Small Business Services
Compiled by Christina P. O’Neill
Associated Industries of Massachusetts
222 Berkeley Street, P.O. Box 763
Boston 02117-0763
Phone: 617-262-1180
Fax: 617-536-6785
Services provided: Workers compensation and small-group health insurance, group life and disability, group dental insurance coverage for members, affirmative action planning, human resource and general management needs assistance, and seminar training programs.
Better Business Bureau of Central New England Inc.
339 Main Street
Worcester 01608-1900
Phone: 866-566-9222
Fax: 508-754-4158
Services provided: Dispute resolution, maintains data on reported companies, handles complaints against companies, issues consumer alerts and warnings on fraudulent business scams, business advisory services, consumer guides, reports on charities.
Center for Technology Commercialization
134 Flanders Rd.
Westboro 01581
Phone: 508-870-0042
Fax: 508-366-0101
Services provided: Non-profit company established to assist public safety community in technology and protocol development to provide safe environment for public safety personnel and their communities. Specialties include science and technology, technology transfer and commercialization, and business development.
Center for Women & Enterprise
50 Elm St., 2nd Fl.
Worcester 01609
Phone: 508-363-2300
Fax: 508-363-2323
Services provided: Nonprofit organization that provides education, training, technical assistance and access to capital to empower women to start and run their own businesses.
Central Massachusetts Convention & Visitors Bureau
30 Major Taylor Blvd.
Worcester 01608
Phone: 508-755-7400
Fax: 508-754-2703
Services provided: Sales and marketing agency responsible for promoting Central Massachusetts to the general public as a convention and meeting site, and tourist destination.
Central Massachusetts Regional Employment Board
44 Front Street, Suite 300
Worcester 01608
Phone: 508-799-1590
Fax: 508-799-1595
Services provided: Non-profit board that develops policy for the regional workforce, to serve employment, education and training needs of employers and employees in the 38 communities it serves.
Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission
35 Harvard St., 2nd Fl.
Worcester 01609-2801
Phone: 508-756-7717
Fax: 508-792-6818
Services provided: Serving the interests of its 39 member communities, its primary purpose is the coordination of the region’s growth and development.
Commonwealth Corp.
529 Main Street, Suite 110
Boston 02129
617-727-8158
Fax: 617-242-7660
Services provided: Quasi-public organization that collaborates with industry and educational institutions to provide education and training programs. Also, provides technical assistance for manufacturing companies, particularly small and medium-sized manufacturers, to upgrade technology.
Manufacturing Advancement Center
100 Grove Street
Worcester 01605
508-831-7020
Fax: 508-831-7215
Services provided: Private, not-for-profit, corporation founded to increase the competitiveness of local small manufacturers. The MAC provides three basic services to manufacturers: Administration and operation of industry network clusters; design, development and implementation of workforce training programs and incubation and nurturing of young enterprises
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Business Empowerment Center
237 Chandler Street
Worcester 01609
Phone: 508-756-6330
Fax: 508-751-8591
Services provided: Non-profit business information center for low-income minority clients. It provides business development services, small business incubation, and culturally sensitive pre-employment training.
Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development
892 Worcester Street
Wellesley 02482
Phone: 781-489-6262
Fax: 781-489-6263
Services provided: A public-private partnership dedicated to marketing Massachusetts as a location for business. Its Site Finder Service assists companies in finding appropriate properties for facility expansion in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Biomedical Initiatives
25 Winthrop Street,
Worcester 01604
Phone: 508-797-4200
Fax: 508-799-4039
Services provided: An independent, tax-exempt corporation created to support economic development and job creation for the biomedical and medical device industries throughout the region.
The Business Development Company/New England Certified
500 Edgewater Dr., Ste. 555
Wakefield 01880
Phone: 781-928-1100
Fax: 781-928-1101
Services provided: Provides financial assistance in the form of loans, mezzanine and equity investments, guarantees and financial services for businesses in Massachusetts. Preferred SBA Lender. New England Certified provides Advantage SBA 504 loans.
Massachusetts Capital Resource Co.
420 Boylston Street
Boston 02116
Phone: 617-536-3900
Fax: 617-536-7930
Services provided: Limited partnership privately owned and funded by Mass.-based life insurance companies. Provides risk capital, and invests across the entire range of business development financings.
