Cape and Islands License Plate Grant Program The Cape Cod Economic Development Council uses proceeds from the sale of the Cape and Islands license plate for regional economic development grants to non-profits and municipalities all across Cape Cod. During the past nine years, the EDC has awarded 171 grants totaling $2.8 million, representing 100% of the license plate revenues made available to the EDC during the time period. The EDC receives an annual appropriation of $400,000 in license plate revenue from the County for grantmaking purposes. The money comes from the County’s 35% share of statewide revenues generated from the sale of the Cape and Islands license plates. The EDC currently administers three grant programs. The Regional Economic Development Pilot Program (REDPP) supports long-term economic development goals within the municipalities of Barnstable County. The Small Grant Program provides seed money for collaborations and sustainable models among non-profits, municipalities in Barnstable County, agencies of Barnstable County, and non-profit/for-profit partnerships. Funds are focused on a variety of economic drivers. The Large Grant Program address regional infrastructure issues and economic development and workforce development initiatives that foster the acquisition of marketable skills and livable incomes. Regional Economic Development Pilot Program The Cape Cod Economic Development Council is beginning the second year of a new grant program called the Regional Economic Development Pilot Program (REDPP). The REDPP was launched in June 2005 as a pilot program with a goal of providing funding for up to three years to qualified projects. Eligible applicants are limited to the fifteen municipalities on Cape Cod. Collaboration with other public, private and nonprofit partners is strongly encouraged. Projects for which funds are requested must address one or more of the following funding priorities: workforce housing main street redevelopment renewable energy The primary goal is to help towns effectively address the funding priorities through either the expansion of current activities or the creation of new initiatives. Funding recipients will be asked to identify economic development projects that lead to measurable outcomes, involve partnerships with diverse constituencies, leverage multiple funding sources, have (at maximum) a three-year timetable, preserve community character, improve quality of life, foster a healthy economic climate, and reflect smart growth principles. A total pool of up to $225,000 was available for the REDPP in Year One. Applicants could apply for up to $75,000 per project in Year One. Funding for Years Two and Three will be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Year One applicants interested in applying for a REDPP grant were required to first submit a Concept Paper. Once Concept Papers were reviewed, applicants whose projects were selected for further consideration were asked to submit full proposals. The application process and deadlines for Year One applications are described in detail in the Applications Guidelines. Review of applications for continuation funding from the four towns funded in Year One of the program are now underway. No new applications are being accepted now. Small Grant Program The Call for Letters of Intent for the 2007/2008 Small Grants Program is now available. Please click here to view the Call for Letters of Intent. Twenty-five percent of the funds ($100,000) are allocated by the EDC for its small grants program. The small grant program provides up to $25,000 per project for early stage planning or implementation, the retention or expansion of existing programs, and initiatives that promote new economic activity. It encourages meaningful collaborations and sustainable models among non-profits, educational institutions, municipalities in Barnstable County, agencies of Barnstable County, and non-profit/for-profit partnerships. The program’s focus includes arts and culture, commercial revitalization, technology, marine and environmental science and technology, education and workforce development, healthcare, clean energy, infrastructure and other related areas. The small grant program is administered once a year using a two-step process. In the first step, announced in the fall of each year, a Call for Letters of Intent is made available to the public. Following the submission of Letters of Intent, a committee of the EDC reviews the Letters of Intent to determine which project proposals will receive further consideration. In the second step, the selected applicants are invited to submit comprehensive project proposals, which are reviewed for the purpose of determining final grant awards. Awards are usually issued in February/March of each year. Large Grant Program Seventy-five percent of the funds ($300,000) are allocated by the EDC for its large grant program. The program provides up to $100,000 per project for projects that address regional infrastructure issues and economic development and workforce development initiatives that foster the acquisition of marketable skills and livable incomes. The large grant program encourages meaningful collaborations and sustainable models among non-profits, educational institutions, municipalities in Barnstable County, agencies of Barnstable County, and non-profit/for-profit partnerships. The program is administered using a two-step process that begins when an applicant submits a Letter of Intent. Letters of Intent can be submitted to the large grant program anytime throughout the year. A committee of the EDC meets to review Letters of Intent on an as-needed basis. If the Letter of Intent is selected for further consideration the applicant is invited to submit a comprehensive project proposal for additional review. A full description of the application process is described in the Large Grant Program Application Guidelines. A Cover Sheet, to be submitted with the Large Grant Program Application, is required.		