Small Business Community in Massachusetts represents:
  • Number of firms with 19 employees or less: 126,300 that is 86% of all MA firms
  • Number of employees in firms with 19 or less employees: 518,500 that is 17% of all employees
  • Number of "Non-employers": 458,000 (i.e., Sole Proprietors)

Services are provided by:

Office of Small Business & Entrepreneurship ( OSBE), which mission is to create policies and programs to support small businesses & entrepreneurs across the Commonwealth of MA.

OSBE is the most valuable resource for Small Business Community, and utilizes the following business development tools:

  • Small Business Assistance Advisory Council
  • Technical Assistance Grants & Office
  • MA Small Business Development Centers




Access to a wide spectrum of available financing and funding, including:
Technical Assistance Grants
Best Practices
Professional Services
Small Business Procurement Program

There are many additional resources available such as:

Technical Assistance Resources

  • Small Business Development Centers ( SBDC)
  • Community Development Corporations ( CDC)

F inancal Assistance Organizations

  • Quasi's: (i.e., CDFC, EST, MTDC, MassDevelopment, MTC)
  • Alternative Lenders (i.e.,Certified Development Companies, Micro)

State & Federal programs

  • Workforce Training Fund
  • Career Centers
  • Departments of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulations, Revenue, International Trade, Industrial Accident, etc
  • SOMWBA, AMP
  • SBA
  • Offices of Secretary of the Commonwealth, Treasurers, Attorney General's

Research and comparative analysis