RIZE Announces Grant Opportunity for Municipalities to Apply for Opioid Settlement Funds

September 25, 2024

Note: Since this press release, the deadline to apply to the Municipal Matching Grant Program has been extended to November 15, 2024, and the grant period will begin in March 2025. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2024

CONTACT:

Greg Turner, Ball Consulting Group, LLC
Phone: 617-243-9950; Email: greg@ballcg.com

RIZE Massachusetts Foundation Announces Grant Opportunity for Municipalities to Apply for Opioid Settlement Funds

$1.25M in One-year Matching Grants Available Through Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership

BOSTON (Sept. 25, 2024) – RIZE Massachusetts Foundation, a nonprofit foundation solely dedicated to funding and creating solutions to end the overdose crisis in Massachusetts, announced today it will award $1.25 million in one-year matching grants to municipalities across the Commonwealth through Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership.

Mosaic is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and powered by RIZE. The funding comes from the MA Opioid Recovery and Remediation Fund (ORRF), which resulted from the historic legal effort to hold private companies accountable for the harms caused by the opioid overdose crisis. Mosaic is part of a network of programs and initiatives funded by ORRF to address the impact of the overdose crisis in Massachusetts.

“Mosaic is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support communities most deeply impacted by the opioid crisis,” said Julie Burns, President and CEO of RIZE. “The Municipal Matching Grant Program will help communities bolster their capacity to address the overdose crisis through strong government and community collaboration, and to expand interventions proven to save lives.”

The goal of Mosaic is to create pathways for small, community-led organizations and municipalities to apply for a portion of the ORRF settlement funds, ensuring that the funding goes where the need is greatest. The Municipal Matching Grant Program seeks to match previously distributed municipal opioid settlement funds in cities and towns using best practices to end the overdose crisis, utilizing Care Massachusetts resources, conducting community outreach and needs assessments, and collaborating with others. It is the second grant program announced through Mosaic. In August, RIZE announced that 18 community-based organizations will receive a total of $3.75 million over three years through Mosaic’s first grant program, Community-based Opioid Response Efforts (CORE).

RIZE will conduct two additional Municipal Matching Grant rounds through 2027, awarding $1.25 million per year and totaling $3.75 million in grants over the three years of the program. Projects eligible for the grant will focus on at least one of the following areas: prevention, harm reduction, access to care, recovery, trauma, grief, and family supports.

In addition to grant funding, RIZE will provide technical assistance and learning opportunities tailored to the specific needs identified by the grantees, with the goal of strengthening their organizations and developing sustainability. This comprehensive support is designed to facilitate the effective implementation of initiatives and the building of more resilient communities.

Mosaic is designed to fund initiatives that address the opioid overdose crisis in communities and populations that have been historically underserved and have experienced a high rate of opioid-related overdose deaths. This model will ensure that ORRF settlement dollars are invested and remain in the communities most deeply impacted by the crises while also fueling transformative change through grassroots efforts.

Mosaic’s grant programs supplement and strengthen programs with a public health approach while helping nonprofits and municipalities build capacity and community through partnerships and opportunities for collaboration across sectors. Mosaic represents the Commonwealth’s deep commitment to ending the opioid crisis and improving the quality of life for people living with substance use disorder.

The Municipal Matching Grant Program application is available on the RIZE website: mosaic.rizema.org. Applications are due November 1, 2024, and the grant period will begin in February 2025.

About RIZE Massachusetts

RIZE Massachusetts Foundation is solely dedicated to funding and creating solutions to end the overdose crisis. Guided by those with lived experience and unafraid of new ideas, RIZE is building networks, designing programming, and supporting community partners who are using novel approaches to preventing overdose and increasing access to treatment. Learn more at www.rizema.org.

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Position Summary

The Massachusetts Harm Reduction Workforce Coalition (MAHRWC), established in 2024, is a statewide organization designed to strengthen, connect, and sustain the harm reduction workforce across Massachusetts through community, training, mutual support, and collective action.

The first of its kind in Massachusetts, MAHRWC continues to grow its network of harm reduction workers, advocates, and partners committed to saving lives and advancing justice across the Commonwealth.

The project coordinator will be fully dedicated to MAHRWC, providing day-to-day support for coalition operations, communications, and member engagement. This role helps ensure coalition activities run smoothly by:

  • Managing administrative systems and internal coordination.
  • Coordinating meetings, events, agendas, and follow-up materials.
  • Supporting data tracking, reporting, and documentation.
  • Serving as a key point of contact for members, partners, and other stakeholders.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, committed to public health and harm reduction principles, and comfortable working with diverse stakeholders, including community-based organizations, healthcare providers, policymakers, and people with lived and living experience.

 

Key Responsibilities

1. Administrative & Operational Support

  • Manage coalition calendars, schedules, and meeting logistics.
  • Coordinate virtual and in-person meetings, including agenda preparation and note-taking. This includes the coalition advisory board's regular bimonthly meetings.
  • Maintain shared drives, databases, and internal documentation systems (Google Suite, Zoom, Constant Contact).
  • Support the executive director with activities related to contract and grant reporting.
  • Provide logistical support for trainings, conferences, and coalition events.

2. Communications & Member Engagement

  • Serve as the first point of contact for coalition inquiries.
  • Maintain membership lists and distribution groups.
  • Draft and distribute newsletters, meeting summaries, and updates.
  • Support social media and website updates (if applicable) alongside other staff and consultants.
  • Assist in preparing reports, briefs, and presentations.

3. Data & Reporting Support

  • Track coalition activities, deliverables, and metrics.
  • Assist with grant reporting and compliance documentation.
  • Compile and organize workforce data and partner updates.

4. Event & Training Coordination

  • Coordinate registration and materials for workforce training along with the training coordinator.
  • Support the training coordinator with speaker communication and event logistics.
  • Gather participant feedback and evaluation data.

 

Qualifications

Required

  • Strong organizational and time management skills
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and virtual meeting platforms
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred

  • Experience in public health, behavioral health, or harm reduction
  • Familiarity with workforce development initiatives
  • Experience supporting coalitions or multi-partner collaborations
  • Experience working with communities disproportionately impacted by substance use and overdose

Core Competencies

  • Commitment to harm reduction philosophy and health equity
  • Cultural humility and trauma-informed approach
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
  • Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative mindset
  • High level of discretion and professionalism

 

Work Environment

RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (RIZE), launched in 2017, is the only public-private partnership dedicated to ending the overdose crisis. Guided by those with lived experience and unafraid of new ideas, RIZE is building networks, creating programming, and supporting community partners using novel approaches to preventing overdose and increasing access to treatment. Since its inception, RIZE has awarded over $30 million to more than 275 organizations aligned with its mission.

As MAHRWC’s fiscal partner, RIZE provides financial and administrative support while respecting the group's autonomy and self-determination and supports the coalition’s efforts to dismantle systemic inequities and help build a future where compassion, dignity, and support replace stigma and neglect.

This position reports to RIZE’s chief program officer and works closely with the chief executive officer. It is a full-time, hybrid role with the expectation of two days in the office. RIZE is in downtown Boston, and occasional travel, primarily in-state, will be required for meetings and events as needed. This role may require evening and occasional weekend work.

We are an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, or other status protected under the law.