Photo is of a street at an intersection with cars driving on the street, and cars parked on the side of the road. There is a building in the background, and a street light at the forefront of the photo.

Dynamic and Representative Government

MetroCommon 2050 Goal: Local governments and regional agencies have the capacity and resources to deliver the services and supports our residents deserve, and to maintain and invest in our built and natural environments.

Engaging State Legislators and Coalition Building
Throughout the year, MAPC staff worked closely with coalition partners, community-based organizations (CBOs), and municipal stakeholders to discuss important priorities. Ten MAPC departments testified on bills endorsed by MAPC at the State House. We're grateful for the work of our Legislative Committee and Executive Committee in helping to define MAPC's policy priorities.  

MAPC staffer Julie Curti stands behind a podium presenting to a room full of people sitting in the audience. A seal is behind her on a yellow wall, and two flags are standing, one on either side of her.

March 2023: Julie Curti, Director of Clean Energy, joined organizations and others to provide information on the $300M Zero Carbon Renovation Fund legislation introduced by Representative Vargas and Senator Gomez.
Photo Credit: MAPC

MAPC staffers and others are standing on stairs in the Massachusetts State House facing the camera and smiling.

March 2023: MAPC staff and Massachusetts Association of Regional Planning Agencies (MARPA) members at DLTA (District Local Technical Assistance) Day at the State House.
Photo Credit: MAPC

A room full of people sitting and facing someone speaking behind a podium at the front of the room.

March 2023: On March 20 local officials, mayors and city managers, community leaders, law enforcement officers, and youth gathered for the 2023 Community Safety Day on the Hill to support the Shannon Community Safety Initiative and the Safe and Successful Youth Initiative.
Photo Credit: Georgia Barlow, MAPC

MAPC staffer Barry Keppard is shown on two tv screens behind a few people sitting behind a large, wooden desk.

May 2023: Barry Keppard, Public Health Director and Mayor Brodeur (Melrose) - on behalf of the Metro Mayors Coalition, testified in support of SAPHE 2.0 legislation.
Photo Credit: MAPC

Two women stand behind a podium speaking. One is wearing a blue shirt and one is wearing a button up shirt.
A room full of people seated facing the front of a room where someone is standing behind a podium speaking.
Two women stand behind a podium speaking to a room of people seated. In an open aisle between the seats is someone standing behind a news camera.

May 2023: Environment Director Martin Pillsbury joined with coalition partners to support Flood Risk Protection program legislation.
Photo Credit: MAPC 

June 2023: The Local Option for Housing Affordability (LOHA) Coalition, co-led by MAPC, hosted a legislative briefing  in support of Rep. Connolly and Senator Comerford's local option transfer fee legislation (H.2747/S.1771). The event drew more than 100 legislators, advocates and allies to the State House with remarks from sponsors Representative Mike Connolly and Senator Jo Comerford, former MA Secretary of Housing and Economic, Dan O'Connell, and realtors, housing advocates and renters from across the Commonwealth. Photos Credit: MAPC

Staffer Travis Pollack sits at a wooden table in a wooden chair testifying before legislators sitting behind a large, raised, wooden desk.

August 2023: Travis Pollack, Senior Transportation Planner, provided testimony at the Joint Committee on Transportation regarding H.3372 and S.2367.
Photo Credit: MAPC 

Staffer Annis Sengupta sits at a table with a few others, facing towards legislators sitting behind a large, raised, wooden desk.

September 2023: Annis Sengupta, PhD, Director of Arts and Culture, joins partners and advocates to testify in support of H.3241/S.530 and H.3246/S.2190.
Photo Credit: MAPC

Executive Director Marc Draisen stands behind a podium on a raised screen presenting. To the left of him, a few people are sitting at a long, covered table. Behind him is a projector screen with the words, "2023 Statewide Municipal Partnerships Conference. October 10, 2023. 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m." on it."

October 2023: Marc Draisen, Executive Director presented at the 2023 Statewide Municipal Partnerships Conference.
Photo Credit: MAPC

Presenting in the MAPC Region

Staffer Annis Sengupta and three others sit behind a long wooden desk facing members of the Boston City Council, testifying.

