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Mayor Sarno and CDO Sheehan Announce Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Funding RFP’s for Neighborhood Councils

Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Chief Development Officer (CDO) Timothy Sheehan, Director of Disaster Recovery Tina Quagliato-Sullivan and Deputy Director of Neighborhood Services Ed Whitley announced today Notice of Funding Availability and Request for Proposals (NOFA/RFP) to increase awareness and participation in Neighborhood Councils.

The Office of Disaster Recovery is soliciting proposals for $50,000 in Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness as part of a pilot program funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The City will award funding up to $10,000 per neighborhood council.  Proposals should demonstrate clear and concise plans for how a neighborhood council would utilize funding to increase awareness of the council and participation in council activities. Strategies should include a combination of print, digital and in-person outreach strategies, and should focus on increasing awareness and participation among “Environmental Justice Areas and Populations” as defined by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, specifically:

•           U.S. Census Block group whose annual median household income is equal to or less than 65 percent of the statewide median ($62,072 in 2010); or

•           25% or more of the residents identify as a race other than white; or

•           25% or more of households have no one over the age of 14 who speaks English only or very well - English Isolation

Proposals should also include a focus on recruiting and involving residents that may be least likely to participate including renters, youth and English isolated residents.

Mayor Sarno states, “My administration often utilizes our neighborhood councils as a primary point of two-way communication with residents and neighborhoods and these councils frequently serve as a voices for our many diverse citizens and populations.  We recognize that in order to build Springfield’s resilience and respond effectively to disaster situations, we must ensure these lines of communication are expansive and effective prior to an actual disaster.  I am grateful to Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito and Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides for providing this funding that will allow our neighborhood councils to reach more residents and welcome a wider expanse of residents to participate in the civic process.”

Interested neighborhood organizations can obtain the NOFA/RFP from the Office of Procurement, by contacting Lauren Stabilo at lstabilo@springfieldcityhall.com.  Proposals are due by November 8, 2021 at 2:00 p.m.

A virtual technical assistance session will be held on October 28, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. and the link will be emailed to any party that has requested a copy of the solicitation forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the workshop.

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Page last updated:  Tuesday, March 1, 2022 01:32 pm