Resources
| Organization & Contact Information | Services |
|---|---|
| Franklin County Community Development 324 Wells Street, Greenfield, MA 01301 (413) 774-7204 | - Business counseling - Direct loan provider - Commercial kitchen/floor space |
| Valley Community Development Corporation 256 Pleasant St., Holyoke St. Entrance, Northampton, MA 01060 (413) 586-5855 Ext. 230 | - Business counseling - Access to community loan funds |
| ACCION 10 Fawcett Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (866) 245-0783; Email: info@us.accion.org | - Micro to small business assistance - Direct loan provider - International organization |
| Massachusetts Small Business Development Center 23 Tillson Farm Road, Amherst, MA 01003 (413) 545-6301 | - Business counseling - Government contracting advice - Foreign trade expertise |
| Small Business Administration 1 Federal Street - Building 101-R, Springfield, MA 01105 (413) 785-0484 | - Business counseling & business plan assistance - Not a direct loan provider - Offers loan guarantees to lenders |
| Common Capital 120 Maple Street, Springfield, MA 01103 (413) 233-1680 | - Business counseling - Direct loan provider |
| SCORE - Western Massachusetts 1 Federal Street - Building 101, Springfield, MA 01105 (413) 785-0314 | - Business counseling - One to one mentoring - Seminars - Business plan development |
| Massachusetts Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) 1 Federal St., Building 101, Springfield, MA 01105 (413) 545-6303 | - Education for federal, state and local government contracts - Guidance on drafting proposals, contract performance standards - Free and confidential |
| Small Business Resource Tookit Office of the State Treasurer & Receiver General | This website was created to serve as a central point where aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners could find resources on how to plan, fund, and grow their businesses. |
Educational Resources
| Organization & Contact Information | Services |
|---|---|
| The Kittredge Center for Business & Workforce Development kittredgecenter@hcc.edu or (413) 552-2587 | - Workforce training, professional development - Affordable, customized programming |
| Greenfield Community College | - Degree & non-degree professional development courses - Health care, nursing, emergency medical, accounting, IT services |
| The Literacy Project (413) 584-6755 | - Free basic education & high school equivalency for adults to improve skills to become qualified for employment |
| Center for New Americans (413) 587-0084 | - Adult education that provides immigrant, refugee & migrant communities with education & resources to learn English & obtain skills necessary to maintain economic independence & stability |
| International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) info@ili.edu or (413) 586-7569 | - Teaching English and foreign languages to students interested - Pathways program that transitions students to colleges |
Employee Resources
| Resource | Services |
|---|---|
| MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center (FHCC) info@masshirefhcareers.org or (413) 774-4361 | Provides employment and training services at no charge to business and job seekers in Franklin and Hampshire counties |
| MassHire - Job Search Resources | Free job resources |
| Massachusetts Center for Employee Ownership (MassCEO) (617) 232-8765 | MassCEO can help convent your business to employee ownership |
| Career Center in Greenfield (413) 774-4361 MassHIRE FHCC | Career Counselors assist job seekers with job search, skill building, workshops, and job training. The full-service Career Center in Greenfield has a resource room with computers, phones, copy, and fax machines available for public use to assist with job search activities. |
Employer/Job Training Resources
| Resource | Services |
|---|---|
| MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center info@masshirefhcareers.org or (413) 774-4361 | Provides employment and training services at no charge to businesses and job seekers in Franklin and Hampshire counties |
| MassHire BIZ Team (413) 774-4361 or bizteam@masshirefhcareers.org | Assists employers with job posting, recruitment, labor market information, hiring incentives, and employee training. |
| MassHire Resources Guide for Businesses (PDF) | Recruiting and hiring; training, consultation, and workplace safety; layoff aversion and management; business development and partnerships; business compliance, etc. |
| Layoff Aversion and Management | If your workplace is laying off workers, temporarily closing, or downsizing due to COVID-19, assistance can be provided. Please contact MassHire Department of Career Services (MDCS) Rapid Response Unit at (617) 626-5300 or by visiting the website. |
| Associated Industries of Massachusetts (AIM) Springfield Office - (413) 233-9850 | AIM’s mission is to promote the well-being of its members and their employees by improving the economic climate of Massachusetts; proactively advocating fair and equitable public policy; and providing relevant, reliable information and excellent services. |
| Training Opportunities Program (TOP) | The Training Opportunities Program allows you to collect unemployment benefits while you attend full-time, approved training for new job skills. |
| Business West Resource Guidebook | Provides information on myriad businesses, nonprofits, and regional institutions. |
| Massachusetts Technology Collaborative | Massachusetts Technology Collaborative supports business formation and growth in the state’s technology sector, helping Massachusetts lead in the global digital economy. |
| Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund Programs | The Workforce Training Fund Programs help address business productivity and competitiveness by providing resources to Massachusetts businesses to fund training for current and newly hired employees. |
| Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) | The WOTC is a Federal tax credit available to employers for hiring individuals from certain targeted groups who have consistently faced significant barriers to employment. The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is authorized until December 31, 2025. |
