Metropolitan Area Planning Council opens applications for second MASM Academy cohort; applications due July 24

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is accepting applications for the second cohort of its Municipal Energy and Sustainability Managers (MASM) Academy, program staff said during an online information session. Julian Aser, senior climate energy planner at MAPC, said applications are due July 24 and organizers will notify accepted applicants by the end of August.

The academy is a state-funded workforce-development program intended to build municipal capacity to design and lead local clean-energy and climate initiatives. "We developed a curriculum" after focus groups and interviews to address onboarding and training gaps, Aser said. MAPC designed the program with partners including the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, National Grid, Eversource and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources, and said it received grant support to deliver trainings and support services.

Meksha, a clean energy and climate planner at MAPC, described participant benefits: "Participants also receive a $200 professional development stipend," and "upon successfully completing the program, you'll also receive a $300 completion stipend and a certificate." The academy will offer roughly 17–20 no-cost trainings (about two per month), monthly peer-learning network meetings, and monthly office hours for individualized support. Organizers said the presentation portion of trainings will be recorded and posted online, but Q&A segments will not be recorded to encourage open discussion.

The curriculum is organized into four units that cover foundational municipal sustainability knowledge, government policy and programs (including procurement laws and building energy codes), project development and implementation (decarbonization strategies, HVAC and solar fundamentals), and community engagement and equity (GHG inventories and climate action planning). Organizers said year 2 content will be refined based on feedback from the first cohort.

Eligibility and logistics: cohort 2 gives priority to energy advocates in the Community First Partnership but is open statewide to municipal staff working in sustainability, energy, facilities, schools or related functions. The program accepts both full‑time and part‑time municipal staff; organizers require supervisor sign-off on applications to confirm permission to use work time for program participation. To meet grant requirements participants must attend at least 70% of trainings. Two in‑person meetings are required: a kickoff in late September or early October and a year‑end wrap in July 2027; optional site visits will be scheduled between those meetings.

Organizers said they plan to accept about 25–35 participants for cohort 2. Applications and the detailed FAQ are posted on MAPC's website; organizers asked attendees to consult the program page for the official application link and contact email. Aser said MAPC will review applications in August and notify applicants by the end of that month, with orientation planned for late September or early October.

The session closed with staff encouragement to apply and an offer to stay on the call to answer additional questions.