Grant Funding Obtained for Gardner

OVER $36,276,069 IN GRANT FUNDING HAS BEEN AWARDED TO GARDNER IN MAYOR NICHOLSON’S TENURE

Mayor Nicholson has made it a priority to go after every grant opportunity for the City that is possible. He has often been quoted as saying “if our tax dollars are going to fund these programs, we should be doing everything we can to bring those tax dollars back into our community.” From contracting with a full time grant writing firm to apply for the myriad of new federal programs, to working with existing City staff to continue the progress that has already been made, these efforts have truly made a difference in Gardner.

Mayor Nicholson and Congresswoman Trahan holds a press conference at Williams Restaurant regarding the ARPA Grant Funding. Gardner received $6.1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Federal Grant Funding Received

  • FY2021 – $3,628,697
  • FY2022 – $9,429,900
  • FY2023 – $8,637,758
  • FY2024 – $24,911 as of August 7, 2023*

*Number does not include $1,000,000 Federal Earmark awarded to City to replace the City’s only Water Transmission Line connecting the Crystal Lake Water Treatment Plant to the James Street Water Storage Towers.

State Grant Funding Received

  • FY2021 – $5,123,193
  • FY2022 – $5,368,502
  • FY2023 – $4,040,498**
  • FY2024 – $22,651 as of August 7, 2023***

**Number does not include $400,000 State Earmark received for renovations to convert the former Waterford Street School into a new Community Center

Mayor Nicholson attends the Commonwealth’s MassTrails Grant Award Ceremony in June of 2023. The City received $500,000 in this round of funding.

***Number does not include the $200,000 grant to extend fiberoptic cable from City Hall to the Waterford Street School Community Center, Gardner High School, Police Department, and the Public Safety Radio Facility.
This number also does not include the $1,650,000 Community Development Block Grant received by the city for various projects. These numbers will be incorporated in the total once the City receives the funding from the Commonwealth. To date, the City has just received the award letter notifications of these items.