Massachusetts Community Development Finance Corp.
155 Federal Street, Ste. 202
Boston 02110
Phone: 617-523-6262
Fax: 617-523-7676
Services provided: Quasi-public corporation that serves as a state-level community economic development finance institution. Provides flexible financing for smaller businesses to enable them to expand and retain employment for local communities. Details vary.
Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development
100 Cambridge St., Suite 300
Boston 02114
Phone: 617-573-1100
Fax: 617-573-1120
Services provided: State agency providing housing market data, information and assistance to small businesses. Call or visit web site for details.
Massachusetts Development Finance Agency
160 Federal Street
Boston 02110
617-451-2477
Fax: 617-451-3429
Services provided: Issues tax-exempt and taxable bonds; insures loans, offers advisory services to companies that cannot finance their projects; manufacturers that are exporting to foreign markets; oversees development of large-scale real estate projects; provides predevelopment assistance funding.
Massachusetts Development Finance Agency Central Massachusetts Office
339 Main Street, Suite 200
Worcester 01608
Phone: 508-363-2799
Fax: 508-363-2976
http://www.massdevelopment.com/about/regional_central.aspx
Services provided: Issues tax-exempt and taxable bonds for manufacturing businesses; provides commercial and industrial real estate and equipment loans and loan guarantees; provides export sales financing for manufacturers; oversees development of large-scale real estate projects; and provides Brownfield site assessment and remediation financing.
Massachusetts Development Finance Agency Devens Office
33 Andrews Parkway
Devens 01434
Phone: 978-784-2900
Fax: 978-772-8879
http://www.massdevelopment.com/about/regional_devens.aspx
Services provided: Issues tax-exempt and taxable bonds and low-interest loans for companies, nonprofits, and environmental projects to create jobs and affordable housing and support business development; oversees development of large-scale real estate projects; advises the Commonwealth’s cities and towns on plans for growth.
Massachusetts Division of Career Services
19 Staniford Street Ist Floor
Boston 02114
Phone: 617-626-5300
Fax: 617-727-1090
Services provided: Free employment referral services and information for training. Workshops for resume writing and interviewing skills. Computer stations for resume-preparers. Job placement, referral counseling, veterans’ placement and referral, Internet services for job placement.
Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership
100 Grove St.
Worcester 01605
Phone: 508-831-7020 -800-MEP-4MFG
Fax: 508-831-7215
Services provided: Part of a nationwide network of more than 70 non-profit centers whose purpose is to provide small and medium-sized businesses with assistance in manufacturing procedures.
Massachusetts Office of Business Development-Central Region
339 Main St., Suite 200
Worcester 01608
Phone: 508-792-7506
Fax: 508-792-7532
Services provided: One of six regional offices helping businesses seeking to expand or relocate into Massachusetts. Provides help with economic incentive programs, and accessing technical, human, financial, training, educational and siting resources.
Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism
10 Park Plaza, Ste. 4510
Boston 02116
Phone: 617-973-8500
Fax: 617-973-8525
Services provided: Principal agency for promoting the recreational, cultural, historic and scenic resources of the Commonwealth to increase its desirability as a location for tourism, convention and travel.
Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network at Clark University
950 Main Street
Worcester 01610
Phone: 508-793-7615
Fax: 508-793-8890
Services provided: Free and confidential one-to-one management counseling and technical assistance to prospective and existing small business. Counseling includes feasibility studies and startup issues, assistance with business plan development, cash flow management, marketing and sales strategies, and more.
Massachusetts Technology Collaborative
75 North Drive
Westboro 01581
Phone: 508-870-0312
Fax: 508-898-2275
Services provided: A quasi-public, independent economic development organization established by the Massachusetts Legislature to develop the Commonwealth’s information and technology-based economy. Specializing in innovation and jobs in Massachusetts, promoting new electronic health technologies and supporting renewable energy technology and companies in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Technology Development Corp.
40 Broad St., Suite 818
Boston 02109
Phone: 617-723-4920
Fax: 617-723-5983
Services provided: Provides a management-assistance program that critiques business plans from entrepreneurs who are planning to start a new business; makes equity and subordinated-debt investments of $350,000 to $500,000 in early-stage Massachusetts technology companies when the investment will leverage $3 to $5 of private co-investment for every $1 put in by MTDC.
