State outlines federal aid tools for towns amid cuts

Under Gov. Maura Healey, Massachusetts is expanding technical assistance, matching funds, and planning support to help cities and towns pursue infrastructure and economic development projects as federal funding becomes less reliable.
Speaking on Feb. 3 at a forum at First Parish Church in Sudbury, Quentin Palfrey, director of the Commonwealth’s Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office, said recent federal cuts to programs such as Medicaid and SNAP are expected to cost Massachusetts about $3 billion a year over time. He said it will limit the state’s ability to backfill losses, but will increase the importance of targeted tools that help communities keep projects moving.
Palfrey outlined a program intended to help communities to complete design, engineering and grant-writing work needed to compete for remaining federal dollars. He said that the Municipal and Tribal Technical Assistance Program provides early-stage support for projects including transportation, water and sewer upgrades, clean energy, decarbonization and economic development.
He also described state matching funds derived using interest earned on the rainy day fund, which Palfrey said can be paired with federal grants to make local projects viable, particularly for smaller or historically underserved communities with limited staff capacity.
To reduce barriers further, Palfrey said the state has developed an artificial intelligence-based tool that allows municipalities to identify relevant federal, state and charitable grants and begin drafting applications called GrantWell (tinyurl.com/GrantWell-NE). He said the tool is aimed at helping local officials navigate complex funding requirements as federal programs shift.
Palfrey said the administration continues to work with regional planning agencies and legislative partners to steer available resources to local priorities, including infrastructure resilience, housing and economic development, even as federal support for core programs declines.