BEVERLY, MA — Beverly and Wenham residents are invited to take a closer look at how state funding supports local services and community priorities at an upcoming forum next week.
State Rep. Hannah Bowen's Office will host a community conversation on state funding for local priorities on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m.
The event will be held in a hybrid format, with in-person attendance at the Beverly Public Library Farms Branch and a Zoom option for remote participants.
The discussion builds on a February 2026 community conversation about education funding. This session is intended to give constituents a deeper look at the different ways state funding supports locally identified priorities and locally managed services.
The program will begin with a presentation by the Massachusetts Taxpayer's Foundation. That presentation will cover the state funding context, including the types of local aid and state grants that are available, as well as statewide trends.
The session will also include a review of state laws and policies that help shape the municipal budget process. Participants are expected to explore tools available from the Division of Local Services to better understand the role of state funding in municipal budgets.
The community conversation is designed to be interactive. Constituents and local experts will be invited into smaller group discussions to test the tools, provide feedback and consider how to maximize the value of state funding for local priorities.
Residents who want to take part can attend in person at the library branch or register for the Zoom meeting online.
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