March 2023: Annis Sengupta, PhD, Director of Arts and Culture testified at the Boston City Council's hearing on the loss of rehearsal space for musicians in Boston.
Photo Credit: MAPC  

MAPC staffer Julia Nassar stands behind a podium facing the Peabody City Council, presenting to them. There is an open laptop on the podium, and Julia is wearing a short sleeve striped shirt, black skirt, and her dark brown hair is pulled back into a ponytail. To the left of the podium, there are several people sitting in chairs also facing the Peabody Council.

May 2023: Julia Nassar, Clean Energy and Climate Planner II and Brooks Winner, Senior Clean Energy Specialist presented the draft of the Peabody Net Zero Roadmap to the Peabody City Council.
Photo Credit: Brooks Winner, MAPC

MAPC Staffer Sarah Scott is standing at the front of a classroom presenting. A projector screen is behind her on the wall with information on it. She is wearing a tan blazer over a multi colored shirt, dark pants, she has shoulder length brown hair, and she is wearing glasses.

October 2023: Sarah Scott, Clean Regional Land Use Planner II presented to four tenth grade classes at Lynnfield High School about planning and their vision for Lynnfield.
Photo Credit: MAPC

Legislator of the Year Award

Representative Adrian Madaro
1st Suffolk

Lizzi Weyant, MAPC; Marc Draisen, MAPC; Representative Adrian Madaro; Adam Chapdelaine, former MAPC Board President standing and smiling at the camera.

Left to Right: Lizzi Weyant, MAPC; Marc Draisen, MAPC; Representative Adrian Madaro; Adam Chapdelaine, former MAPC Board President

Photo Credit: MAPC

Legislative Staffer of the Year Award

Christie Getto Young
Senator Sal DiDomenico's Chief of Staff 

Lizzi Weyant, MAPC; Christie Getto Young; Senator Sal DiDomenico; Marc Draisen, MAPC; Adam Chapdelaine, former MAPC Board President.

Left to Right: Lizzi Weyant, MAPC; Christie Getto Young; Senator Sal DiDomenico; Marc Draisen, MAPC; Adam Chapdelaine, former MAPC Board President

Photo Credit: MAPC

Six In-person Spring Legislative Breakfasts Hosted in 2023

An aerial view from the back of a large room of many people sitting at tables in front of a raised stage.

Minutemen Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC) 

Attended By:

Representative Carmine Gentile
Representative Danillo Sena
Speaker Pro Tempore Kate Hogan
Senator James Eldridge
Photo Credit: MAPC

A large room full of many people sitting at tables.

Three Rivers Interlocal Council (TRIC)

Attended By:

Chair Bill Driscoll
Senator Rebecca Rausch
Senator Paul Feeney
Representative Edward Phillips
Photo Credit: MAPC  

Three people - a woman and two men - sitting behind a long table with a white flower embellished table cloth over it, facing towards the camera.

MetroWest Regional Collaborative (MWRC)

Attended By:

Representative Kate Donaghue
Representative Priscila Sousa
Photo Credit: MAPC

People sit at tables in a large room, facing a raised stage with someone standing behind a podium speaking. Behind the tables in the back of the room is a long table with table cloths over it and food and drinks on top of the table.

The North Shore Task Force (NSTF) and North Shore Planning Council (NSPC) Joint Breakfast


Attended By:

Representative Kristin Kassner
Representative Richard Haggerty
Representative Michelle Ciccolo
Chair Michael Day
Photo Credit: MAPC

Six people - some MAPC staff - stand outside on grass with trees and a blue sky behind them. They're facing the camera smiling.

SouthWest Advisory Planning Council (SWAP)




Attended By:

Representative Brian Murray
Senator Rebecca Rausch
Photo Credit: MAPC

A blue map of the Greater Boston metro region with the South Shore Coalition subregion colored in light green. The map is on a white background.

South Shore Coalition (SSC)





Attended By:

Representative Joan Meschino
Senator Patrick O'Connor
Senator John F. Keenan
Image Credit: MAPC

Numerous students and Malden police officers stand together facing the camera, smiling. They are in a gym.

Local youth, community leaders, and law enforcement at the 2023 Shannon Grant Summerfest.
Photo Credit: MAPC.

