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Recovery and stabilization are top of mind for small businesses across the Commonwealth right now. Find resources below for businesses and gain insights into the collective efforts to ensure the ongoing recovery is robust, accessible, and equitable.
An All Hands Approach: Supporting Small Businesses
Massachusetts Leaders featured in National Webinar
Join LISC and Next City on Monday, March 21st, 11:00 AM for a webinar and panel discussion on how local governments and partners can help advance an equitable small business recovery, featuring lessons and solutions from Boston.
Hear findings from LISC Research and Development and Next City’s new playbook Equitable Pathways to Small Business Recovery: An All-Hands Approach, featuring
- Karen Kelleher, Executive Director, LISC Boston
- Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, City of Boston; and
- Kareem Kibodya, Co-Policy Lead, Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA).
They will discuss how successful small business support initiatives have centered the needs of entrepreneurs of color.
MGCC Grant Programs - An Interactive Workshop, Sat. 3/26
At a workshop on March 26th, 1 – 3 pm EST, learn about the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation’s (MGCC) New Applicant and Inclusive Grant Programs and start your application with help from Small Business Strong.
Spanish interpretation will be available.
About the grants: Massachusetts’ small businesses with at least 2 employees (including the owner) and $40,000 in business expenses in 2020 can apply for these programs. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is making $75 million available to provide relief to businesses that suffered due to the pandemic.
This event is co-sponsored by the Coalition for an Equitable Economy.
Drop-In Office Hours & More Workshops
Sign up for workshops on these and other grants with Small Business Strong, the Coalition for an Equitable Economy, LISC and our partners across Massachusetts. Pick the date, time, and language that's best for you.
Reminder: Apply for MGCC Grants before April 4th.
The application deadline for the two NEW GRANTS from Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) is April 4, 2022. Grants range from $10,000 - $75,000. Awards will be made after all applications have been received, but don't miss this opportunity to gain access to capital. Join one of the workshops on these grants linked above.
Information about each program is also available in Español (Spanish), Kreyòl ayisyen (Haitian Creole), 中文 (Chinese), العربية (Arabic), Português (Portuguese), & Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese), and more languages on the MGCC webpages for each program.
Learn about specific eligibility requirements and more [+].
More Programs for Small Businesses
Need help developing a website, marketing your business, or growing your customer base? Are you looking to purchase equipment, lease a space, or maybe expand your current space?
These grants, also from MGCC, still have funds: Empower Digital & Biz-M-Power.
Have questions or looking for a sponsor? Contact Tina Petigny, LISC Senior Program Officer for Economic Opportunity, tpetigny@lisc.org or a Small Business Strong Advisor.
Consult a Small Business Strong Advisor Anytime
Small Business Strong is a private and public sector partnership set up to help women and minority owned small businesses navigate the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
LISC is the Program Manager for Small Business Strong, a non-profit organization that provides expedited, pro-bono support for women and entrepreneurs of color navigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their businesses. Subscribe to the Small Business Strong Newsletter: [+]
Business Resources on Demand
Get access to expert advice and guidance – whenever you want. Sign Up today for Verizon Small Business Digital Ready to access coaching, community networking, and a marketplace of tools, products and services. Sessions include:
- Creating Financial Projections: Build a financial model spreadsheet
- Ecommerce: The Fundamentals of Selling Online. How to select the right ecommerce platforms and tools.
- Reaching the Right Audience Online: Connecting to Customers
Upcoming: Women's Businesses Roundtable: Building While Flying - March 28th, at 12:30 PM. There are over 13 million women-owned businesses in the U.S. and counting, but the work continues. Join 4 inspiring entrepreneurs for an honest conversation about the challenges and opportunities experienced by women who are actively building their business.
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready delivers online learning tools through a range of short courses, live coaching events, one-to-one coaching sessions, and a range of “Ask the Experts” events and grant opportunities to help support your business needs.
Draft Your Business in 10-Weeks
The Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) of Central, MA is launching the next cohort for its virtual 10-Week Business Planning course, Thursday, March 24th – June 2nd, 5 pm – 8 pm. Over the course of 10 weeks, participants will: draft a plan that will help you launch and fund your business; become part of a community of fellow entrepreneurs; received feedback on your plan throughout the course; and learn from experts in areas of business, marketing, financing, legal considerations and more. Space is limited. Scholarships are available for those that qualify.
Celebrate Get Konnected! & Women’s History Month
Join Get Konnected! And Simmons University on Wednesday, March 30th at Noon as Get Konnected celebrates its 14th Anniversary, Women’s History Month, and the Accomplishments of Boston’s Impactful Black Women! The virtual event features: Dr. Lynn Wooten, Agnes Bundy Scanlan, Stephanie Browne, Juliette Mayers, Paris Alston, and Latoyia Edwards.
SBA's Women's Business Summit
In celebration of Women’s History Month, join the SBA's Office of Women’s Business Ownership and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center for the virtual Women’s Business Summit on March 29-30, 2022. The free event will include power-packed panels, inspirational fireside chats, and 'Ask an Expert' workshops to help you build, scale, and grow your business. Topics include: Innovation and Investment; Building an Equitable Recovery Framework for Women Entrepreneurs; From Essential Worker to Essential Entrepreneur: CARE Economy Entrepreneurship Opportunities; Exporting and E-Commerce; and Contracting Opportunities for Women-led Firms.
Start-A-Food-Business Workshop & Tour
Are you looking to start a small food business or to scale an existing one? Do you need help getting started or navigating permitting and food safety regulations? Learn more about all CommonWealth Kitchen (CWK) has to offer at their virtual information session and tour. Workshop is on March 16th.
About Local Initiatives Support Corporation
LISC is one of the country's largest community development support organizations, but we have deep local roots, having invested more than $414 million in Massachusetts communities for nearly 40 years.
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