Job Creation
Type: Tax Credit
Agency: Mass. Office of Business Development
The Economic Development Incentive Program is a competitive tax incentive program designed to foster full-time job creation and stimulate business growth throughout the Commonwealth. Participating companies may receive state and local tax incentives in exchange for full-time job creation, job retention (Gateway Cities Only), and private investment commitments. Projects require approval of the Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council (EACC). The EACC is a state board comprised of public and private sector officials which reviews and makes determinations on EDIP Projects. The Board evaluates a project based on the project’s economic impact, considering such factors as industry, location, private investment, job creation and job retention. The EACC’s administrative arm is the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, whose 6 regional directors provide a centralized source of information for businesses and municipalities and can help companies applying to the program as well as other state resources.
Type: Real Estate Tax Reduction
Agency: Municipal; Mass. Office of Business Development
Tax Incentive Financing (TIF) is a negotiated agreement between the business and the municipality. The percentage exemption applies to the incremental increase of assessed value of the property. The business pays the full tax rate on the “base value.” The agreement can include exemptions on personal property as well. Term is a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years. The percentage of exemption may range from 5% to 100%. Special Tax Agreement (STA) is also a negotiated agreement between the business and the municipality. Current as well as future incremental real estate taxes are exempted as follows: Year 1 – 50%; Year 2 & 3 – 25%; and Year 4 & 5 – 5%. Thereafter, the business pays 100%.
Workforce Development
Type: Grant
Agency: Commonwealth Corp.
The WTFP provides grants to MA businesses to fund training for current and newly hired employees. In order to qualify, businesses must pay into the Fund. The program is targeted to small or medium-sized businesses that would not be able to invest in improving employee skills without the WTFP. The WTFP has three programs: General Program Training Grants, Express Grant Program, and Direct Access Program as well as Technical Assistance Grants.
Type: Grant
Agency: Commonwealth Corp.
Open to all business sizes, this program offers businesses grants of up to $250,000 in skills training for current and newly hired workers. Employers, employer organizations, labor organizations, training providers, and a consortia of such entities are encouraged to apply. Training programs must be completed within two years and applicants can use the training provider of their choice.
Type: Grant
Agency: Commonwealth Corp.
Open to businesses with 100 or fewer employees, this program offers businesses grant funds of up to $30,000 per company per calendar year and $3,000 per employee per course for training. If approved, the WTFP will reimburse up to 50% of the actual cost of training. Businesses must select courses from the pre-registered directory.
Type: Grant
Agency: Commonwealth Corp.
The program addresses smaller-scale training needs by making training slots available free of charge to businesses that are eligible for the WTFP. Businesses should consider the pilot program when training needs cannot be easily met by a consortium or Express Program grant.
Type: Recruiting Assistance
Agency: Mass Office of Labor and Workforce
The Commonwealth’s network of centers are capable of providing a business with: access to qualified candidates, applicant pre-screening, posting of jobs, assistance with small and large-scale recruitment activities, help planning job fairs and testing and assessment of candidates.
Type: Grant
Agency: Mass. Office of Business Development
The objective of this program is to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace by awarding state funds to eligible applicants who submit responses designed to provide and improve safety education and training in Occupational Safety and Health to employers/employees within the Commonwealth covered by the Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Law (M.G.L. Chapter 152). The maximum grant award per company is $25,000.
Type: Workforce Training
Agency: Non Profit
Resilient Coders teachers young people from Boston’s underserved communities how to code and run a web development shop that employs them. Students partake in a seven week bootcamp to gain the technical skills required for coding and the soft skills needed to succeed in a job.
Type: Workforce Training
Agency: Non Profit
Year Up offers a one-year intensive training program to urban young adults. The program provides a mix of hands-on skills development, mentorship, coursework eligible for college credit, and a corporate internship to prepare them for the real-world.
Type: Matching Stipend
Agency: MassTech Collaborative
MTIP is a program that provides reimbursable matching stipends to digital technology companies that are starting and scaling-up across Massachusetts that hire local college students into summer internships. The program is available to Massachusetts-based startups with fewer than 100 employees seeking to hire a Massachusetts college intern for the summer. Companies can be reimbursed for up to 50% of the intern’s gross salary for up to 2 interns and a total of $3,200/year per individual intern.
Type: Workforce Training
Agency: Network
A regional consortium of Boston employers and training providers are blazing the path to IT jobs, led by the Boston Private Industry Council (PIC), the City’s workforce development board, and SkillWorks, a regional funders’ collaborative. Companies from a range of sectors—including healthcare, education, government, technology, and finance—support the initiative.
