License Plate Grant Funds Awarded for COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency Projects

Aug 26, 2021

Funds to support local and regional recovery efforts

The Cape Cod Commission, on behalf of the Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners and the Barnstable County Economic Development Council (BCEDC), is pleased to announce the award of $149,868 in grant funds through the Barnstable County License Plate Grant Program to support COVID-19 Recovery and Resiliency projects.

The Barnstable County Board of Regional Commissioners voted unanimously to award the following eight grants: 

$20,000 to Duffy Health Services to develop a business plan for a medical respite program for Cape Cod. The project seeks to explore models, design the program, identify costs, financing and sustainability options and solidify partnership investments. The program will relieve economic and resource stress points and reduce the number of unsheltered homeless individuals living in unsafe and unsanitary locations.
$20,000 to Cape Cod Health Ministry to provide a variety of programs to stimulate mental health and healing from stress related to the pandemic targeting immigrant communities. Programs will include women’s self-defense, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Taekwondo and karate for children, fitness, dance, counseling groups and AA meetings.
$13,750 to Cape Cod Young Professionals to provide small business owners with training, tools and access to resources to adapt, diversify and expand skillsets and to provide education and workforces development opportunities to support wage growth. CCYP will develop a framework for a sustainable mentoring program, develop and launch a professional development workshop series, and implement a Cape women’s leadership initiative.
$20,000 to Entrepreneurship For All Cape Cod to fund programs that advance economic and social impact on Cape Cod through inclusive entrepreneurship. Programs will include pitch contests for local entrepreneurs, recruit 30 entrepreneurs for an Accelerator (12 month) Program and implement two cohorts, tracking success of ventures/alumni.
$20,000 to Downtown Hyannis Community Development Corporation to fund a Local Business Boost Pilot Program that offers one on one technical assistance and implementation support to small businesses in downtown Hyannis to assist in their recovery and help gain a competitive advantage. A database of local business service providers and application process materials translated into multiple languages will be developed.
$21,618 to Housing Assistance Corporation to fund the My Home Plus Home report and toolkit to support homeowners/owns in the creation of more ADUs. The funding will provide technical assistance to homeowners and promotional materials and best practices to help towns to streamline development of ADUs including a more comprehensive marketing plan.
$17,000 to the Town of Harwich to stimulate the economic vitality of Harwich Center and improve access and walkability in the village through a safety improvement program for the Old Colony Rail Trail crossing on Oak Street. The project also supports a long-term goal of creating a complete shared use path system across the Cape. The town will procure and install crossing beacon equipment for its Old Colony Rail Trail and Oak Street Safety Improvement project.
$17,500 to Cape Cod BMX to assist in relocating the BMX track on Cape Cod to increase access. Cape Cod BMX will be relocated from Joint Base Cape Cod in Bourne to Quaker Meetinghouse Road in Sandwich, increasing economic development opportunities in Sandwich and surrounding areas.

The Barnstable County License Plate Grant Program, funded by proceeds from the sale of Cape Cod and Islands specialty license plates, is intended to support regional priorities for economic development and achievement of long-term economic diversity and sustainability. This funding was made available to local or regional governmental or nonprofit agencies for projects that support recovery efforts from the COVID-19 pandemic and resiliency to such impacts in the future. Projects proposed were required to address an economic impact of the pandemic and align with and support implementation of the region’s Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS).