CMA 2026-197 · Agenda item attachment · Jun 22 2026

CMA 2026-197 IN CITY COUNCIL June 22, 2026 To the Honorable, the City Council: Cambridge-based and Cambridge-serving organizations which provide critical services to victims and survivors of crime including domestic violence and sexual assault, have reported significant funding reductions through the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA), which provides essential support to local organizations through federal funds. These funding reductions will have serious impacts on direct services, including reductions in clinical support, legal advocacy, housing stabilization, food and transportation assistance, culturally responsive services, multilingual services, and staffing capacity. The Federal Grant Stabilization Fund was established to help address the impact of federal funding and policy changes that will affect vulnerable Cambridge residents. Most recently, during the federal government shutdown and with the threat of SNAP benefits being cut to thousands of Cambridge households and families, the City utilized this funding to quickly respond and meet the immediate need as well as strengthen efforts in food security in our community. We are grateful to have partnered with the Cambridge Community Foundation (CCF) during the SNAP crisis. Over the last weeks, we have met with the five organizations affected by MOVA cuts, as well as CCF and the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition. We’re thankful that the CCF is able to provide for $125,000 of emergency funding to address this funding gap and the partnership between CCF and the City is one of community’s core strengths. Further, I am requesting an appropriation in the amount of $625,000 from the Federal Grant Stabilization Fund to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account. This funding will support the continuation of services for victims and survivors of crime as well as assistance related to legal advocacy, counseling, crisis response and intervention, and prevention programming and will go to the five Cambridge-based and Cambridge-serving organizations impacted by FY27 MOVA cuts.

We will work with CCF and the nonprofits to determine an appropriate allocation of funding and execute grant agreements. The City will also continue to engage the wider nonprofit community to assess the scope and consequences of federal funding reductions on Cambridge's safety net services. As of June 22, 2026, the Federal Grant Stabilization Fund has a current balance of $3,750,000. Very truly yours, Yi-An Huang City Manager

City of Cambridge A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation, in the amount of $625,000, from the Federal Grant Stabilization Fund to the Grant Fund Human Service Programs Other Ordinary Maintenance account.