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Committee to beef up outreach, partnerships after Cashman Park resiliency grant feedback
Summary
A previously submitted Cashman Park resiliency study grant was not funded; the state praised the technical case but asked the city to strengthen environmental-justice outreach and partner involvement, prompting the committee to plan partner outreach and to prepare a stronger application next year.
The Newburyport Resiliency Committee reviewed feedback on a Cashman Park resiliency study grant the city submitted for fiscal 2026 and discussed steps to strengthen outreach and partnerships for a future application.
Committee member (S1) said the grant'the technical case was strong but reviewers told the city its "environmental justice outreach and our partnerships, sections, needed to be beefed up." The committee agreed it lacked time the prior year to build partner relationships and committed to using the coming year to identify and structure partners who could be funded as subcontracted outreach partners in a resubmission.
Members discussed possible partner types, including local nonprofits, housing authority connections and service providers that focus on seniors, renters and flood-zone residents. Committee member (S4) asked whether contractors could be engaged under the grant in addition to nonprofits; members agreed to verify grant rules while drafting a partner list. Committee member (S6) said she had contacted grant staff (including Purvi Patel) requesting examples of funded projects to guide the city's application strategy.
The committee directed a short-term work plan: identify five to six partner organizations, draft an outreach structure and produce documentation the city can include in a future grant application. They will also coordinate with the Woods Hole Group contact to gather outreach program examples tied to similar grants.
