FRAMINGHAM - During their meeting on Monday, July 8, members of the Framingham Community Preservation Committee (CPC) outlined their preparations for their annual application process.

The CPC recommends projects proposed by local residents and groups that could benefit from funding through the state’s Community Preservation Act (CPA). For the 2024 fiscal year, the CPC recommended 13 projects for final approval from the City Council. Those plans totaled about $3 million through the CPA, as the money was used to benefit community housing, recreational spaces, and the preservation of historic sites in the city.

Residents, non-profit organizations, and municipal departments are all eligible to apply for CPA funding for projects. Per the committee’s guidelines, these proposals must have a “clear public benefit.”

Leading up to the start of the application process this summer, CPC members such as Vice Chair Karen Margolis highlighted the importance of clarifying what work would be eligible for support and what information would be required within applications.

“Last year, we had an application for a trail, but it was a trail through city streets,” Margolis explained during Monday’s meeting.

“The applicants need to know that it has to be on land that either is currently under conservation, or parkland, or land that will be put under permanent conservation restrictions—so it can’t be our city sidewalks.”

CPC members mentioned their intention to ramp up outreach efforts in order to get the word out about the application process for the new fiscal year and to provide equitable opportunities across the city.

The application process will open on July 22, with project eligibility forms becoming available on that date. Eligibility forms are due on September 3, while the deadline to submit full applications for CPA money will be November 18.

An information session for prospective applications will be held in-person at the Memorial Building and virtually on Zoom at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 29. CPC members added that a replay of that meeting will be provided.

For more details on the CPA process, click here.