Massachusetts grants for Small businesses

This grant provides financial support and coworking resources to small businesses in Massachusetts with limited revenue and staff, aiming to boost local entrepreneurship and community growth.

Targeting projects led by members from historically excluded communities, this track offers specialized support including workshops and direct consultations. Focusing on equity and inclusion within Massachusetts narratives, the grant promotes projects that reinterpret recognized histories or highlight new stories. The funding, up to $20,000, supports up to 15 selected projects through a non-competitive review process, fostering equitable representation in the state’s cultural narrative. LOI April 5th

This funding opportunity supports grassroots community groups with limited resources to launch new environmental projects or significantly shift existing ones, focusing on those that amplify diverse voices and address environmental justice issues.

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources offers the Cranberry Bog Renovation Grant Program, now in its sixth year, to enhance the efficiency and environmental sustainability of cranberry bogs. This competitive grant program provides funds to renovate existing bogs, increasing yields and improving methods of production. The grants aim to minimize environmental impacts, focusing on water quality, efficient water use, and other conservation practices. The application deadline is May 24, 2024, with a maximum funding of $125,000 per applicant and a required 25% cost match. Grant renewed every year.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to Massachusetts-based organizations that help early-stage climatetech startups grow and innovate, covering various operational and developmental expenses.

SMAC Quick Support for Organizations in Minnesota provides grants of up to $2,500 for planning and small projects. The grant is available to nonprofit organizations within the eighteen counties of the SW MN Arts Council service region or on tribal lands within their service area. Applicants may choose from five project types including Art Legacy Project planning, Small arts project, Small equipment purchase, Arts organization development, and Arts organization start-up. For more information, visit Southwest Minnesota Arts Council.

Notice of Funding Opportunity SummaryThe Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing potential availability of cooperative agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources to assist with conducting important coastal restoration throughout Massachusetts. NRCS recognizes the importance of shellfish, salt marsh, and eelgrass restoration and the beneficial outcomes it can have on the environment and climate change. Restoration of rare and declining communities, including coastal habitats has been an underutilized practice in Massachusetts. This agreement will be used to encourage the restoration of coastal habitats through the use of this NRCS practice by conducting outreach, providing training, identifying and completing projects, and monitoring of outcomes.NRCS-Massachusetts is making a funding opportunity available for applicants to submit proposals with an award ceiling of $600,000 and a minimum project award of $300,000. NRCS will be awarding a cooperative agreement for up to a five-year period. If, in coordination with NRCS, additional resources are needed at a rate that exceeds this schedule, NRCS may add funds to this agreement to support continued partnership over the performance period.The primary goal is to expand coastal restoration to NRCS customers throughout eastern Massachusetts. The project list ranges in size from less than an acre private or leased property to several hundred-acre private properties. Applicants will identify the average number of projects they could complete with a minimum of five being acceptable for this agreement. NRCS will work with the selected applicant to make the choice of priority restoration sites each year of the agreement based on interest and need. Applicants will be required to hold 1-2 restoration trainings per year for NRCS staff and partners to expand their knowledge on the subject. Applicants should provide a list of training ideas to NRCS for the length of the agreement. Applicants will be awarded based on the specified scoring criteria in Section E of this announcement. Eligible applicants are identified in Section C of this announcement. Applicants should be familiar with all applicable state, federal, local laws, policies, and regulations that apply to coastal restoration in the locales of Massachusetts.For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.Key DatesApplicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on June 29, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed.The agency anticipates making selections by June 30, 2024, and expects to execute awards by August 15, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

Focuses on funding new initiatives or expanding existing workforce training programs and studies in the offshore wind sector, with an emphasis on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEIJ) principles.

