Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and state officials announced that Covington received a $400,000 Rural Development Fund grant to help convert the town’s former school into municipal offices, a food incubator, preschool space and other community uses, part of 49 One Stop for Growth awards totaling $10 million to benefit rural communities across the Commonwealth.

The announcement, made at an event in Covington, included remarks by Governor Maura Healey, Secretary Yvonne Hao, Anne Gobi (Director of Rural Affairs), Undersecretary Ashley Stolba and local and legislative officials. “Please think of us as an ally in the work that you’re doing,” Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll said, urging local leaders to continue sharing needs and proposals with the administration.

The grant to Covington follows a multi‑year local effort to reuse the former school. A town presenter said an ad hoc group gathered community input in 2019–2020 and pursued a feasibility study funded by an earlier One Stop for Growth award; the study found the project feasible but more costly than anticipated. The current award is intended to move construction documents and rehabilitation work forward so the building can host town offices, a Hilltown Community Development Corporation food-production incubator and services such as a children’s library and preschool.

Governor Maura Healey called the $400,000 award “a big deal,” and described the administration’s push to increase investment in rural towns. The event highlighted broader state efforts to adjust funding formulas, including Chapter 90 allocations for roads and sidewalks, and to direct resources to small and geographically large towns that have lower populations but significant infrastructure needs. “We’ve tried to make sure we’ve been good listeners around some of the formulas that don’t work really well,” Driscoll said.

Senator Paul Mark and Representative Lindsay Sabadosa also spoke, with Mark saying the grants reflect how “government is supposed to work” when executive and legislative branches collaborate. Sabadosa noted ongoing local involvement with the project and said the award advances steps toward reopening the school as a community hub.

State officials at the event described the One Stop for Growth / Rural Development Fund as intended to help communities turn project ideas into actionable plans — from senior centers and culvert repairs to downtown investments and food‑production facilities. Officials said the program awarded 49 grants totaling $10,000,000 that will affect 51 rural communities in the Commonwealth.

Officials present included Anne Gobi, identified at the event as the state’s rural affairs director; Undersecretary Ashley Stolba and staff who reviewed and scored applications. Town representatives said the Hilltown Community Development Corporation is interested in serving as an anchor tenant for the project’s kitchen and cafeteria space to expand its mobile market and food‑production work.

The announcement did not include a detailed project timeline or final construction budget for the Covington rehabilitation. Local presenters said the feasibility study had shown the scope and costs would be larger than initially expected; officials at the event did not provide a final completion date. Officials invited award recipients for a group photo and said the administration is working to speed award processes and get funds out to towns.

Votes at a glance: No formal vote or municipal appropriation was taken at the event; the state announced competitive grant awards that had been selected through the administration’s review process.