for assessment of the impact of the distributed funds Must have capacity to successfully implement programming that supports the veteran community Award recipients will be announced by the end of June. More information on services and programming offered by the City’s Office of Veterans’ Services can be found here.