LOWELL — The City of Lowell announces the recipients of their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Facilities, Renovation, and Rehabilitation Grant program. This intiative is a one-time grant program overseen by the City’s ARPA Finance Team, in conjunction with City officials and other departments. The grant program was created for 501(c)3 nonprofit agencies located in Lowell that provide food, shelter, support, education, counseling, and recovery services to victims of trafficking and domestic violence, and those experiencing homelessness. $851,000 was awarded to seven organizations. Funding will be used to support a wide variety of projects and programs that address economic recovery efforts for Lowell residents, including: updated bathrooms, asbestos abatement, fire prevention systems, flooring, HVAC, and major exterior building repairs.

The Facilities, Renovation, and Rehabilitation Grant program is a reimbursement funding opportunity focused on helping Lowell organizations with addressing existing building code deficiencies and bringing structures up to current building codes; adding to or improving on life safety equipment requirements; reconfiguring existing facilities to safely accommodate more people and/or improve service delivery; and addressing ADA compliance requirements. Additionally, the objective of the project must meet the ARPA program objectives (as outlined by the U.S. Treasury) and be aligned with Lowell’s ARPA initiatives.

“The ARPA team is thrilled to provide these grant awards to many of our nonprofits that provide so many critical services to residents of Lowell,” said ARPA Finance Manager Brendan Flynn. “This funding continues to underscore the efforts of City Manager Golden and the City Council’s commitment to helping nonprofit organizations recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In total, the City received 20 applications requesting $3,505,758.01 in funds. A complex review process was established to measure applications against local and federal requirements, eligibility, and grant program goals. Factors such as community need, tangible impacts, measurable outcomes, and proper documentation were part of the review process to ensure grant recipients met eligibility requirements.

The Facilities, Renovation, and Rehabilitation Grant recipients are as follows:

• House of Hope, Inc., $170,000 towards “Merrimack Shelter Resident Bathroom Renovations” which includes: updates and safety improvements for six resident shelter bathrooms, which serves 18 homeless Lowell families daily.
• Girls Incorporated of Greater Lowell, $100,000 towards “Asbestos Abatement” including labor, equipment, and materials for abating asbestos materials for community space for young women in Lowell.
• The Megan House Foundation, Inc., $150,000 towards “Emma’s House: Safe, Sober, Affordable Housing” including: sprinkler system, fire alarm, and ADA accommodations for housing in Lowell for nine residents in early recovery.
• Eliot Presbyterian Church Day Center, $33,000 towards “Day Center Floor Rehabilitations for Homeless,” which replaces 70-year-old flooring and corrects humidity issues that led to damage; Olney Hall provides a safe space for people experiencing homelessness during the day in Lowell.
• Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers (MAPS), $46,000 towards “MAPS Lowell Office Renovation Project,” which includes Renovations for failing HVAC system for Lowell office serving Portuguese speakers who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, homelessness.
• Lowell Transitional Living Center (LTLC)/South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), $172,000 towards “Bathroom Renovations and Fencing to Improve Safety and Reduce Litter at Homeless Shelter LTLC,” which will provide safe, clean, operational bathroom facilities at one of the largest homeless shelters in the area; Fending around the building and parking lot to improve safety for clients, staff, and the Lowell community.
• The Center for Hope and Healing, Inc., $180,000 towards “Hurd Street Building Repairs,” which will provide: exterior repairs to Lowell building where survivors of sexual assaults, sex-trafficking, and their loved ones receive services.

Next, the department will focus on finalizing new grant programs that will benefit Lowell’s community, open for applications in 2024. For more information, visit the City of Lowell’s ARPA Team webpage, https://www.lowellma.gov/1574/American-Rescue-Plan-Act, or send an email to ARPA@lowellma.gov.

The City of Lowell was awarded over $75 million by the federal government to assist with the ongoing pandemic recovery effort. A dedicated ARPA team, functioning through the City Manager’s Finance Department, is managing the City’s ARPA funding with a focus on community, compliance, and transparency to residents through the online ARPA Dashboard: https://city-lowell-ma-budget-book.cleargov.com/8250. As they become available, you can access new online grant applications in English, Khmer, Portuguese, and Spanish on the City’s ARPA Grants Opportunities page: https://www.lowellma.gov/1755/ARPA-Grant-Opportunities-Page.