PARTNERSHIPS FOR RECOVERY

By DIFDESIGN | October 30, 2020

PARTNERSHIPS FOR RECOVERY

Governor Baker announced the Administration’s $774M comprehensive economic recovery plan, “Partnerships for Recovery”, last week. The plan focuses on getting people back to work, supporting small businesses, fostering innovation, revitalizing downtowns and ensuring housing stability. Partnerships for Recovery begins immediately by directing $115 million in new funding to small businesses and Main Streets hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and for workforce training efforts. Read more about the plan in the press release.

SMALL BUSINESS GRANT PROGRAM

As part of Partnerships for Recovery, Mass. Growth Capital Corp. has opened a $50.8M grant program to support small businesses.

Grants made through this program will give preference to minority-, women-, veteran-, and immigrant-owned businesses; businesses located in Gateway Cities; businesses most impacted by COVID-19; and businesses that weren’t able to access the Paycheck Protection Program. These funds can be used to cover a number of expenses, such as payroll and benefit costs, mortgage interest, rent, utilities and interest on other debt obligations.

The program will accept applications until November 12th. It is not a first-come, first-served program, but eligible businesses should not hesitate to apply. Small businesses should read the program eligibility criteria to determine which of the two funding “doors” they should use to access grant funding. Businesses can read more and apply here.

SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORTS

A reminder that the SBA District Office in Massachusetts, America’s SBDC, Massachusetts Small Business Development Centers, and other SBA resource partners offer virtual workshops and resources for small businesses, including PPP forgiveness and other technical assistance.

CHILDCARE SURVEY

The Department of Early and Education and Care (EEC) has deployed a survey about childcare for the business community. Feel free to share this survey with employers in your networks this week. Results from this anonymous survey will help EEC better support workers and families.

MY LOCAL MA CAMPAIGN UPDATES

We announced updates to the My Local MA campaign last week, including updates to the website and digital toolkit, and new opportunities:

  • Starting this week, the campaign website’s URL will change to lovemylocalMA.com to reflect the next phase of the campaign, supporting engagement as we move from “find” to “love.” All traffic automatically redirects from the prior site.
  • MOTT has updated Our Partnerships page to include over 350 listings.
  • Starting this week, local businesses can participate in a value-added-value opportunity through iHeart Radio stations. Businesses can visit supportlocalinmass.com to submit a recording for their chance to be featured on a local station this November or December.
  • MOTT and the Massachusetts Downtown Initiative will present a virtual “My Local MA” campaign workshop November 2, 10:00-11:30 am. The workshop will provide an overview of the statewide campaign, and provide detailed examples for local involvement, focusing on hyperlocal personalization using the lovemylocalMA.com website and toolkit materials. The workshop is open to all MA Regional Tourism Councils, Chambers, small business owners, regional planners, community development officers, and more. Register here.
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