Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program

What is the MVP Program?
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs created the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program to provide technical and financial support for municipalities to identify hazards and develop strategies to improve climate change resiliency and implement priority projects.

What kind of grants are available?
MVP Planning Grant funding is available for communities to complete a Community Resilience Building workshop and become a designated MVP Community. Following the workshop, the community must prepare an Action Plan report and hold a public listening session. MVP Planning Grants are awarded between $15,000 and $100,000 depending on scope and need to communities seeking MVP designation.

Designated MVP communities can then apply for MVP Action Grants to implement key priorities and projects identified through the planning process. Action Grants are open to all municipal governments in Massachusetts that have received MVP designation. Action Grants are awarded between $25,000 and $2M for communities to implement projects identified under the previously developed Action Plan. Tasks within the Action Plan include:
• Detailed Vulnerability and Risk Assessment
• Public Education and Communication
• Local Bylaws, Ordinances, Plans and Other Management Measures
• Redesigns and Retrofits
• Nature-based Storm Damage Protection, Drought Prevention, Water Quality and Water Infiltration Techniques
• Nature-based Infrastructure and Technology Solutions to Reduce Vulnerability to Extreme Heat and Poor Air Quality
• Nature-based Solutions to Reduce Vulnerability to other Climate Change Impacts
• Ecological Restoration and Habitat Management to Increase Resiliency

BETA has many MVP certified facilitators who can offer technical assistance to communities wishing to complete the vulnerability assessment and resiliency plan.

MVP certified providers are trained in workshops across the state to provide technical assistance to communities in completing the assessment and resiliency plan. Our MVP certified staff are able to assess vulnerability and develop strategies to incorporate nature-based solutions into the planning process, based on the best available statewide climate projections and data.

BETA recently facilitated a two-day Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) workshop in North Attleborough, Massachusetts. BETA’s MVP-certified engineers collaborated with Town stakeholders to identify potential climate change hazards including river floods and dam failures and prioritize nature-based solutions. The Town of North Attleborough is now eligible to apply for a MVP Action Grant to implement the hazard mitigation projects identified during the workshop.

Many other communities across the Commonwealth have already received grant awards for MVP-certified projects. Reach out to see how we can assist your municipality in being considered for the next round of funding.

MVP Grant Applications are now being accepted. Click here for more information.

Jeffrey MaxtutisFor more information on how BETA can help your community, please contact Jeff Maxtutis at JMaxtutis@BETA-Inc.com