Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA)
History and Mission

For 40 years, the Massachusetts Municipal Association has been bringing municipal officials together to articulate a clear and united municipal message, to develop and advocate for unified policies, and to share information and work together to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of municipal service delivery.

In short, the MMA is the voice of cities and towns in Massachusetts.

The MMA’s mission is to improve the effectiveness of local government in the Commonwealth. The MMA is a private, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization of cities and towns.

The Massachusetts Municipal Association was founded on June 27, 1979, when the Massachusetts League of Cities and Towns (formed in 1961) was consolidated with the Massachusetts Selectmen’s Association (name changed to Massachusetts Select Board Association in 2020), the Massachusetts Mayors’ Association, the Massachusetts Municipal Management Association, and the Association of Town Finance Committees. The Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association was created in 1981 and added to the MMA.

The MMA is governed by a 35-member Board of Directors composed of municipal officials from across the state – mayors, select board members, councillors, municipal managers and finance committee members – who are elected by their peers to represent Massachusetts communities.

The following are the five key elements of the MMA mission:

  1. To develop broad support for issues affecting local government and to advocate for those issues before state and federal agencies and the general public.
  2. To preserve and advance the decision-making authority of local government, recognizing the association’s role as the lead municipal advocate on personnel management and state revenue sharing matters.
  3. To provide and develop low-cost, high-quality services for cities and towns as an alternative to relying on the private sector.
  4. To educate local officials and to stimulate, encourage and coordinate the communication of ideas and positions among local officials, state and federal officials, key opinion leaders and the general public.
  5. To improve the quality of life in cities and towns, by assisting local officials with efforts to make services more efficient and more responsive to the citizens of our municipalities.

Read the story behind the MMA logo

The organization’s goals include public policy advocacy, membership education, intergovernmental relations, services to cities and towns, public awareness, and unity.

Advocacy

The MMA serves as an advocate for its members before the Massachusetts Legislature, the executive branch, regulatory bodies and the courts. The association develops and pursues a municipal policy that meets present and future needs of the state’s communities.

The MMA’s five policy committees, composed of 110 local officials, meet regularly to help develop and support the MMA’s advocacy agenda.

The Local Government Advisory Commission, including most members of the MMA Board of Directors, meets regularly with the administration to discuss issues facing cities and towns and to search for ways to strengthen the state-local partnership.

More about Advocacy

Education

The MMA organizes more than 60 seminars, conferences, workshops and trainings throughout the year for members, providing the latest information on municipal policies and best practices affecting local government.

The MMA’s Annual Meeting & Trade Show in January is the largest annual gathering of municipal officials in New England. Each spring and fall, the MMA hosts a series of Legislative Breakfast Meetings throughout the state.

See Calendar

Publications

MMA publications provide timely information about issues affecting cities and towns as well as reports on association activities and events. Publications include the monthly Beacon and frequent Legislative Alerts.

See Publications

Insurance

The Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA), a nonprofit corporation created by the MMA in 1982, provides workers’ compensation as well as property, casualty and health insurance to more than 400 Massachusetts communities and other public entities at the lowest possible cost. MIIA helps communities contain costs through risk management and loss control.

MunEnergy

For almost two decades, the MMA’s MunEnergy program has provided savings on electricity and natural gas to more than 70 Massachusetts municipalities and other governmental entities through competitive purchasing, energy efficiency and conservation measures.

Online Services

The MMA’s robust website features the latest municipal news, updates on the MMA’s advocacy efforts, a comprehensive Resource Library, an events calendar with online registration, the Massachusetts Municipal Data Hub, information about the association, Municipal Career Opportunities, Products & Services Listings, and more. The MMA can also be found on Twitter (@massmunicipal), Facebook (facebook.com/massmunicipal) and LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/massachusetts-municipal-association).

Information/Research

The MMA’s professional staff responds to hundreds of inquiries each month, providing local officials with information and referrals.

Certificate in Local Government Leadership and Management

The MMA’s partnership with Suffolk University’s Moakley Center for Public Management offers a program designed exclusively for municipal employees interested in furthering their professional career in local government and pursuing a graduate degree. Learn more

Tobacco Control

Through a Department of Public Health grant, the MMA offers the Municipal Tobacco Control Technical Assistance Program to help municipalities with tobacco sales and use regulations, public education and other health-related issues. (For more information, contact Lisa Stevens-Goodnight at the MMA.)

MMA Member Groups

Groups also affiliated with the MMA:

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