| Safety Training Grants | The Department of Industrial Accidents' Workplace Safety Training Grant is a highly successful program aimed to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace through training, education, and other preventative programs. |
| On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program | The OJT Program enables employers to hire new employees and train them at their place of business while being reimbursed a percentage of the new employee's wages during training. |
| Apprentice Training Program | The Apprentice Training Program provides an individual with the opportunity to acquire the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to succeed in one of 850 occupations. The program provides employers with a chance to bring on talented, dedicated individuals who are committed to gaining the skills and experience that will make them a valuable asset to the company. |
Farmer/Farming Resources
| Resource | Services |
|---|---|
| Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) | A nonprofit working to sustain agriculture in Western Massachusetts through farm profitability, creating farmer/consumer relationships, buy local food campaigns, farmer's markets, and more. |
| Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) | Offers technical assistance and grant programs for farmers and farmers markets including agricultural business training for start ups and existing farms, farm energy grants, agricultural preservation restriction acquisitions, new farm start-up grants, 10% utility discounts for farms, farm viability grants for capital improvements on existing farms & more. |
| Food Processing Center | The Franklin County Community Development Corporation operates a commercial kitchen, walk-in cooler and freezer, dry storage space, and a packaging area. The food processing center is open to farmers and food processing businesses in Western Massachusetts. |
| Organic Farming Research Foundation | Mission to foster the improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming practices. OFRF translates research into practical resources and educational platforms that help organic farmers and ranchers implement best practices and advancements in organic agriculture. |
| FarmStart | A Farm Credit East program that makes working capital investments of up to $75,000 to Northeast agricultural ventures. The innovative program targets startup farmers & ag businesses with limited financial resources & who are not generally eligible for conventional lending programs. |
| Carrot Project Micro Loan Program | Address the difficulty that some New England farmers have in obtaining credit for projects that improve their operations and increase their income, as well as for emergency needs. |
| PVGrows Loan Fund | The PV Grows Investment Fund for farmers and food entrepreneurs offer flexible financing and technical assistance that helps grow their businesses. |
| Farm Viability Enhancement Program (FVEP) | Business planning and technical assistance to help established farms identify strategies to increase farm viability such as, new or expanded enterprises, increased productivity, marketing, and/or environmental sustainability. |
Manufacturer Resources
| Resource | Services |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMEP) Western Mass Contact: Karen Carswell, Project Manager - Continuous Improvement; (774) 329-9159 | Nonprofit service available to manufacturers to improve efficiency, achieve profitable growth, and successfully compete in the global marketplace. MassMEP enables even the smallest firms in Massachusetts to have easy access to more than 2,000 manufacturing, technical, and business specialists, along with the latest technology and industry best practices. |
| National Tooling & Machining Association Western Mass Contact: Chris Garvey, General Manager (413) 569-4607 | The Western Mass Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining Association and its more than 60 member companies are committed to developing technology, providing applications, engineering support, implementing sustainable workforce development strategies, enhancing employee skills and developing business partnerships. |
| New England Trade Adjustment Assistance Center | Formed to aid New England manufacturing companies that have been negatively impacted by import trade. Qualifying businesses receive financial assistance through a cost-sharing model that helps to fund business-building consulting projects. These projects can include marketing & positioning strategies, e-commerce, lean manufacturing implementation, & ISO compliance & registration initiatives. |
| National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) | NAM offers national level advocacy for manufacturers, offers data and research reporting on manufacturing issues and lobbies for specific issues affecting manufacturers. |
Small Business Resources
| Organization | Services |
|---|---|
| Cooperative Development Institute (CDI) | Northeast's nonprofit center for cooperative business education, training and technical assistance. CDI provides education, training and technical assistance to existing and start-up cooperatively-structured enterprises in all business sectors. |
| International Franchise Association | A membership organization of franchises, franchisees and suppliers. IFA is dedicated to providing a one-stop shopping experience for franchise information. |
| Massachusetts Export Center | Offers a full range of targeted, customized services to Massachusetts businesses at any stage in the export process. The goal is to meet the complex needs of exporters by developing and providing targeted, high-impact services delivered through a statewide network of international trade professionals. |
| Massachusetts Office of Business Development | Assists businesses relocating to Massachusetts as well as businesses wishing to expand their current operations, with specific attention being paid to jobs created, jobs retained, and capital invested. |
