Central Mass. chambers split over $400K in development funds

Photo/Grant Welker The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, which is based on Main Street in Worcester, will work with the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce to help manufacturers.

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Four Central Massachusetts chambers of commerce have received more than $100,000 each in state funding to help with initiatives targeting small businesses.

Funding, which was announced Friday, went to the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, 495/MetroWest Partnership, North Central Massachusetts Development Corp. and the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Those chambers and eight others were funded under the state's Regional Economic Development Organization program.

The Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce split their $109,000 grant to partner on supporting the Blackstone Valley's manufacturing sector. The initiative will include student and technical training programs and roundtable meetings.

The 495/MetroWest Partnership will use its grant to market priority development areas and provide technical assistance for municipal economic development.

The North Central Massachusetts Development Corp., part of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, will use its funds to run a micro-lending program to help small businesses start or expand in the region.