Grants & Grant Management

Grants/Grant Management

The Department of Planning and Development applies for and administers grants on a wide range of topics.   We list these grants as a source of information for the public to become aware of some of the many grants we apply for and administer.

Some of the grants we are working on as of July 1, 2023 and moving forward is as follows:

1.  $25,000 Grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to Hire a part-time Energy Advocate Consultant for one year to staff the Town Energy Committee and Municipal Decarbonization Task Force to assist them with implementation of their long-range plans and to utilize a multi-lingual consultant for more expanded outreach during community forums.   

2.  $25,000 Grant from Community One Stop for Growth to hire a consultant to create Design Guidelines in the Town of Athol.      See the newspaper article in the Athol Daily News about obtaining the grant!

3.  $59,660 MassTrails Grant from the Department of Conservation and Recreation.   This will project will further trail utilization, connectivity, and parking areas in the Bearsden and Newton Reservoir conservation areas.    This includes construction of a new 800' x 5' trail; trail clearing and pruning of the 14.5 miles of trails; wayfinding signage; accessibility parking signs in Bearsden and Newton Reservoir parking areas; remediation of eroded areas of the 1 mile Deep Cut Bypass Trail; reworking of the rain runoff from Bemis Hill; and Round Top Vista Pruning.  See the Press Release related to the grant!

4.   $48,876.47 Planning Assistance Grant from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.  This grant will be utilized to hire a consultant to update the goals and objectives of each element of the Town's Master Plan and create a vision statement.   There will also be updates to:  (1) Natural & Cultural Resources Plan Element; and (2) the Open Space & Recreation Plan Element.    See the Press Release related to the grant!

5.   $2,500 Mental Health Grant from The United Way of North Central Massachusetts in Fitchburg; and $1,000 Local Community Contribution Grant from Walmart Store #1907 in Hinsdale NH.    These grants were utilized after the untimely passing of a beloved volunteer in our community to hire a nationally renowned phenatologist and speaker on Traumatic Loss (Barbara Rubel) wherein she provided a grief management seminar on "Managing your Palette of Grief after a Traumatic Loss".    We are deeply appreciative of both entities stepping up almost instantaneously to assist us when we applied for these grants under difficult circumstances.     You can view the Powerpoint Slides utilized during the meeting here.  

6.   $500 Local Community Contribution Grant from Walmart Store#2118 in Lunenburg MA for the replacement and upgrade of tasers for crime prevention for the Athol Police Department.

7.   $1,000 Local Community Contribution Grant from Walmart Store#2329 in Orange, MA for technological equipment in the BPCD department.

8.    $1,500 Local Community Contribution Grant from Walmart Store #2155 in Gardner MA for funds to be utilized towards the purchase of a hybrid vehicle for the Town Manager's Department.