The Chelsea 500 movement has been awarded a $65,000 grant from the state, aimed at helping them secure employment opportunities for 500 or more residents at the Encore Boston Harbor casino.
Emerging from several existing community groups last fall, the Chelsea 500 has been organizing open houses and informational sessions for residents interested in entering the pipeline for the 5,000 or more jobs expected to be filled at the casino by June.
Chelsea 500 works with the city, local businesses, and non-profits to build a workforce pipeline, ensuring that 500 or more residents can gain the skills needed to apply for positions at Encore Boston Harbor, with the goal of securing employment for at least 200 of them. While the initial focus is on the casino, the long-term aim is to develop a sustainable workforce training model that can benefit other local businesses as well.
Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito recently announced $500,000 in funding for nine projects, including the Chelsea 500, through the Urban Agenda Grant Program. The initiative highlights community-driven approaches to local challenges and supports economic development through collaboration, problem-solving, and shared responsibility in urban areas.
Established by the Baker-Polito Administration in 2016, the Urban Agenda Grant Program offers competitive grants with flexible funding for local efforts that unite community stakeholders to advance economic development. The grants announced today will support workforce training, small business growth, and entrepreneurship across eight communities: Barnstable, Boston, Chelsea, Fitchburg, Lawrence, Lowell, Springfield, and Worcester.
“When we empower local
leaders and projects that thoughtfully address the unique issues facing our
urban centers, we have an outsized impact on the lives of residents,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “The Urban Agenda Grant Program relies on the
strong partnerships between local government, non-profits and the business
community that are critical to fostering economic success and building stronger
neighborhoods in every region in Massachusetts.”
The Urban Agenda Grant Program provides financial support to communities working to create economic opportunities and provide workforce training. The program favors projects that use collaborative models, emphasizing strong partnerships between community organizations and local governments. Priority is given to initiatives that promote collaboration, shared responsibility, and the development of leadership at the local level.