FY 2027 CPA Project Eligibility Application Form

The Carlisle Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is soliciting project proposals under the Community Preservation Act (CPA) beginning November 10, 2025. 

To be eligible for consideration by the Community Preservation Committee, grant applications may be submitted at any time during the funding cycle and MUST be submitted no later than 12pm on Monday, February 2, 2026 to Gretchen Gallimore, Select Board Executive Assistant, GGallimore@carlislema.gov.  Once an application has been submitted, the CPC will review it to determine eligibility and may request that the applicant present their project to the CPC.   An applicant may make minor revisions to their original application if it does not substantially change the purpose of the project.  Any revised application must be resubmitted to the CPC no later than 5 weeks following the deadline above.

The town has voted to levy a 2% annual surcharge on property tax bills in accordance with the provisions of the CPA. The net CPA surcharge for the last year was $567,708. The CPA act also provides that the State may elect to match all, part, or none of the surcharge collected by the town. In FY25, Carlisle’s CPA surcharge resulted in a state match of $99,948 or 18.06%.

The funds collected through the CPA process must be expended on a project relating to three areas: 1) open space and outdoor recreation, 2) historical preservation, and 3) community affordable housing. Every year at least 10% of the funds collected must be allocated to these three areas. The remaining funds are allocated to the undesignated account and may be spent on any of the three areas. These funds may be approved for eligible projects recommended by the CPC at town meeting.  Any remaining CPA funds are retained for future projects.

To obtain funding, a project must be recommended to the next Town Meeting by a majority of CPC members and then be approved at Town Meeting by a majority of Carlisle citizens. It is the sole responsibility of the CPC to prepare a list of the CPA grants that they are recommending for approval at Town Meeting. Once approved, the CPC will work with applicants and Town Counsel to set up Grant Agreements. These agreements will specify how the funds are to be used and the term of the grant. These agreements will be completed as soon as possible following Town Meeting approval.

FY 2027 CPA Project Eligibility Application Form (.docx)

FY 2027 CPA Project Eligibility Application Form (PDF)

For more information, please contact Barney Arnold, Chair of the CPC, Barney4Carlisle@gmail.com or Gretchen Gallimore, GGallimore@carlislema.gov