Help for small businesses and startups

Massachusetts organizations and lending partners offer many financing options for businesses trying to get off the ground.

Contains information on startup and initial funding, loans, infrastructure financing, and grants.

To help small businesses thrive, the SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration) offers a variety of loan programs for specific purposes.

The Small Business Loan Review Boards monitor the availability of credit to small businesses, and provide an independent review process for any loan applicant who has been denied. Read answers to frequently asked questions about the Small Business Loan Review Boards and the appeal process.

To help small farmers in Massachusetts finance projects that improve their operations and increase their income, MassDevelopment, The Strolling of the Heifers, Inc., and The Carrot Project have teamed together to offer a small farm loan program. The program will provide loans ranging from $3,000 to $35,000.

The Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) offers working capital, loan guarantees, and targeted technical assistance to create and preserve jobs at small businesses, women and minority owned businesses, and to promote economic development in underserved municipalities and low and moderate income communities.

Workforce Training Fund EXPRESS is a training grant program targeted to small employers with a maximum of 50 employees in Massachusetts, and labor organizations. Businesses that employ 50 or fewer workers can apply for an Express grant that will allow purchase of up to a maximum total of $15,000 worth of training. The training cost per trainee cannot exceed $3,000.

Provide one-to-one free confidential services focusing on, business growth, strategies, financing and loan assistance.

Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC) is ready to provide assistance to small businesses across the state. MACDC is the policy and capacity-building arm of the community development movement in Massachusetts. Find contact information and Small Business Technical Assistance Program locations here.

The Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD) collaborates with the Business Resource Team (BRT), a partnership of public and private agencies and organizations committed to supporting businesses in Massachusetts. The BRT provides the necessary resources and information to help businesses grow and thrive within the Commonwealth. Fill out this form, and the BRT will contact you shortly to find out how they can help to meet your needs.

The Business Resource Team helps businesses identify and access state programs and resources that match their needs. Whether you're expanding, relocating, hiring new employees or looking for working capital, they can help you. Get them working for you now!

Learn about the small business community in Massachusetts.

SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to providing entrepreneurs with free, confidential face-to-face and email business counseling.

For businesses and nonprofits.

MassAlliance provides a range of development and support services to help small businesses and minority and women-owned enterprises build capacity. MassAlliance also helps corporate, government and institutional clients diversify goods and services procurement. By enabling these clients to contract with qualified small business providers, MassAlliance helps build mutually beneficial business relationships.

Declare eligibility and participate in the SBPP to increase your business with the state, receive access to online notification of competitive procurement opportunities targeted to eligible small businesses, to access a host of training programs, and more.

The United States Department of Labor offers an interactive Advisor tool to help you find information about a number of federal employment laws. Each Advisor simulates the interaction you might have with an employment law expert. It asks questions and provides answers based on responses given.