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H 5187

An Act creating the engaging neighborhoods, organizations, unions, governments and households fund

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by James Arena-DeRosa and 3 co-sponsors

Creates the ENOUGH Fund to grant place-based, multi-sector programs reducing poverty in distressed MA neighborhoods, guided by an equity-focused advisory committee.

Accompanied a new draft, see H5560
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Bill Summary · H 5187

Summary of Bill H.5187 (194th MA General Court)

Title: An Act creating the Engaging Neighborhoods, Organizations, Unions, Governments and Households Fund (ENOUGH Fund)

Sponsor: Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian; Rep. Antonio F. D. Cabral

Jurisdiction: Massachusetts, General Court

Bill Status: Filed January 16, 2026; action history shows referral and committee activity in 2026, with a hearing scheduled May 7, 2026

1) Primary purpose and intent

  • Establish a new dedicated fund, the ENOUGH Fund, to support a grant program aimed at reducing poverty and transforming distressed neighborhoods in Massachusetts.
  • Align housing, community development, education, health, and other services with a cradle-to-career, place-based approach to strengthen opportunities for children and families living in areas with high poverty or distress.
  • Create an advisory committee (ENOUGH Fund Advisory Committee) to guide grantmaking, ensure equity, and coordinate with state agencies.

2) Key provisions and changes

Creation and administration of the ENOUGH Fund

  • Establishes a separate fund within the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC).
  • Fund sources:
    • Appropriations, bond proceeds, or other money designated by the General Court
    • Funds from public and private sources (gifts, grants, donations)
    • Interest earnings
  • Funds are not subject to further appropriation; unspent funds at fiscal year end do not revert to the General Fund and remain available for the ENOUGH Fund.

Purpose and scope of the grant program

  • Objective: support community-driven, place-based strategies to reduce poverty and improve outcomes for children and families in distressed neighborhoods.
  • Focus areas include (but are not limited to):
    • Reducing concentrated poverty and expanding economic opportunity
    • Improving health, well-being, and safety
    • Providing cradle-to-career supports (education, training, care)
    • Connecting residents to quality jobs and in-demand occupations
    • Ensuring family-sustaining income, affordable housing, and access to health care
    • Supporting disability services, child welfare, justice-involved populations, and other vulnerable groups
    • Linking residents to benefits and support programs
    • Enhancing K-12 success via integrated student supports and enrichment
    • Leveraging additional funding from federal, local, and private sources
  • Emphasizes a comprehensive, multi-sector approach informed by data, evidence, and best practices.

Eligibility and place-based partnerships

  • Eligible applicants must form place-based partnerships in defined geographic areas.
  • Eligible entities include: non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, public schools or districts, local government offices (e.g., city/town manager, chief elected official), and neighborhood-based organizations.
  • Areas of focus: communities with >20% of children in poverty, high concentrations of low-income residents, or distress indicators (poverty concentration, obesity, academic failure, chronic absenteeism, delinquency, adjudication, or incarceration).

Grant tracks and timelines

  • Tracks include:
    • One-year Partnership Development Grants: establish partnerships, convene leaders, create shared visions and accountability frameworks.
    • Two-year Plan Development Grants: asset mapping, needs assessment, resident engagement, and development of comprehensive action plans.
    • Two-to-Four-year Implementation Grants: implement action plans, leverage additional funding, monitor progress, and foster ongoing community leadership.
  • Implementation grants may be extended up to two years if accountability data supports extension.

Application and review process

  • EOHLC, with advice from the ENOUGH Fund Advisory Committee, will run a transparent, competitive grant process.
  • Annual RFP with broad dissemination (at least in top five languages spoken in MA) and technical assistance for applicants to ensure equitable access.
  • Emphasis on cross-sector collaboration, equity, and engagement of people with lived experience.
  • Finalist site visits or interviews may be used to assess readiness and community involvement.
  • Priority for proposals serving chronically distressed communities and those demonstrating strong cross-sector partnerships and equity focus.

Performance measurement and data

  • Grantees must set baseline and performance targets aligned to metrics on poverty reduction, economic security, education outcomes, health, and safe communities.
  • Possible research-practice partnerships to study cradle-to-career pipelines, with state agencies coordinating data while respecting privacy laws.

Reporting and oversight

  • Annual report due by October 1 to the Governor and leadership of the Senate/House, detailing:
    • Fund sources and amounts, expenditures, projected funding needs
    • Grant recipients and grant sizes
    • Summaries of funded projects and performance data
    • Challenges and best practices
  • Report publicly accessible on the agency’s website.

ENOUGH Fund Advisory Committee

  • Composition includes:
    • Ex officio members (secretaries of Housing and Livable Communities; Health and Human Services; Education; Economic Development; Labor and Workforce Development; Transportation; Department of Transitional Assistance; President of the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency; Director of Rural Affairs)
    • Eight gubernatorial appointees with expertise in poverty-related issues and lived experience
  • Terms: 5 years, non-compensated (reimbursed for reasonable travel)
  • Responsibilities: advise the EOHLC on fund management, operations, and grant awards; review and approve grant applications recommended by EOHLC
  • Meetings: bi-annual minimum

3) Who and what would be affected

  • State agencies and departments represented on the ENOUGH Fund Advisory Committee
  • Local communities in distressed areas that form place-based partnerships
  • Non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, schools and districts, and local government offices seeking grants
  • Residents in target neighborhoods, especially families with children and people experiencing poverty or related vulnerabilities
  • Contractors and technical assistance providers supporting grantees

4) Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Creation of a new fund within the Massachusetts state budget framework
  • Establishment of a new advisory committee with a 5-year appointment term for members
  • Annual reporting cycle due by October 1 each year
  • Grant cycles with potential multi-year implementation (up to 2–4 years, extension possible)
  • Language-accessible RFP process (top five languages) and site visits for finalists
  • Required coordination with state agencies to align data while protecting privacy

Notes

  • The bill outlines a broad, equity-focused framework for place-based poverty reduction, combining housing, education, health, and economic supports.
  • Specific funding amounts are not provided in the text excerpt; appropriations would be determined by the General Court.
  • The ENOUGH Fund Advisory Committee has a broad mandate to incorporate diverse expertise and lived experience to guide funding decisions.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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