Community Preservation Act (CPA) Grants

The Springfield Community Preservation Committee offers two separate grant programs. The first is our annual grant process and the second is a program offered for homeowners who live in historic districts. Please make sure you're using the correction application for the desired program. 

Annual Community Preservation Act grants

Applications for the annual Community Preservation Act grants are now closed for the 2024 cycle. Please check back in January 2025 for next year's deadlines. Communiity Preservation Act grants are for a project in the category of Open Space and Recreation, Community Housing or Historic Resource. To preview the application used for 2024, see this application and review the application instructions.

The Application Workshop slideshow can be viewed here 

Historic Home Restoration Grant

The Historic Home Restoration Program (HHRP) is for homeowners who live in the following Local Historic Districts:  Quadrangle-Mattoon, Forest Park Heights, McKnight, Maple Hill, Lower Maple, Ridgewood and Colony Hills. If program funds are approved again this year, a new lottery will be held in late 2024.

If you've submitted a previous application, it remains on file and will be entered into the next lottery. Applications may be filled out anytime and a deadline will be posted if another lottery is scheduled.

Exterior items covered under the program include the restoration of original windows and doors, purchase and installation of energy efficient storm windows, restoration of porches, exterior carpentry repairs, exterior painting, roofs, chimney and other masonry work.

Grantees who have been awarded funding in a previous cycle are eligible to apply again but must skip a cycle before reapplying.

If you think you may qualify, fill out the Online Preliminary Application and the View Full Guidelines 

Projects submitted for consideration of an annual 2024 CPA grant.

There were 32 applications submitted in this cycle and all applicants are interviewed. The remote interview dates are March 5, March 19, April 2 and the meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. The public is welcome to watch live on Facebook. All meetings are recorded for later viewing.

Interview Date Project Applicant Category CPA Request
March 5 East Springfield Marshall Roy Park Enhancements East Springfield Neighborhood Council Recreation $300,000.00
March 5 Clarendon Fountain & Triangle Terrace Restoration McKnight Neighborhood Council, Inc Recreation $150,000.00
March 5 Buckingham Fountain & Triangle Park Restoration McKnight Neighborhood Council, Inc Recreation $205,000.00
March 5 Treetop Park Improvements Outer Belt Civic Association Recreation $250,000.00
March 5 Forest Park Fitness Course Forest Park Civic Association Recreation $300,000.00
March 5 Forest Park Clay Tennis Courts Department of Parks, Buildings & Recreation Management Recreation $300,000.00
March 5 Van Sickle Softball Diamond Department of Parks, Buildings & Recreation Management Recreation $300,000.00
March 5 ReGreen Springfield Invasive Plant Control Program ReGreen Springfield Recreation $55,000.00
March 5 Forest Park Arboretum Enhanced Cataloging, Mapping and Community Engagement ReGreen Springfield Recreation $58,000.00
March 5 Poor Brook Expeditionary Trail Regreen Springfield Recreation $37,000.00
March 5 Lake Lorraine Nature Trail Network Enhancement Planning Proposal ReGreen Springfield Recreation $28,000.00
March 5 Glendell Park Vegetation Restoration and Enhancements Regreen Springfield Recreation $13,000.00
March 19 184 Maple St. rowhouse rehab Maple Street Rowhouses, LLC Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 182 Maple St. rowhouse rehab Maple Street Rowhouses, LLC Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 180 Maple St. rowhouse rehab Maple Street Rowhouses, LLC Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 178 Maple St. rowhouse rehab Maple Street Rowhouses, LLC Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 176 Maple Street Redevelopment Incentive City of Springfield Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 174 Maple Street Redevelopment Incentive City of Springfield Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 60 Byers Street Development Incentive City of Springfield Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 Former Indian Orchard Fire Station redevelopment City of Springfield (owner) & Indian Orchard Citizens Council (Partner and future tenant) Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts Exterior Restoration (Phase 3) Springfield Museums Historic Resource $300,000.00
March 19 Science Museum Patio Restoration Springfield Museums Historic Resource $62,500.00
April 2 Restoration of Belltower Lighthouse Church Historic Resource $50,000.00
April 2 Restoration of stained-glass windows Immaculate Conception Church Historic Resource $150,000.00
April 2 Exterior Restoration for St. John's Congregational Church St. John's Congregational Church Historic Resource $299,999.00
April 2 Lamppost restoration Colony Hills Neighborhood Associatiion (CHNA) Historic Resource $35,213.00
April 2 Elevator Project Drama Studio Inc Historic Resource $60,000.00
April 2 69-71 Princeton Street Restoration Project College Streets Defense Fund, Inc. Historic Resource $100,000.00
April 2 Frederick Stebbins House Preservation Project F. H. Stebbins House Preservation Management, Inc. Historic Resource $300,000.00
April 2 McKnight Common Areas Planning and Implementation Project McKnight Community Development Corporation Historic Resource $225,000.00
April 2 Restoration of 333 St James Avenue Icie Jones and Orleams Realty Trust Historic Resource $150,000.00
April 2 Historic Homes Restoration Program Springfield Community Preservation Committee Historic Resource $300,000.00
  Total grant amount requested     $6,428,712.00

