Share Your Hot Ideas for Keeping Cool This Summer: Apply for a Keep Cool Somerville Grant

Do you have ideas on how to keep cool in the heat? The City of Somerville, in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, is now accepting applications for the Keep Cool Somerville Community Projects Grant Program to support creative and impactful cooling solutions this summer.  

Residents and community groups are invited to propose small-scale pilot projects to improve resilience to hot weather. A handful of projects will be funded to be implemented over the summer. No project is too small! Grants can range from several hundred dollars to just under $10,000. 

Potential projects could seek to raise awareness of extreme heat risks and coping strategies, improve access to cooling resources, promote mutual aid during heat waves, or any other idea that improves community resilience to hot weather, especially among residents most likely to be impacted. Grant applicants are encouraged, but not required, to draw on the Cooling Strategies Toolkit for inspiration.

There are several opportunities for interested applicants to get feedback or assistance before submitting a proposal. The project team is hosting a virtual Keep Cool Idea Workshop on Tuesday, May 4, at 6 p.m., as well as virtual coffee hours for community members to discuss potential projects and ask questions. Multilingual assistance is available. 

Applications are due Wednesday, May 26. For more information, including application instructions, virtual event links, and the Cooling Strategies Toolkit, visit somervillema.gov/keepcool.