Groups ask for small biz help
Photo | Courtesy
Massachusetts State House
A coalition of 74 organizations is asking the state to develop a small business relief and recovery program that would focus on the operations that are most vulnerable during the COVID-19 crisis, including those owned by immigrants, women and people of color and those located in rural areas, gateway cities and low-income areas.
In a letter last week to Gov. Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Karen Spilka, the groups pitched a program that included $10 million in funding for community organizations that "deliver culturally competent and multi-lingual technical assistance and coaching to small businesses"; $30 million in emergency relief grants to help businesses cover fixed costs; $35 million to community-based lending programs to offer grants, loans and other help to small businesses; a $75 million Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation revolving loan fund that would help businesses that can't access Small Business Administration financing; and the establishment of a statewide Small Business Assistance Task Force.
Groups signed on to the letter include several community development corporations, the Southeast Asian Coalition of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic-American Institute, Conservation Law Foundation, Center for Women & Enterprise, Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Amplify Latinx and the City of Pittsfield.
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