| Massachusetts Office of International Trade & Investment | The Commonwealth’s primary international business development agency charged with promoting trade and investment with global partners in Massachusetts and around the world. |
| Non-Profit Finance Fund (NFF) | Promotes the success of nonprofits by providing capital, strategic consulting, and using its knowledge and influence to transform the funding and financing landscape. |
| Select USA | Works one-on-one with companies to demystify federal rules and regulations, provide data and other information, and link companies with partners and resources to help them succeed. |
| Service Corp of Retired Executives (SCORE) | Nonprofit organization that provides free and confidential business mentoring services to prospective and established small-business owners in the United States. |
| Small Business Administration (SBA) | Offers business assistance such as counseling, training, and financing for small and medium sized businesses. |
| Startup America Partnership | Private organization working to bring together some of the country’s most successful organizations to provide valuable resources to young companies with high growth potential. Partnership resources and assistance include talent, services, expertise, customers and capital. |
| Valley Community Development Corporation (CDC) | Provides a range of free services to meet the needs of low- and moderate-income individuals engaged in start-up and existing small businesses. Valley CDC offers one-on-one business assistance from access to capital to sales and marketing, from record keeping to staffing. Valley CDC also offers educational workshops to polish your skills and keep you ahead of the business curve. |
| Valley Venture Mentors | Mission to help entrepreneurs turn their ideas into thriving, scalable businesses. Mentors get an exciting, engaging monthly event where they can meet fellow veteran business executives and young ventures worthy of assistance. Mentors and entrepreneurs also gain something else: a venue where they can quickly and efficiently “speed date” to find the right mentor/entrepreneur match. |
| VentureWell | Works directly with a variety of early-stage innovators to help them bring their ideas to market through workshops and training, coaching and mentoring, funding and awards. VentureWell supports faculty in developing programs that cultivate student innovators and promote institutional change through grants, workshops, training, and conferences. |
| Western Massachusetts Economic Development Council (EDC) | The Homefield Advantage Program at the EDC provides real estate, financial access, regional data, marketing, peer networking and workforce development support to businesses in the region. |
| Western Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (413) 577-1768 | Counseling center of the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network, provides free and confidential one-to-one counseling to prospective and existing small businesses in western Massachusetts. Areas of assistance include business plan development, pre-venture feasibility, conventional and non-conventional financing, cash flow analysis, organizational and personnel issues and marketing. |
| Western New England University - Small Business Legal Assistance | Western New England University offers a Small Business Legal Clinic as a resource for small business development in the Pioneer Valley region. The Small Business Legal Clinic offers personal, professional assistance to entrepreneurs in the business startup stage, free of charge through the Small Business Clinic and community outreach events. |
Minority-Owned Resources
| Business Grants for Minorities | Funding and grant opportunities for minority-owned businesses |
| Resources for Black Entrepreneurs |
Women-Owned Resources
| Women Business Owners Alliance of the Pioneer Valley | Provides support to women entrepreneurs and builds business skills through progression development, meetings, seminars and peer to peer networking. |
| The Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE) | Helps support women looking to start and/or grow their businesses. The CWE employees individuals with a variety of racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds and has worked with more than 37,000 entrepreneurs in New England since 1995. |
LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs
| The Ultimate Resources for LGBTQ+ Entrepreneurs | Networking, support and advocacy resources for LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs. Debt and equity funding, and grant resources |
| Center for EcoTechnology (CET) | CET works with partners through the country to address climate change by transforming the way we live and work. CET is a non-profit organization that offers practical solutions to save money, increase the health and comfort of our homes, and help businesses perform better. |
| Green Northampton | Green Northampton fosters Northampton community bonds and promotes environmentally sustainable, low-energy and healthy lifestyles in response to climate change and resource depletion. |
| RecyclingWorks | RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts is a recycling assistance program that helps businesses and institutions reduce waste and maximize recycling, reuse, and food recovery opportunities. |
| GreenBiz | GreenBiz Group is a media and events company that accelerates the just transition to a clean economy. Through events that galvanize, stories that amplify, peer networks that bond and industry-leading analysis, GreenBiz defines markets and advances opportunities at the intersection of business, technology and sustainability. |
| Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) | RMI is an organization dedicated to research, publication, consulting, and lecturing in the general field of sustainability, with a special focus on profitable innovations for energy and resource efficiency. |