 

What is the Community Preservation Act (CPA)?

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) was created in September 2000 by state law (MGL Chapter 44B). It allows cities and towns to adopt a property tax surcharge to help fund projects that preserve the character of the community. Springfield voters adopted the CPA on November 8, 2016 and it went into effect on July 1, 2017. In Springfield, the CPA fund is created via a 1.5% surcharge on real estate taxes for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. 

What projects qualify for a CPA grant?

CPA funds can be used for Open Space & Recreation, Historic Preservation, and Community Housing. The Department of Revenue (DOR) Community Preservation Fund Allowable Spending Chart is a handy quick reference to see if your project qualifies. The Community Preservation Coalition is a statewide resource and offers a detailed look at allowable uses.  To view an application below, type in the name of the project into the search bar. The following CPA projects were funded in Springfield:

2023 CPC Funded Projects

2022 CPC Funded Projects 

2021 CPC Funded Projects

2020 CPC Funded Projects

2019 CPC Funded Projects

2018 CPC Funded Projects

Who are the members of the Springfield Community Preservation Committee?

In accordance with Chapter 267 of the Acts of 2000, a Community Preservation Committee shall be established. In Springfield, a nine-member committee implements the process to recommend project grants to the City Council for approval. The Community Preservation Committee (SCPC) members are appointed from each of the commissions below in addition to three neighborhood appointees by the City Council President. See Springfield Chapter 16 Boards,Commissions and Committees.

SCPC members serve a three year term and are eligible for two consecutive three-year terms.

  • Gloria DeFillipo, Planning Board representative;
  • Juanita Martinez, Conservation Commission representative;
  • Robert McCarroll, Chair, Springfield Preservation Trust representative;
  • Judith Crowell, Historical Commission representative;
  • Willie Thomas, Housing Authority representative;
  • Clinton Harris, Park Commission representative;
  • Rhonda Sherrell, Neighborhood representative;
  • Stephen Bosworth, Neighborhood representative;
  • Yolanda Cancel, Neighborhood representative

A vacancy on one of the commission seats is filled by that respective commission.

A vacancy for a neighborhood representative seat is appointed by the Springfield City Council President. When a vacancy occurs, the President contacts the neighborhood councils/associations (found here: Neighborhood Councils: Community Development, City of Springfield, MA (springfield-ma.gov) and requests they submit a candidate who is interested in serving on the Community Preservation Committee. The President then makes a selection from the submitted candidates and appoints the new member. The new member is sworn-in by the City Clerk.  When there is an upcoming open seat, it will be posted here. There are no vacancies at this time.

How to contact the Community Preservation Committee (CPC)

FAQs

  • Are there homeowner exemptions to the 1.5% surcharge?

YES! Households that qualify for low-income, or low or moderate-income housing, as defined by M.G.L. c. 44B, Section 2 are exempt from the CPA surcharge in its entirety.  Next deadline for exemptions is 4/1/23

Community Preservation Act Exemption application.  

Review income limits for a CPA surcharge exemption

Historic Resources 

  • Where can I find information about a historic home or property?

The Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) database (inventory) has surveyed properties compiled by the Massachusetts Historic Commission (MHC) http://mhc-macris.net/

You can search local historic properties through the 1939 Works Progress Administration (WPA) https://www.springfieldpreservation.org/wpa/

  • Are there guidelines for restoring or repairing a historic property?

YES! The Secretary of the Interior's Standards has an extensive website for treatment of historic properties https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/treatment-guidelines-2017.pdf

Any work on historic properties requires a petition to the Springfield Historical Commission. 

Page last updated:  Monday, August 21, 2023 05:31 pm