Metro Mayors Shannon Grant Community Safety Initiative (Shannon Grant)

The Metro Mayors Shannon Grant Community Safety Initiative is a state-funded program that supports regional approaches to combating gang violence through law enforcement, job training, and after school programs. 

In January 2023, for the 17th consecutive year, MAPC was awarded $757,147.86 through the Shannon Grant for the Metro Mayors Community Safety Initiative who works to combat youth violence. 

2023 Metro Mayors Shannon Grant Summerfest
Summerfest is an annual event that brings together local youth, community leaders, and law enforcement involved in the Shannon Grant program, focused on having a safe summer. In 2023, the event was held on August 5, and included 78 youth from Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop. Photos Credit: MAPC

Local youth sit on a gym floor facing a person who is standing before them speaking to them in a microphone.
Numerous youth playing volleyball inside a gym.
Two youth wearing black shorts, white tshirts with a blue football jersey over the white shirt stand before a table covered with blue dressing and many materials, talk to a woman wearing a black shirt standing behind the table.
Youth playing basketball inside a gym. A youth in black shorts and a red shirt is running with the basketball and another youth is following him.

Local, State, and Federal Funding Opportunities
MAPC provided funding opportunities and technical assistance to cities and towns in the Greater Boston Metro region with resources and technical assistance for state and federal grant opportunities. Such as new state funding under the Grant Assistance Program (GAP) which allowed MAPC to support communities as they pursued state and federal grants. 

District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) Funds

MAPC awarded DLTA funds to 53 projects in 2023. Fourteen projects involved multiple municipalities, furthering regional collaboration.
Read more about the projects. 


Technical Assistance Program (TAP)
April 2023: MAPC awarded more than $400k to 15 local projects.
Read the press release. 

State and Federal Grant Assistance

MAPC created the Federal Funding Opportunities Center to keep communities informed of grant opportunities.


MAPC worked with coalitions of municipalities to apply for millions of dollars from US HUD, USDOT, and US EPA. MAPC helped individual cities and towns secure over $400,000 in state planning grants.

Statements Issued by MAPC
MAPC issued 8 statements throughout the year.



Also be sure to check out the 2023 MAPC Media Coverage Report for highlights of state and local coverage of MAPC's work in the region. 

Legislative and Budget Accomplishments

The Government Affairs team develops policy and budget priorities that reflect the goals outlined in MetroCommon 2050 and advocates on behalf of the cities and towns in our region.
Visit the Legislative Priorities webpage to learn more.

Access the press release about the priorities below.
Section Header Photo Credit: AdobeStock_405865434

District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA)

Funded at $3 million and an additional $2 million was included for RPAs (Regional Planning Agencies) to assist municipalities with federal grant opportunities.  

Shannon Community Safety Initiative (Shannon Grant)

Funded at $12.8 million - a $500,000 increase from 2022. 

Education and Transportation Fund

Fair Share Amendment:

$1 billion for education and transportation ($524 million for education and $477 million for transportation).

Universal School Meals

Funded at $176 million, Massachusetts becomes the 8th state in the United States now providing universal free school meals for K-12 students. 

MassReconnect

Provides funding of $20 million for individuals who are 25-years-old and above to attend a Massachusetts community college for free. This was also funded through the Fair Share Act.

Healthy Incentives Program (HIP)

Funded at $4.9 million - a $1 million increase from 2022 - it provides a dollar-for-dollar match for every SNAP dollar spent on fruits and vegetables. 

Efficiency and Regionalization Grants and Community Compact

Received $600,000 within the 1599-0026 account (MAPC had requested $2 million). 

Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP)

Funded at $179 million - an increase of $25 million from the year before - this program supports moving those who are homeless into stable housing. 

Regional Transit Authorities (RTA)

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection 

Funded at $52 million - an increase of $7 million from the prior year - to support the work of the Department. 

MAPC 60 years logo. Text says, "MAPC. 60 years. Metropolitan Area Planning Council." The logo includes a light green map of the region.

Did You Know?

The Metropolitan Mayors Coalition was established in 2001 to allow leaders of the urban core of Metro Boston to create solutions for common problems, with MAPC providing staff support and policy expertise.