Pittsfield Seeks Proposals for Human Services Funding

07:57AM / Thursday, November 20, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City of Pittsfield announced that applications are now available for funding to public service agencies to provide human service programs to benefit Pittsfield residents.

Funding is for the program year beginning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Annually, the city undertakes a process through its Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC), an 11-member volunteer committee, which reviews the proposals and submits its recommendations to the Mayor. Last year's recommendations resulted in 23 human service programs receiving a total of $206,250 from the City general fund and from the federal Community Development Block Grant Program.

Programs and consumers assisted with those funds cover a wide range of services for a diverse population.

Programs include but are not limited to services for families with children, affordable childcare vouchers, homelessness prevention services, housing stabilization programs, programs for residents with disabilities and senior citizens, and arts programs.

Applications can be obtained by email request to njoyner@cityofpittsfield.org. Applications are to be submitted to the Department of Community Development, Room 205 at Pittsfield City Hall no later than 4:00 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2026.

In addition to submitting a written proposal, applicants will be invited to come before the HSAC

to make a presentation during February or March that will be televised locally.

The Department of Community Development will be holding bidder's conferences to assist applicants with the application process. Conferences will be held on Monday, Nov. 18 at 1:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 3 at 10:00 a.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 6:30 p.m.

All conferences will be held online via zoom. To register for a conference, please contact Nate Joyner at (413) 499-9358 or at njoyner@cityofpittsfield.org. New applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of these three conferences.

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

Save & Earn with Greylock

3.30% APY 6-month certificate. Click to learn more! Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Council Revisiting DEI Office Restructure

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
04:11PM / Tuesday, October 13, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The conversation about the DEI office renaming that was halted by a charter objection will resume on Tuesday.

The City Council will discuss a request from Mayor Peter Marchetti to restructure the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

It proposes to rename the DEI office to the Office of Equity, Access, and Opportunity and merge the Human Rights Commission and Affirmative Action Committee into an Equity, Access and Opportunity Commission.

The Ordinance and Rules Subcommittee supported the changes in August, and in September, Ward 2 Councilor Cameron Cunningham delayed the vote with a charter objection.

Pittsfield's City Code prohibits charter states that "if a single member present objects to the taking of the vote, the vote shall be postponed until the next meeting of the city council." It also stipulates that at least four members must object if it is an emergency measure.

Cunningham also submitted a petition, which was referred to O&R under Rule 27, to replace the DEI Office and the Human Rights Commission with an equity, access, and opportunity coordinator in the Department of Community Development, with formal complaints and Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action functions assigned to Human Resources.

At the last meeting, he spent more than an hour querying the mayor and chief diversity officer about functions and effectiveness of the department, wanting more quantitative data. Cunningham proposed an ordinance that he says keeps Pittsfield's commitment to equity, access, and opportunity, "refocuses it on measurable results for our residents, and delivers it at a fraction of the current cost."

Under this petition, the equity, access, and opportunity coordinator would be a $60,000 to $80,000 per year position.

The DEI Office's fiscal year 2027 budget was about $200,000 after cuts during budget season; $106,700 for the chief diversity officer and $58,000 for the administrative assistant. The coordinator would be appointed by the director of community development and the mayor.

View Full Story