MassDevelopment’s “Commonwealth Places” is a funding mechanism to advance community-driven placemaking in downtown and neighborhood commercial districts throughout Massachusetts.
Placemaking is a process through which people in communities work together to improve public spaces. While urban design and economic development are central to placemaking, the most significant component is the community process and programming that can facilitate social interaction, spark public discourse and increase local capacity and engagement.
The program aims to engage and mobilize community members to make individual contributions through a crowdfunding platform, managed by our partner Patronicity, with the incentive of a dollar-for dollar funding match of up to $50,000 from MassDevelopment if the crowdfunding goal is reached within 60 days.
Projects should be proposed on Patronicity’s webpage. Any member of the community can propose a project but it must have the support of at least one local public or non-profit sponsor in order to move forward in the application review process and be considered for a grant award. Once a project has been approved, Patronicity will assist project sponsors with their fundraising efforts to help ensure successful crowdfunding campaigns.