Municipal Vulnerability Program

In 2018, the City completed the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) planning workshop to become certified as an MVP community. The MVP program is Massachusetts state program administered through the MA Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) designed to increase municipal-level resilience to natural hazards being exacerbated by climate change. Through the planning workshop the City identified vulnerabilities and strengths along with identifying opportunities to take action to reduce risk and build resilience.

Since the City became certified as an MVP Community Peabody has been awarded four MVP Action Grants to increase resilience against flooding in the North River corridor. These grant funds have gone toward the design phases for several flood mitigation projects: Lawrence Brook/Walnut Street Flood Mitigation and Stormwater Improvement project, Peabody North River Canal Wall Rehabilitation and Riverwalk project, and the Peabody-Salem Resilient North River Corridor & Riverwalk Project.

In 2023, the state introduced the MVP 2.0 Pilot Planning Program, and the City received an MVP 2.0 grant in August 2023. The MVP 2.0 Program expands on the climate resilience planning and actions Peabody has completed to date with an emphasis on addressing the root causes of social vulnerability. Through this MVP 2.0 grant, the City will revisit resilience priorities previously identified in 2018, and learn new methods, tools, and resources for building climate resilience, equity, and climate justice in Peabody.

In June 2025, the City conducted a number of community meetings targeted towards at-risk residents (senior citizens, Veteran’s, and Food Pantry patrons) to better understand how they navigate the impacts from natural disasters/changing weather patterns. Since then, the City has drafted updated (from 2018) and new (2025) priority actions to assist at-risk residents to navigate these events and the impacts of natural disasters and changing weather patterns.

HELP PLAY A PART IN DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

The City needs your assistance in ensuring our municipal services can adequately meet the needs of a changing climate.

Following a month-long community engagement process, the City needs your assistance in ranking Resilience Priorities. Find out more by watching the following video presentation:

Revisiting Resilience Priorities Presentation

Visit the “Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness 2.0” tab below to provide your thoughts through our community survey.