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) announces the availability of funds through the New Dairy Processor Start-up Grant program to support new dairy processing projects throughout the Northeast. Donor Name: Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) State: Selected States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/05/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The goal of this program is to help develop competitive dairy processing businesses with long-term viability, supporting operations of all sizes in successfully launching and sustaining their products in the marketplace.  This program is for:  Dairy farmers ready to begin processing,  Value-added entrepreneurs with proven experience in dairy processing and/or value-added business startups, including any relevant work experience, business ventures, products developed, and products brought to market, or  Dairy processors established after January 1, 2023, who are in the start-up phase of business development. Funds are intended to support start-up operations, focusing on tangible implementation rather than research and development, concept development, or initial planning. Funding Information Total available funds: $500,000 Minimum: $15,000  Maximum: $75,000 Project Period Grant periods will range from 12 – 18 months, depending on the project.  Eligibility Criteria This grant is open to applicants from all Northeast states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Applicants must fall into one of the following categories:  Dairy farmer that:  Produces milk within the Northeast  Is a licensed dairy operation in compliance with all required state and federal standards  Value-added business entrepreneur that meets the following requirements:  Sources milk or dairy components from within the Northeast and has evidence of a committed partnership with a farm or processor for sourcing these components  Has a business entity prior to applying  Can demonstrate experience in dairy processing and/or related value-added business startup, including any relevant work experience, business ventures, products developed, and products brought to market  Dairy processor established after January 1, 2023 that:  Has a business entity and milk processing license prior to applying  Sources milk or dairy components from within the Northeast and has evidence of a committed partnership with a farm or processor for sourcing these components.  Is in the start-up phase of business operations All applicants must also:  Be headquartered or based in the Northeast  Provide Proof of Concept demonstrating the viability of the business idea and product  Have a plan for new value-added dairy processing that includes market research, financial projections, a branding and marketing strategy, and a facility location  Obtain licenses to sell dairy products across state lines by the end of the grant period Launch their products in the marketplace or have a Letter of Commitment from a buyer, distributor, or retailer indicating plans to sell the product by the end of the grant period For more information, visit NE-DBIC.

Notice of Funding Opportunity SummaryThe Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing potential availability of cooperative agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources to assist our agency with conducting and implementing important conservation whole farm planning on multiple private landowner properties throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. NRCS recognizes the importance of expanding conservation efforts including irrigation, erosion control, integrated pest management, nutrient management and forestry efforts in Southeastern Massachusetts and the beneficial outcomes it can have on the environment. The agreement holder will also be responsible for providing training to NRCS staff and affiliates as well as customer outreach.NRCS-Massachusetts is making a funding opportunity available for applicants to submit proposals with an award ceiling of $400,000 and a minimum project award of $200,000. NRCS will be awarding a cooperative agreement for up to a five-year period. If, in coordination with NRCS, additional resources are needed at a rate that exceeds this schedule, NRCS may add funds to this agreement to support continued partnership over the performance period.The primary goal is to expand conservation planning to NRCS customers throughout Southeastern Massachusetts. The project list ranges in size from less than 1-acre farms to several hundred-acre farms. Applicants will identify the average number of conservation site visits and written whole farm conservation plans that they could complete in any year with a minimum of fifteen per year being acceptable for this agreement. NRCS will work with the selected applicant to make the choice of priority conservation site visits each year of the agreement based on interest and need. Applicants will be required to hold 1-2 conservation focused trainings per year for NRCS staff and partners to expand their technical knowledge. Applicants should provide a list of training ideas to NRCS for the length of the agreement. Applicants will be awarded based on the specified scoring criteria in Section E of this announcement. Eligible applicants include: all domestic applicants. Neither foreign entities nor individuals are eligible to apply for this opportunity. Applicants should be familiar with all applicable state, federal, local laws, policies, and regulations that apply to conservation improvements in the locales of Massachusetts.For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.Key DatesApplicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on June 29, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed.The agency anticipates making selections by June 30, 2024, and expects to execute awards by August 15, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

Notice of Funding Opportunity SummaryThe Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing potential availability of cooperative agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources to assist our agency with conducting important integrated pest management (IPM) evaluations on multiple private landowner properties throughout Massachusetts. NRCS recognizes the importance of increasing the use of IPM practices on cropland including orchards and on areas privately managed for shellfish aquaculture production. IPM has been an underutilized practice in Massachusetts This agreement will be used to provide training on IPM for NRCS staff and affiliates while also providing needed technical assistance for NRCS customers with IPM site visits.NRCS-Massachusetts is making a funding opportunity available for applicants to submit proposals with an award ceiling of $400,000 and a minimum project award of $200,000. NRCS will be awarding a cooperative agreement for up to a five-year period. If, in coordination with NRCS, additional resources are needed at a rate that exceeds this schedule, NRCS may add funds to this agreement to support continued partnership over the performance period.The primary goal is to expand IPM to NRCS customers throughout Massachusetts. The project list ranges in size from 1-acre farms to several hundred-acre farms. Applicants will identify the average number of IPM site visits and written IPM plans that they could complete in any contract year with a minimum of ten per year being acceptable for this agreement. NRCS will work with the selected applicant to make the choice of priority IPM site visits each year of the agreement based on interest and need. Applicants will be required to hold 1-2 IPM trainings per year for NRCS staff and partners to expand their knowledge on the subject. Applicants should provide a list of training ideas to NRCS for the length of the agreement. Applicants will be awarded based on the specified scoring criteria in Section E of this announcement. Eligible applicants include: all domestic applicants. Applicants should be familiar with all applicable state, federal, local laws, policies, and regulations that apply to IPM in the locales of Massachusetts.For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.Key DatesApplicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on June 29, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected]. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed.The agency anticipates making selections by June 30, 2024, and expects to execute awards by August 15, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