RECENT GRANTS a $50,000 grant to the OpenCape Collaborative will boost efforts to install a high-speed wireless broadband network from Bourne to Provincetown with links to Plymouth and Dartmouth. The new network will provide an additional broadband access option for public and private users up and down the Cape, greatly reduce existing connectivity gaps, and create new economic development opportunities for the region's myriad businesses and institutions. The collaborative is spearheaded by Cape Cod Community College, Cape Cod Technology Council, UMass-Dartmouth, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. A partnership between the Town of Provincetown, the Provincetown Economic Development Council (PEDC), and the Cape Cod Economic Development Council of Barnstable County (CCEDC) is helping the town take a closer look at its economy. With a Cape and Islands license plate grant for $49,950 awarded by the Barnstable County Commissioners and administered by the CCEDC, the town is working closely with its partners and economic development consultants from Mt. Auburn Associates, Inc. of Somerville, MA to collect and analyze selected local economic data. The study will set the stage for the future development of a long-term economic development strategy and provide a model methodology for other Cape Cod towns. A grant for $25,000 to the Cape and Islands Workforce Investment Board will go towards implementing a job training program for 55+ mature workers. The program has three parts: 1) outreach aimed at the business community; 2) job matching service for businesses looking for 55+ workers; 3) training a group of 55+ workers for jobs in the Cape's insurance industry. A two-year grant for $75,000 to the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod was used to expand a successful business training program for visual artists started by the Lower Cape Cod Community Development Corporation. The New Markets for Artists Program offers three intensive weekend workshops and 15 follow-up sessions to 45 artists over a two year period. Collaborating partners include the Falmouth Artists Guild, Cape Cod Community College, and the Lower Cape Cod CDC. Regional Economic Development Pilot Program Grants A $75,000 grant to the Town of Barnstable will help the town to implement an Economic Stimulus Plan. As part of the revitalization of Hyannis Main Street, the Town of Barnstable seeks to encourage mixed use development in accordance with design guidelines, implement streetscape improvements and year-round cultural events, and streamline and clarify the permitting process. The three-year plan represents a natural extension of revitalization efforts that the Town has been engaged in over the past five years. It also demonstrates the degree to which Town leaders have embraced the importance of diverse cultural and historic assets while at the same time recognizing the need to provide mixed use opportunities to invigorate Hyannis’ year-round economy. The Town has identified 11 project milestones for the first year of the project. A grant for $50,250 to the Town of Yarmouth will assist the implementation of the Route 28 Village Center Project. Working with outside consultants, the Town has developed recommendations for the location of several village or activity centers along the Route 28 corridor including a medical mixed use area, two retail-oriented centers, a mixed use marine village and park, a traditional village center and four activity centers where housing and /or motel redevelopment could be encouraged. The grant will enable Yarmouth to conduct a market analysis on both commercial and residential properties, conduct a build-out analysis to better understand the implications of proposed zoning changes in each of the areas, and conduct visualizations to help the Town garner public support for zoning changes recommended for the prioritized areas. A grant for $50,250 to the Town of Harwich will support the East Harwich Village Center Initiative. The initiative is a long-term program designed to enhance the safety, economic viability, community character and quality of life in and around an area that is experiencing rapid commercial development without the benefit of a village plan. Currently, development is not occurring in a fashion that promotes a village identity, provides meaningful pedestrian connections, or addresses the Town’s needs for workforce housing. The East Harwich Village Center Initiative will afford the Town an opportunity to address the future of the commercial district and surrounding undeveloped lands through the design and implementation of a vision and land use and infrastructure plan that is developed through a public process. A grant to the Town of Eastham for $49,500 will be used to help fund the development of up to 40 deed restricted workforce housing units consisting of a mixture of first-time home buyer and rental units. One project involves a former gas station on Route 6 which was abandoned by its previous owner and has since been cleaned by the DEP. The Town is proposing to develop five one-bedroom units on the site. A second project involves a Town-owned parcel known as the Campbell-Purcell property located on Holmes Road. The Town has proposed building approximately 30 units on the site. Potential sites for building up to five additional scattered site units will also be identified.

