Program Overview
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has an urgent need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers on the front-lines of the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 response. There are immediate shortages of the equipment necessary to keep them safe from contagion while caring for our community. The Manufacturing Emergency Response Team (M-ERT), as part of a coordinated response between academia, industry, and government, has provided this program as a way for manufacturers to request funding from the Commonwealth to support the expansion of their production capabilities to make PPE equipment.
Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) and Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), a member of the National Network of Manufacturing Innovation Institutes, will administer $5.6 million in funds through the existing Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Institute (M2I2) program, while another $4 million is available through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. Companies can apply through a simple form for grants ranging from $200,000 to $2 million that will allow them to establish or increase production. A review committee will process applications based on several criteria including production timeline and recommend grant awards.
For more information on adapting your business to produce PPE, continue to MassTech
Eligibility & Evaluation
Funding is for manufacturers and contributing companies within Massachusetts to increase their in-state production of PPE and other critical equipment. Other applicants will be considered if they may contribute to the production of PPE and other equipment. If an applicant is not a manufacturer, the applicant must show how their request is directly tied to the production of manufacturing PPE and must show support from manufacturers for their project. This support can be agreements with manufactures or letters of support or other appropriate documentation. Applicants that do not show their direct impact and connection to manufacture are not likely to be funded through this process.
Please see the full list of Personal Protective Equipment and other equipment needed.
Funding requests for equipment, materials, supplies, workforce training and other needs related to expanding or pivoting manufacturing will be considered through this process. For workforce training grants the limit is $80,000 per company (i.e. 40 workers).
This application is open immediately and will remain open until further notice. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and evaluated weekly by the review committee.
View the full list of eligibility requirements.
Resources
Information on the PPE needed, Eligibility, Type of Funding, Requirements, and Review Criteria
Information on adapting your business to produce PPE
Information on donating or selling PPE
Information for health professionals interested in volunteering
FAQs on Shortages of Surgical Masks and Gowns
Massachusetts Emergency Response Team Mission & Background
M-ERT’s mission is to mobilize, organize, and operationalize critical path work streams necessary for Massachusetts manufacturers to pivot their operations to produce needed materials in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The leaders of the Baker-Polito Administration’s Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative including the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development and AccuRounds established the Manufacturing Emergency Response Team to assist in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in coordination with the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Response Command Center, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. With the support and collaboration from partners at MassTech, AccuRounds, AFFOA , MIT, MIT Lincoln Labs, the University of Massachusetts Lowell, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, the Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Commonwealth Corporation, the Massachusetts Manufacturing Innovation Initiative, and multiple industry partners, we can address the current manufacturing supply chain issues our Commonwealth and nation is facing. M-ERT will work to address:
- Understanding what PPE and COVID-19 related materials are of highest priority to produce;
- Regulatory compliance;
- What specifications and testing are necessary; and
- Sharing design and CAD files, along with supporting manufacturers who can pivot their operations.
For questions please email: M-ERT@masstech.org.