FY 2027 Community Project Funding Requests

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING REQUESTS:

Ranking Member McGovern has submitted funding requests for important community projects in Massachusetts' Second District to the House Appropriations Committee. Under guidelines issued by the Appropriations Committee, each Representative may request funding for up to 20 projects in their community for Fiscal Year 2027, although only a handful may actually be funded.

TRANSPARENCY:

PROJECTS REQUESTED:

Project Name: Amherst College Astronomy Observatory Telescope

Amount of Request: $1,113,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Amherst College, 220 South Pleasant Street Amherst, MA 01002

Purpose of the Requested Funding: Amherst College will use the requested $1,113,000 to purchase a 28-inch reflecting telescope and corresponding scientific instrumentation. This acquisition will significantly expand the teaching and outreach capacity of the college, including service to students at the Five College Consortium of Amherst, Smith, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire Colleges and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, along with hundreds of local K-12 students from surrounding school districts and visitors throughout Western Massachusetts. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Athol Memorial Hospital Critical Infrastructure Modernization Project

Amount of Request: $1,600,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Athol Memorial Hospital, 2033 Main Street, Athol, MA 10331

Purpose of the Requested Funding: Athol Memorial Hospital will use these funds to upgrade essential infrastructure and ensure safe, reliable operations at this vital rural healthcare facility. Planned improvements include elevator refurbishment, roof replacement, HVAC upgrades, and smokestack repairs. As a Critical Access Hospital serving a healthcare shortage area, these upgrades are necessary to maintain safety, accessibility, and uninterrupted care for the community. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Church Street and Linwood Avenue Bridge Repairs in Northbridge

Amount of request: $490,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of Northbridge, 11 Fletcher Street, Northbridge, MA 01588

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of Northbridge will use these funds to repair two bridges on Church Street and one bridge on Linwood Avenue to address structural deficiencies and preserve their long-term functionality. The work will help maintain safe and reliable transportation corridors for residents, emergency services, businesses, schools, and visitors. This project is necessary because portions of the bridge structures are deteriorating and existing conditions include unsound concrete, corroded reinforcing steel, and other structural deficiencies that could lead to potential bridge failure. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Community Health Connections Behavioral Health and Urgent Care Expansion

Amount of request: $611,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Community Health Connections Inc., 326 Nichols Road, Fitchburg, MA 01420

Purpose of the Requested Funding: Community Health Connections Inc. will use these funds to renovate 2,900 square feet of space at its Leominster Community Health and Urgent Care Center. The project will add eight behavioral health counseling rooms and four urgent care exam rooms, expanding the facility’s capacity. These improvements will increase access to affordable, convenient behavioral health services and urgent care for residents of North Central Massachusetts, helping to reduce pressure on local emergency departments. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: City of Greenfield for Shelburne Road Culvert Improvements

Amount of request: $1,000,000 

Intended Recipient and Full Address: City of Greenfield, 14 Court Square, Greenfield, MA 01301

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The City of Greenfield will use this funding to repair and rebuild the city’s stormwater culvert on Shelburne Road, which has been severely damaged and poses a risk to public safety and water quality. Shelburne Road is a major transportation and emergency route connecting western Franklin County to the regional hub of Greenfield. This is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the damage has already prevented proper water flow, increasing erosion that threatens structural integrity and water quality. If left unaddressed, the road will be rendered impassable, disrupting emergency services and other travel from rural areas. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Denholm Building Redevelopment in Worcester

Amount of request: $1,000,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: City of Worcester, 455 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The City of Worcester will use these funds to demolish the blighted former Denholm Building in Downtown Worcester, which will allow for the remediation of a brownfield site. This would serve as a catalyst for private investment for housing and retail space and turn an underutilized space into a place of commerce and increase employment opportunities. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Hilltown Community Health Centers Telemedicine Expansion

Amount of request: $750,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Hilltown Community Health Centers, 58 Old North Road, Worthington, MA 01098

Purpose of the Requested Funding: Hilltown Community Health Centers will use these funds to invest in telemedicine and health information technology to strengthen quality improvement (QI) capacity and expand access to care for underserved patients. Funding will support the acquisition of HIPAA‑compliant telehealth equipment, remote patient monitoring tools, and QI data infrastructure to enable real‑time tracking of access, utilization, and outcomes. By integrating telemedicine into routine care, the project will reduce barriers related to transportation, childcare, and workforce shortages while improving continuity of care. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Main Street Demolition and Site Clearance in Athol

Amount of request: $1,000,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of Athol, 584 Main Street, Athol, MA 01331

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of Athol will use these funds to demolish a blighted building in the heart of its downtown that poses risks to public safety and impedes local development. Its removal and site clearance will enable a redesign of the municipal parking area and support the future development of 75 housing units on Main Street, Exchange Street, and South Street. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Medway Municipal Complex

Amount of Request: $5,000,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of Medway, 155 Village Street, Medway, MA 02053

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of Medway will use these funds to construct a new Municipal Complex which will include a state-of-the-art and environmentally conscious Fire Station, Police Station, and Town Hall. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Olympia Drive Reconstruction and Water Service Upgrades in Amherst

Amount of request: $3,000,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of Amherst, 4 Boltwood Avenue, Amherst, MA 01002