Cape and Islands License Plate Grant Program

The Cape Cod Economic Development Council uses proceeds from the sale of the Cape and Islands license plate for regional economic development grants to non-profits and municipalities all across Cape Cod. During the past nine years, the EDC has awarded 171 grants totaling $2.8 million, representing 100% of the license plate revenues made available to the EDC during the time period. The EDC receives an annual appropriation of $400,000 in license plate revenue from the County for grantmaking purposes. The money comes from the County’s 35% share of statewide revenues generated from the sale of the Cape and Islands license plates.

The EDC currently administers three grant programs. The Regional Economic Development Pilot Program (REDPP) supports long-term economic development goals within the municipalities of Barnstable County. The Small Grant Program provides seed money for collaborations and sustainable models among non-profits, municipalities in Barnstable County, agencies of Barnstable County, and non-profit/for-profit partnerships. Funds are focused on a variety of economic drivers. The Large Grant Program address regional infrastructure issues and economic development and workforce development initiatives that foster the acquisition of marketable skills and livable incomes.

Regional Economic Development Pilot Program

The Cape Cod Economic Development Council is beginning the second year of a new grant program called the Regional Economic Development Pilot Program (REDPP). The REDPP was launched in June 2005 as a pilot program with a goal of providing funding for up to three years to qualified projects. Eligible applicants are limited to the fifteen municipalities on Cape Cod. Collaboration with other public, private and nonprofit partners is strongly encouraged. Projects for which funds are requested must address one or more of the following funding priorities:

workforce housing
main street redevelopment
renewable energy

The primary goal is to help towns effectively address the funding priorities through either the expansion of current activities or the creation of new initiatives. Funding recipients will be asked to identify economic development projects that lead to measurable outcomes, involve partnerships with diverse constituencies, leverage multiple funding sources, have (at maximum) a three-year timetable, preserve community character, improve quality of life, foster a healthy economic climate, and reflect smart growth principles.

A total pool of up to $225,000 was available for the REDPP in Year One. Applicants could apply for up to $75,000 per project in Year One. Funding for Years Two and Three will be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Year One applicants interested in applying for a REDPP grant were required to first submit a Concept Paper. Once Concept Papers were reviewed, applicants whose projects were selected for further consideration were asked to submit full proposals.

The application process and deadlines for Year One applications are described in detail in the Applications Guidelines.

Review of applications for continuation funding from the four towns funded in Year One of the program are now underway. No new applications are being accepted now.

Small Grant Program

The Call for Letters of Intent for the 2007/2008 Small Grants Program is now available.

Please click here to view the Call for Letters of Intent.

Twenty-five percent of the funds ($100,000) are allocated by the EDC for its small grants program. The small grant program provides up to $25,000 per project for early stage planning or implementation, the retention or expansion of existing programs, and initiatives that promote new economic activity. It encourages meaningful collaborations and sustainable models among non-profits, educational institutions, municipalities in Barnstable County, agencies of Barnstable County, and non-profit/for-profit partnerships. The program’s focus includes arts and culture, commercial revitalization, technology, marine and environmental science and technology, education and workforce development, healthcare, clean energy, infrastructure and other related areas.

The small grant program is administered once a year using a two-step process. In the first step, announced in the fall of each year, a Call for Letters of Intent is made available to the public. Following the submission of Letters of Intent, a committee of the EDC reviews the Letters of Intent to determine which project proposals will receive further consideration. In the second step, the selected applicants are invited to submit comprehensive project proposals, which are reviewed for the purpose of determining final grant awards. Awards are usually issued in February/March of each year.

Large Grant Program
Seventy-five percent of the funds ($300,000) are allocated by the EDC for its large grant program. The program provides up to $100,000 per project for projects that address regional infrastructure issues and economic development and workforce development initiatives that foster the acquisition of marketable skills and livable incomes. The large grant program encourages meaningful collaborations and sustainable models among non-profits, educational institutions, municipalities in Barnstable County, agencies of Barnstable County, and non-profit/for-profit partnerships.

The program is administered using a two-step process that begins when an applicant submits a Letter of Intent. Letters of Intent can be submitted to the large grant program anytime throughout the year. A committee of the EDC meets to review Letters of Intent on an as-needed basis. If the Letter of Intent is selected for further consideration the applicant is invited to submit a comprehensive project proposal for additional review.

