MGCC Awards Small Business Assistance Grants to 4 Central MA Orgs

Saturday, November 02, 2013

GoLocalWorcester News Team

The South Middlesex Opportunity Council’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Center in Worcester was one of four area grant recipients

Last week, the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation announced that four Central Massachusetts not-for-profit organizations have received Fiscal Year 2014 Small Business Assistance Grants. In all, the MGCC awarded 24 grants, totaling $700,000, in amounts ranging from $20,000 to $65,000, to Bay State organizations.

Established in 2010, the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation provides loans, lines of credit, guarantees, management assistance, and other services to eligible local small businesses. The Small Business Assistance Grant Program is designed to expand economic and entrepreneurial opportunity throughout the Commonwealth. Program grants are intended for established, small business assistance not-for-profit organizations.

“The continued growth of our small business community is an important reason why Massachusetts has recovered faster and stronger than the rest of the nation,” said Greg Bialecki, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development and Chair of the MGCC Board of Directors. “This assistance and investment from MGCC will support small business development and job creation, helping us to provide economic opportunity for all.”

The following four Central Massachusetts not-for-profit organizations have received Fiscal Year 2014 Small Business Assistance Grants:

Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce: Whitinsville, MA

The mission of the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce is to preserve and enhance the economic vitality of the Blackstone Valley by addressing the needs and concerns of businesses and providing leadership, support and resources in connection with issues which impact commerce and the quality of life in the Valley.

Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation: Ware, MA

As a member-based, non-profit organization, the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation serves the 15 towns of the Quaboag region. Membership is open to all adults who live or work in the Quaboag region. The QVCDC offers many programs and services with a focus on Economic Development.

South Middlesex Opportunity Council’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Center : Worcester, MA

The SMOC aims to improve the quality of life for low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families by advocating for their needs and rights; providing services; educating the community; building a community of support; participating in coalitions with other advocates and searching for new resources and partnerships.

Twin Cities Community Development Corp. with Greater Gardner Community Development Corp. and RCAP Solutions: Fitchburg, MA

The Twin Cities Community Development Corporation is a membership organization led by the diverse resident and business communities of Fitchburg and Leominster. They invest in and organize the residents of these cities to help build assets such as quality housing, good jobs, strong businesses and effective leaders. they envision healthy neighborhoods where residents choose to live, work, and invest, thereby forming a powerful, unified community.

MGCC sought proposals from technical assistance, training, direct micro lending and loan packaging service providers to assist small businesses located in Gateway Cities and other underserved communities in Massachusetts.

The program is designed to complement and enhance the traditional public and private small business assistance network by providing technical assistance or training programs for underserved and disadvantaged businesses with 20 employees or fewer.

“We are thrilled to provide these grants to several well-deserving not-for-profit organizations,” said Charles Grigsby, President of MGCC. “The awards will ensure that small businesses who are trying to rebuild are given another chance to grow exponentially in the Bay State.”

MGCC collaborates with traditional financial institutions to make “un-bankable” loans bankable by working with community development corporations and other non-profits to provide funding and financing for job-producing projects, and by assisting a wide range of small businesses to find the growth capital they require.

MGCC also seeks to assist manufacturers that are expanding, other growth sectors and small businesses in the state’s older Gateway Cities.

Related Slideshow: AP Opportunities at Worcester’s High Schools

According to ProPublica, studies have shown that students who take advanced classes have increased chances of attending and finishing college. However, with the number of advanced placement (AP) courses offered at Worcester's public high schools varying significantly, not every student is given the same chance. The slides, below, show the Worcester public high schools whose students have the most and least AP opportunities to help them get into - and graduate from - college.

The below data were collected from the Civil Rights Data Set, released by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Right, and refers to the 2009-10 school year. The data were analyzed by ProPublica.