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of Amherst will use these funds to install approximately 2,500 linear feet of upgraded water service to support the reconstruction of an apartment building destroyed in a fire that displaced 236 tenants, as well as an additional apartment building under construction. The town has indicated that water supply constraints were identified as a significant safety concern and that upgraded service will be necessary for future development. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Sholan Farms Water and Sewer Expansion in Leominster

Amount of request: $6,005,230

Intended Recipient and Full Address: City of Leominster, 25 West Street, Leominster, MA 01453

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The City of Leominster will use these funds to extend water and sewer systems and complete sidewalks in an area with no underground utilities and very little drainage to allow for the expansion of Sholan Farms and assist with housing development in an area that currently relies on wells and septic systems. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Shrewsbury Senior Center Resilience and Food Security Hub Expansion

Amount of Request: $4,000,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of Shrewsbury, 100 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of Shrewsbury will use these funds to construct a 2,500 square foot addition and complete targeted renovations at the Shrewsbury Senior Center, providing the physical capacity to ensure reliable support services for older adults in the community. Improvements include replacing the HVAC system, installing a backup generator, adding private outreach and benefit-navigation offices, and increasing flexible programming space for seniors. The project will also expand the food pantry to strengthen long-term food security for Shrewsbury’s growing senior population. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: South Deerfield Wastewater Treatment Facility

Amount of request: $2,121,450

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of Deerfield, 8 Conway Street Deerfield, MA 01373

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of Deerfield will use these funds to improve the South Deerfield Wastewater Treatment Facility, which supports over 40% of the town’s residents, local businesses, schools, and emergency services. This investment will protect public health, preserve local and regional economic stability, and strengthen resilience for the Connecticut River watershed, delivering benefits that extend to downstream communities. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Templeton Fire Department Ladder Truck

Amount of request: $2,500,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of Templeton, 160 Patriots Road, Templeton, MA 01438

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of Templeton will use these funds to purchase a new ladder truck for the town’s fire department, which will replace a 20-year-old ladder truck that is not large enough to reach the top of many buildings in the community.  Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Town of Barre for Williamsville Road and Valley Road Water Main Improvements

Amount of request: $1,500,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of Barre, 40 West Street, Barre, MA 01005

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of Barre will use these funds to replace over 2,300 linear feet of critical water infrastructure, including degraded water mains that have caused frequent ruptures and present health risks from hazardous materials including asbestos. The project includes new service connections, valves, hydrants, fittings, appurtenances, and temporary water mains needed for installation. This is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because these structural upgrades will provide clean and safe drinking water for the town’s residents, who currently experience water service failures almost weekly, which results in costly repairs and prolonged periods without potable water. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: University of Massachusetts Amherst Quantum Communications Corridor

Amount of request: $1,290,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: University of Massachusetts Amherst,  300 Massachusetts Ave, Amherst, MA 01003

Purpose of the Requested Funding: University of Massachusetts Amherst will use the requested $1,290,000 to deploy and connect quantum networking capabilities between the University and the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke. Key features of the corridor include the Living Laboratory, which will provide a real-world testbed for quantum networking technologies; workforce training programs that give students hands-on experience with operational quantum systems; and additional applied research efforts to accelerate the transition of quantum networking concepts from lab-scale demonstrations to deployable systems. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: West Boylston Fire Department Ladder Truck

Amount of request: $1,800,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Town of West Boylston, 140 Worcester Street West Boylston, MA 01583

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The Town of West Boylston will use these funds to purchase a new ladder truck for the town’s fire department, which will replace a 27-year-old ladder truck that has been experiencing major mechanical failures. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Worcester Auditorium Accessible Entrance Construction

Amount of request: $5,000,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: City of Worcester, 455 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608

Purpose of the Requested Funding: The City of Worcester will use these funds to support construction of a new accessible entrance to the Worcester Auditorium. This blighted building has been vacant for 25 years, hindering economic revitalization along North Main Street and Downtown Worcester. This investment will help remove unsafe conditions, modernize building systems, improve energy efficiency, and return a long-dormant civic asset to productive use as a multipurpose community center. The revitalized facility will provide space for social, educational, recreational, and cultural activities, along with expanded opportunities for small business participation and job creation associated with venue operations and increased downtown activity. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Worcester Regional Airport Taxiway Extension

Amount of request: $4,500,000

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Massachusetts Port Authority, 1 Harborside Drive, East Boston MA 02128

Purpose of the Requested Funding: Massachusetts Port Authority will use these funds for permitting, design, and construction of taxiway connections at Worcester Regional Airport to provide taxi capabilities for the full length of the runway. This would enhance airfield safety by reducing runway occupancy time and would prevent aircraft from having to back-taxi to either runway. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.

Project Name: Worcester State University Early College Astronomy and Data Science Module

Amount of request: $806,803

Intended Recipient and Full Address: Worcester State University, 486 Chandler Street, Worcester, MA 01602

Purpose of the Requested Funding: Worcester State University will use the requested $806,803 to develop and implement Early College curricular modules in astronomy and data science. Classes will utilize hands-on astronomy experiments and archival datasets of NASA missions and teach methods of modern data-driven research. Modular lessons and labs will initially be offered in the summer Early College program, and then widely implemented both in Worcester State University’s physics and astronomy curriculum. Click here for a signed letter certifying that Ranking Member McGovern has no financial interest in the project.