Boston, MA—Representative Jennifer Benson (D-Lunenburg) joined the Executive Office for Administration and Finance at the State House Thursday to recognize the Town of Acton, on behalf of CrossTown Connect, as a recipient of the Fiscal Year 2014 round of the Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) grant program.
CrossTown Connect is a Transportation Management Association (TMA) that was created as a partnership between Acton, Boxborough, Concord, Littleton, Maynard Stow, Westford, and private businesses. CrossTown Connect’s goal is to address the unmet employment-focused and demand-response transportation needs in the region. Over the past few years, CrossTown Connect has not only expanded to more towns and private businesses, but has also reached each of its set goals, such as brining 13 vans and 7 dispatch systems to the region.
“I want to thank the Patrick Administration and the Office of Administration and Finance for giving municipalities the opportunity to develop projects that will allow for regions to work together on critical services, such a regional transportation,” said Rep. Benson. “I was happy to join members of the Acton community, and CrossTown Connect, as they were acknowledged as a Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) grant recipient. CrossTown Connect has not only established long-lasting relationships among surrounding communities, but continues to create sustainable transportation options for members of the community.”
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The Community Innovation Challenge (CIC) grant program was developed by the Patrick Administration in 2012. The CIC program encourages and incentivizes regionalization based upon the belief that the most crucial and visible interactions between government and citizens occurs locally. The CIC grant program provides incentives, such as technical assistance, training, and other tone-time or transition funding for municipal leaders to work together to pursue innovative ways to deliver critical services to taxpayers more efficiently. Ideal projects for the grant program include those with the potential for greatest impact, high levels of innovation and substantial potential cost savings for municipalities. In three years, the program has invested $10.25 million into 95 grants that involve 242 cities and towns across the Commonwealth.
The town of Acton, on behalf of CrossTown Connect and partnering communities and businesses, will receive a CIC grant in the amount of $40,000.
