In the News

Below are a few select articles about the MSBDC Network that made headlines and/or relevant information for small businesses. Click on link to read the story.

Dec 13, 2021 - SBA Administrator Guzman Announces $1.1 Million in Awards to Support Native American Entrepreneurs
Dec 01, 2021 - The FY22 Travel and Tourism Recovery Grant Program is dedicated to campaigns and initiatives that increase consumer spending, support local businesses, and advance community recovery efforts to support businesses in Massachusetts. Deadline is January 19, 2022.
Oct 28, 2021 - Legislative Caucus On International Trade & Global Competitiveness Hosts “International Commerce & The Commonwealth: Roles & Resources”
Oct 15, 2021 - Securities & Exchange Commission's (SEC) Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation recently launched a new tool for small business - an interactive capital raising navigator tool
Sep 09, 2021 - Register for the National Small Business Week Virtual Summit on September 13-15
Sep 09, 2021 - Biden Announces Employer Vaccine Mandate
Sep 08, 2021 - Paycheck Protection Program borrowers: If your loan is $150,000 or less, you may be eligible to apply for direct forgiveness through SBA using the online portal.
Aug 20, 2021 - Regional Small Business COVID Recovery Grants Program
Aug 20, 2021 - Amherst Small Business COVID Recovery Grants Program
Jul 28, 2021 - SBA Announces Opening of Paycheck Protection Program Direct Forgiveness Portal
Jul 21, 2021 - Innovation and collaboration space opens at Mount Ida Campus of UMass Amherst
Jul 14, 2021 - U.S. Government Launches First One-Stop Ransomware Resource at StopRansomware.gov
May 28, 2021 - The SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program is designed to provide high quality support and assistance with pandemic relief programs and recovery services to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Apr 27, 2021 - Baker-Polito Administration Announces Plans for Continued Reopening: Massachusetts will reopen some outdoor Phase 4, Step 2 industries effective May 10 and put plans in place for further reopening on May 29 and August 1. The Administration continues to take steps to reopen the Commonwealth's economy with public health metrics continuing to trend in a positive direction. This includes drops in average daily COVID cases and hospitalizations. Massachusetts remains first in the nation for first vaccine doses and total doses administered per capita, among states with more than 5 million people. The Administration will also relax the Face Coverings Order for some outdoor settings, effective April 30.
Apr 21, 2021 - The Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) provides funding to help eligible restaurants, bars and other businesses keep the doors open. Registrations begin on April 30 at 9 a.m. with applications opening on May 3 at noon EDT.
Apr 18, 2021 - SBA aims to reopen the SVOG (Shuttered Venue Operators Grant) by the end of the week of April 18, 2021.
Apr 10, 2021 - Executive Spotlight on Keith Girouard, regional director of the MSBDC Berkshire Regional Office
Apr 8, 2021 - Due to technical difficulties, SBA has temporarily suspended the SVOG (Shuttered Venue Operators Grant) application portal. SBA is working closely with the portal vendors to reopen as soon as possible.
Mar 30, 2021 - President Biden announces program changes to make access to PPP loans more equitable and extends deadline to May 31, 2021
Mar 25, 2021 - Business Certifications Explained: The Basics (updated March 2021)
Mar 25, 2021 - Microenterprise Forgivable Loan opportunities available for businesses in Franklin County, and other towns in western Mass, click here and go to "Resources for All Businesses"
Mar 24, 2021 -SBA is raising the loan limit for the COVID-19 EIDL program from 6-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $150,000 to up to 24-months of economic injury with a maximum loan amount of $500,000.
Mar 23, 2021 - The Small Business Resiliency Technical Assistance Grants Program will support non-profits who offer programming designed to help existing small businesses recover and thrive post COVID-19 in underserved communities in Massachusetts.
Mar 23, 2021 - The Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) program was established through the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act and amended by the American Rescue Plan Act to provide over $16 billion in economic relief to target industries. Eligible applicants may qualify for grants equal to 45% of their gross earned revenue, with the maximum amount available for a single grant award of $10 million. $2 billion is reserved for eligible applications with up to 50 full-time employees. The SVOG application will open April 8, 2021. Click here for FAQs.
Mar 23, 2021 - SBA is now allowing applicants that file IRS Form 1040, Schedule C to calculate their maximum loan amount using gross income instead of net profit, which may enable some borrowers to access higher loan amounts. See the form for First Draw PPP applicants and Second Draw PPP applicants online.
Mar 22, 2021 - CDFI & CDC Matching Capital Program seeks to support the recovery, resiliency, and growth of small businesses in underserved communities post COVID-19 by providing matching capital to eligible non-profit community-based lenders.
Mar 21, 2021 - As part of the Administration’s “Partnerships for Recovery” plan to stabilize and grow the Massachusetts economy, the Workforce Skills Cabinet has announced a new grant program, the Rapid Reemployment Program. Through this program, occupational training providers partner with MassHire Centers and at least one employer to build specific skills in the labor market and match those skills with good jobs. Target sectors include in-demand Healthcare, Information Technology, Financial Services or Transportation occupations. Importantly, the Rapid Reemployment model leverages the performance based contracting approach used in the Career Technical Initiative. Eligible lead applicants are Massachusetts based training providers with experience and existing training capacity to deliver occupational training to the target population for proposed targeted occupations. Read more about this program here.
Mar 16, 2021 - SBA announces extended deferment periods for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program until 2022.
Mar 15, 2021 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General is alerting the public about fraud schemes related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)
Mar 10, 2021 - Recent federal legislation created a new grant program, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, to be administered by the SBA. Stay tuned for news about this program’s opening in the coming weeks!
Feb 25, 2021 - Baker-Polito Administration Announces Plans for Continued Reopening (watch video)
Feb 22, 2021 - Biden Administration takes steps to promote equitable access to SBA relief... In order to reach the smallest businesses, SBA will offer PPP loans to businesses with 20 or less employees and sole proprietors only from February 24 - March 10, 2021.
Feb 18, 2021 - New grant program aims to empower black-owned small businesses across New England through $25,000 grants and a direct assistance program
Jan 18, 2021 - Pandemic has opened doors for entrepreneurs
Jan 05, 2021 - SBA introducing "Ascent", the first-of-its-kind online resource specifically designed to help the nearly 10 million American women entrepreneurs grow and scale their small business. All content is backed by research on the needs of empowering women business owners and female entrepreneurs.
Jan 05, 2021 - SBA Extends COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Application Deadline through Dec. 31, 2021