Massachusetts Office of Internal Trade & Investment
10 Park Plaza, Suite 4510
Boston 02116
617-973-8650
Fax: 617-227-3488
Services provided: Organizes overseas trade missions; participates in trade shows; sponsors strategic trade seminars; investment promotions; establishes bilateral accords with foreign trade officials; and hosts foreign delegations seeking business relations with Massachusetts firms.
Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
10 Park Plaza, Ste. 5170
Boston 02116
Phone: 617-973-8787
Fax: 617-973-8798
Services provided: Consumer Hotline, investigate consumer problems; publish brochures, alerts, and reports; and monitor the marketplace to promote fair and honest competition.
Service Corps of Retired Executives
339 Main St.
Worcester 01608
Phone: 508-753-2929
Fax: 508-754-8560
Services provided: Free and confidential counseling in all aspects of starting and running a business.
Small Business Service Bureau Inc.
554 Main St., PO Box 15014
Worcester 01608
508-756-3513
Fax: 508-770-0528
Services provided: Group insurance plans, management assistance, legislative advocacy, and small-business bulletin.
State Office of Minority & Women Business Assistance
10 Park Plaza, Ste. 3740
Boston 02116
Phone: 617-973-8692
Fax: 617-973-8637
Services provided: An agency within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts helping promote the development of business enterprises and non-profit organizations owned or operated by minorities and women.
The Greater Worcester Area Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Committee
339 Main Street
Worcester 01608
508-753-2924
Fax: 508-754-8560
Services provided: Broad-based committee that creates a strategic plan for economic development opportunities in the Greater Worcester area.
The Smaller Business Association of New England
1601 Trapelo Road, Suite 212
Waltham 02451
Phone: 781-890-9070
Fax: 781-890-4567
Services provided: Grassroots lobbying, educational programs, state and federal advocacy and cost-savings benefits. Also offers group medical and dental insurance.
The University of Massachusetts Office of Technology Management
333 South St., Suite 400
Shrewsbury 01545
Phone: 508-856-1626
Fax: 508-856-1482
Services provided: The primary mission to secure continuing financial support for research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School through the development of mutually beneficial research and licensing agreements between UMass and industry.
U.S. Export Assistance Center/U.S. Department of Commerce
World Trade Center Boston, 200 Seaport Blvd., Suite 307
Boston 02210
617-424-5990
Fax: 617-424-5992
Services provided: Helps small and medium-sized businesses do business internationally with export marketing.
U.S. Small Business Administration –Boston District Office
10 Causeway Street, Room 265
Boston 02222
Phone: 617-565-5590
Fax: 617-565-5598
Services provided: The U.S. Small Business Administration and its statewide network of partners - banks, non-bank lenders, microlenders and certified development companies, SCORE, the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network, and the Center for Women & Enterprise, help potential and current small business owners gain access to capital, counseling and training, federal contracts, and surety bond guarantees. SBA loans range in size from $100 microloans, up to $4 million for fixed assets. SBA can guarantee bid, performance and payment bonds up to $2 million.
Worcester Regional Research Bureau
319 Main St.
Worcester 01608
Phone: 508-799-7169
Fax: 508-799-4720
Services provided: A private, non-profit organization dedicated to conducting independent, non-partisan research on financial, administrative, management and community issues facing Worcester’s municipal government and the surrounding region.
Workforce Central Career Center
Milford office:
14 Beach St.
Milford 01657
Phone: 508-478-4300
Fax: 508-792-7316
Southbridge office:
5 Optical Drive, Ste. 200
Southbridge 01550
508-765-6430
Fax: 508-765-6442
Worcester office:
44 Front Street, 6th Floor
Worcester 01608
508-799-1600
Fax: 508-799-8025
Services provided: Public resource for regional workforce development services and information.
WPI Venture Forum
100 Institute Road
Worcester 01609
Phone: 508-831-5075
Fax: 508-831-5720
Services provided: Monthly meetings to present company case studies, with a panel of experts to provide comments and recommendations to the company. Each meeting also has a special theme and a guest speaker who is an expert in that area. Offers networking capabilities through the forum meetings. Once a year, a workshop is held to provide in-depth, interactive experience in key fields of business development. Also puts out a free monthly newsletter.
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