LYNN — The city is seeking proposals and ideas from local community-based organizations, nonprofits, and businesses, to spend a portion of the $75 million the community received as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Mayor Jared Nicholson’s administration and the Lynn City Council are seeking proposals that meet the objectives of the ARPA State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, and are aligned with the city’s spending and strategic priorities.
Community organizations can request funding through an application form online until midnight on May 31, 2022.
There will be future opportunities to submit projects, as the proposed projects must be obligated/contracted by Dec. 31, 2024 and all project funds must be spent by Dec. 31, 2026.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our residents, businesses, and organizations in Lynn to play an active role in shaping our community,” Nicholson said. “I encourage residents and interested parties to complete the online application process. Investments like this will have a substantial impact on our community as whole for years to come.”
Project submission forms are available for city departments, agencies, commissions, nonprofits and outside agencies, and a community member form has also been created for residents and businesses to suggest projects. Each form asks for basic information about the proposed project and its outcomes:
Project submissions will be evaluated based on the project eligibility under the ARPA; clear and well-defined project description and budget; the project cost; project sustainability; the ability for the project to be completed within the ARPA timeline requirements; identification of social return on investment (SROI) or cost-benefit; or identification of outcomes for residents disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The city will also be hosting workshops for community members to offer assistance submitting their project ideas. There will be a workshop hosted in Haitian-Creole and Spanish Saturday, May 14 at the Briarcliff Lodge, 112 Kenwood Drive, from 9 a.m. to noon, and again in Haitian-Creole from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
There will be another workshop in Haitian-Creole, Khmer and Spanish on Tuesday, May 17 at the Lynn Auditorium, 3 City Hall Square, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Another workshop in Haitian-Creole and Spanish will take place on Sunday, May 22 at the Demakes YMCA of Metro North, 20 Neptune Blvd., from 9 a.m. to noon, and in Haitian-Creole and Khmer from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Additional translation services will be available with an RSVP email to [email protected].
Lynn business owner George V. Marcos of Brother’s Deli, said he loves the diversity of the city and supports the initiative for ARPA spending.
“I would happily support this money being invested into our public school system, our seniors, and also to support the homeless, and those suffering from mental health disorders,” said Marcos. “If we can help even one percent of these folks, we are doing great work.”
The city recently held a community survey asking residents and business owners about their broad needs and suggestions for ARPA funding, which gathered more than 1,650 survey entries.
Community engagement sessions were held in each ward throughout this past March, which allowed community members to share their perspectives on areas for improvement they feel are most important.
The feedback included parks and green space, the cost of housing, improvements to roadways and sidewalks, litter, and many other areas.
“Lynn residents and business owners know what’s best for our city,” said Councilor-At-Large Brian Field. “We are eager and excited to finally get this project suggestion form out into our community so we can support initiatives and projects that will strengthen Lynn across multiple sectors, ensuring that we keep moving forward in the right direction.”
To learn more or access the applications, visit lynnarpa.com.
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at [email protected]