The Cambridge Small Business E-Commerce Grant is a special grant program providing relief to local businesses heavily impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Donor Name: City of Cambridge State: Massachusetts City: Cambridge Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 08/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The goal of this grant is to help local Cambridge businesses remain competitive as there was an increase in customer online ordering and shopping due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Funding Information Cambridge businesses may be eligible to receive up to $4,000 for e-commerce, software, and/or point of sale systems. Eligibility Criteria If your answer to most of these questions is  “yes,”  you could be eligible for this grant: Is your current non-franchise business located and operating in Cambridge, MA? Do you have 25 or fewer full-time employees including yourself? Did you open your business on or before March 3, 2021? Is your business still in operation? Can you provide business tax returns or profit and loss statements that your business loss sales/revenue between 2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic) or 2020 and 2021? Does your business need a website? Did your business not have a website prior to March 2021? Do you need an e-commerce or online ordering or booking system for your business or your current website? Do you need a new point-of-sale, scheduling, or register system that can connect to your website? Did you upgrade your business point-of sale system (including software), develop a website, or did you add e-commerce to your website after March 3, 2021? Do you have the paperwork to prove you made these upgrades? Do you need training to make sure you can update your e-commerce website on your own? Can you complete your website, e-commerce, and/or point of sale system improvements by December 31, 2024? Businesses NOT eligible for this grant:  Businesses not located in Cambridge, MA Cambridge businesses that recently closed Cambridge businesses that have signed a lease, opened, or started on or before April 2021. Businesses must be in operation prior to April 2021. Cambridge businesses that cannot provide taxes or sales documents that show a loss of sales/revenues from 2019 and 2021 Businesses not currently compliant with all federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to zoning, licensing, and permits Although cannabis businesses are permitted in the City of Cambridge, the use and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law for any purpose. Since this is a federally-funded program, cannabis businesses are not eligible for the program Businesses that received a City-ARPA Grant (such as the Restaurant-Nightlife Relief Grant or Small Business Relief Grant) and have not provided proof of use for those grants to City staff. For more information, visit City of Cambridge.

The Chelsea Neighborhood Market & Food Business Grant Program aims to bolster the local food economy in Chelsea, MA, in response to increased food insecurity and economic turbulence exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, the program provides $100,000 over three years to support Chelsea residents who are first-time entrepreneurs and food business owners interested in becoming vendors at Chelsea Neighborhood Market. The market, intended to create entrepreneurial opportunities and expand food retail options, will be located near residential areas and accessible by public transport. Eligibility is determined based on residency in Chelsea, operation or intention to operate a Chelsea-based food business, and a commitment to being a market vendor for at least three months. APPLY BY APRIL 9, 2024 FOR FIRST CONSIDERATION. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS UNTIL FUNDING IS EXPENDED.

This funding opportunity supports organizations that partner with startups to advance and scale innovative clean energy technologies in Massachusetts, helping them navigate challenges to achieve commercial success.

This funding opportunity supports licensed dairy processors and brands in the Northeast to initiate or expand co-packing arrangements, scale production, and enhance their product offerings.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations that help underrepresented communities in Massachusetts access training and career pathways in the clean energy sector, addressing systemic barriers and workforce gaps.

This funding opportunity provides reimbursement for Massachusetts employers to invest in safety training programs that reduce workplace injuries and promote safer work environments.

This program provides funding to Massachusetts agricultural operations to enhance climate resilience, improve sustainability, and boost food safety and energy efficiency through various eligible projects.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and community groups in Boston for designing urban farms, community gardens, and other public food production spaces.

This grant provides funding for arts, humanities, and sciences projects in Massachusetts, supporting organizations that create accessible cultural experiences for the public, especially in underserved communities.