A full description of the application process is described in the Large Grant Program Application Guidelines. A Cover Sheet, to be submitted with the Large Grant Program Application, is required.

RECENT GRANTS

a $50,000 grant to the OpenCape Collaborative will boost efforts to install a high-speed wireless broadband network from Bourne to Provincetown with links to Plymouth and Dartmouth. The new network will provide an additional broadband access option for public and private users up and down the Cape, greatly reduce existing connectivity gaps, and create new economic development opportunities for the region's myriad businesses and institutions. The collaborative is spearheaded by Cape Cod Community College, Cape Cod Technology Council, UMass-Dartmouth, and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

A partnership between the Town of Provincetown, the Provincetown Economic Development Council (PEDC), and the Cape Cod Economic Development Council of Barnstable County (CCEDC) is helping the town take a closer look at its economy. With a Cape and Islands license plate grant for $49,950 awarded by the Barnstable County Commissioners and administered by the CCEDC, the town is working closely with its partners and economic development consultants from Mt. Auburn Associates, Inc. of Somerville, MA to collect and analyze selected local economic data. The study will set the stage for the future development of a long-term economic development strategy and provide a model methodology for other Cape Cod towns.

A grant for $25,000 to the Cape and Islands Workforce Investment Board will go towards implementing a job training program for 55+ mature workers. The program has three parts: 1) outreach aimed at the business community; 2) job matching service for businesses looking for 55+ workers; 3) training a group of 55+ workers for jobs in the Cape's insurance industry.

A two-year grant for $75,000 to the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod was used to expand a successful business training program for visual artists started by the Lower Cape Cod Community Development Corporation. The New Markets for Artists Program offers three intensive weekend workshops and 15 follow-up sessions to 45 artists over a two year period. Collaborating partners include the Falmouth Artists Guild, Cape Cod Community College, and the Lower Cape Cod CDC.

Regional Economic Development

Pilot Program Grants

A $75,000 grant to the Town of Barnstable will help the town to implement an Economic Stimulus Plan. As part of the revitalization of Hyannis Main Street, the Town of Barnstable seeks to encourage mixed use development in accordance with design guidelines, implement streetscape improvements and year-round cultural events, and streamline and clarify the permitting process. The three-year plan represents a natural extension of revitalization efforts that the Town has been engaged in over the past five years. It also demonstrates the degree to which Town leaders have embraced the importance of diverse cultural and historic assets while at the same time recognizing the need to provide mixed use opportunities to invigorate Hyannis’ year-round economy. The Town has identified 11 project milestones for the first year of the project.

A grant for $50,250 to the Town of Yarmouth will assist the implementation of the Route 28 Village Center Project. Working with outside consultants, the Town has developed recommendations for the location of several village or activity centers along the Route 28 corridor including a medical mixed use area, two retail-oriented centers, a mixed use marine village and park, a traditional village center and four activity centers where housing and /or motel redevelopment could be encouraged. The grant will enable Yarmouth to conduct a market analysis on both commercial and residential properties, conduct a build-out analysis to better understand the implications of proposed zoning changes in each of the areas, and conduct visualizations to help the Town garner public support for zoning changes recommended for the prioritized areas.

A grant for $50,250 to the Town of Harwich will support the East Harwich Village Center Initiative. The initiative is a long-term program designed to enhance the safety, economic viability, community character and quality of life in and around an area that is experiencing rapid commercial development without the benefit of a village plan. Currently, development is not occurring in a fashion that promotes a village identity, provides meaningful pedestrian connections, or addresses the Town’s needs for workforce housing. The East Harwich Village Center Initiative will afford the Town an opportunity to address the future of the commercial district and surrounding undeveloped lands through the design and implementation of a vision and land use and infrastructure plan that is developed through a public process.

A grant to the Town of Eastham for $49,500 will be used to help fund the development of up to 40 deed restricted workforce housing units consisting of a mixture of first-time home buyer and rental units. One project involves a former gas station on Route 6 which was abandoned by its previous owner and has since been cleaned by the DEP. The Town is proposing to develop five one-bedroom units on the site. A second project involves a Town-owned parcel known as the Campbell-Purcell property located on Holmes Road. The Town has proposed building approximately 30 units on the site. Potential sites for building up to five additional scattered site units will also be identified.