The Town of Lakeville Open Space Committee reviewed a Massachusetts biodiversity-grants opportunity during its Dec. 4 meeting and concluded the town, not the committee, must submit any application, Chair David Zolonis said.

Zolonis summarized the grant program noting the application deadline was only about three weeks away and grant awards cited in the application ranged from $20,000 to $200,000. Committee members agreed the time frame and the scale of work required — and the program’s expectation that a municipality file — makes it unlikely the committee could prepare an application this cycle without the town administrator’s direct involvement.

Why it matters: Grants of the quoted size could fund community gardens, habitat restoration, or other large projects, but short deadlines and municipal eligibility rules mean planning and interdepartmental coordination are required well in advance.

Next steps: The committee will catalog potential projects and be prepared to support a town-led application next year; for this cycle, the committee noted it is on notice for future rounds and will consider project ideas that could be advanced with additional lead time.