CPA Applications & Instructions

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) helps communities preserve open space and historic resources, create affordable housing, and develop outdoor recreational facilities to benefit the public. 

The Town of Hingham typically distributes grants for CPA-eligible projects from the Hingham Community Preservation Fund once per year. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) accepts preliminary applications for projects in early September, final applications in early October (if the project is deemed CPA-eligible), conducts hearings for projects in November and January, and then in mid-January makes a recommendation on projects to send to Annual Town Meeting held in late April. CPA funds would be available for Annual Town Meeting-approved projects on July 1st after Annual Town Meeting.

1. Is your project available for CPA funds? Please carefully read the CPC Process Manual for information on eligibility requirements. No funding application will be accepted unless the Preliminary Eligibility Application has been submitted and approved by the CPC. 
2. Fill out the Project Eligibility Application, using the CPC Process Manual (Section 2.4) as a guide. Submit by email to cpc@hingham-ma.gov by the due date indicated on the application (usually early September).  No late applications are accepted unless there is an unusual circumstance, and a CPC vote to accept a late application is required. Applicants are notified in late September whether the project is considered eligible by the CPC for CPA funds.
3. If the CPC determines at its September meeting that the project is eligible for CPA funds, fill out the Final Application, using the CPC Process Manual (Section 2.4) as a guide. Submit by email to cpc@hingham-ma.gov by the due date indicated on the application. No late applications are accepted unless there is an unusual circumstance, and a CPC vote to accept a late application is required.

For next steps in the process, please consult the CPC Process Manual.