Research & Innovation Support
Type: Grant
Agency: University of Massachusetts
Startups and small-medium sized enterprise can receive grants to use UMass labs to help develop product prototypes.
Type: Tax Credit
Agency: Mass. Office of Business Development
This program, designed after the federal credit program, offers a tax incentive for R&D investment for both manufacturers and R&D companies. The credit is divided into two categories, a 10% credit for qualified expenses and a 15% credit for basic research payments to research organizations such as hospitals and universities.
Type: Grant
Agency: Seaport Economic Council/MassTech
Grant opportunities are available for Applicants that provide innovative solutions to improve marine and coastal community resources in Massachusetts.
International Business Development
Type: Grant
Agency: MOITI
The STEP Program, through a $500k grant from the US Small Business Administration (SBA), is intended to help offset international business development and related marketing costs for small businesses. Grant proceeds may be used for specific international business development and marketing costs.
Type: Loan
Agency: MassDevelopment
The program offers Massachusetts companies several programs to help bring their products and services to markets around the globe, including 100% export loans and export guarantees, 100% financing for new equipment, leasehold improvements and working capital, and loans up to $2M.
Financing
Type: Loan
Agency: Mass. Growth Capital Corp.
This program can provide professional services to small businesses in need of solutions to financial and operational challenges.
Type: Loan
Agency: Mass. Growth Capital Corp.
Loans made in conjunction with bank financing. Typically, the bank will have a senior position on assets and MGCC will be in a subordinated position. These loans are usually written as 5 year Term Loans.
Type: Loan
Agency: Mass. Growth Capital Corp.
When a company needs to receive partial advances of loan proceeds to meet working capital needs, such as for a seasonable business, a one year Line of Credit may be appropriate. A Line of Credit may be renewed for a second year or may be converted to a Term Loan.
Type: Loan
Agency: Mass. Growth Capital Corp.
Working capital requirements are not often easily handled within one year. Cash flow is typically insufficient to repay all but the smallest loan in a year. Five year Term Loans therefore provide a useful time frame – long enough for cash flow to increase and to allow MGCC to be repaid.
Type: Loan
Agency: Mass. Growth Capital Corp.
Winning a contract or a purchase order usually requires a firm to support labor, materials and overhead cost before billing and being paid for the work. Contract and Purchase Order financing can bridge this timing gap. Typically, a percent of the order value will be loaned, and repaid when the firm receives payment.
Type: Loan Guarantee
Agency: Mass. Growth Capital Corp.
If a bank cannot extend needed credit because the collateral is inadequate, MGCC can provide a partial and limited Guarantee to enable the bank to make the loan.
Type: Loan
Agency: MassDevelopment
MassDevelopment provides Manufacturing Planning Loans up to $50,000 with low interest rates and terms of up to five years. Loans can be used by manufacturing companies to pay for consultant services.
Type: Loan & Guarantee
Agency: MassDevelopment
The Emerging Technology Fund (ETF) provides MA startups or emerging tech companies with financing for working capital, manufacturing facilities, and equipment. The ETF specifically offers: loans up to $2.5M and loan guarantees up to $1M. Eligible companies must be starting or expanding manufacturing operations in MA, market demand, and proven fundraising, among other requirements.
Type: Loan
Agency: MassDevelopment
For companies expanding operations and need to purchase equipment. The program offers loans up to $2M, fixed rate financing, and loan advance rates up to 85% of the cost of new equipment. Exporters may receive 100% financing for new equipment.
Type: Loan
Agency: MassDevelopment
MassDevelopment offers real estate loans to help fund facility acquisition, renovation, construction, and permanent financing up to $7.5M. This is great for manufacturers, small businesses, and nonprofits.
Type: Loan
Agency: MassDevelopment
The program offers Massachusetts companies several programs to help bring their products and services to markets around the globe, including 100% export loans and export guarantees, 100% financing for new equipment, leasehold improvements and working capital, and loans up to $2M.
Collaborative Workspaces
Type: Incubator
Agency: Non Profit
Framework is a shared workspace in the heart of downtown Pittsfield. Conveniently located in the bustling Upper North neighborhood. Framework features first-class tools and services for business and individuals including high speed internet, open and private work areas and meeting spaces.
Type: Federal Innovation
Agency: Non Profit
Created in partnership with the Commonwealth and The MITRE Corporation, the Massachusetts Innovation Bridge connects local businesses, nonprofits, and academic institutions with federal opportunities. Through the Innovation Bridge, federal agencies will create new relationships with innovative academic institutions, thought leaders, established companies, and with companies that previously did not work with the federal government. Together, they will discover innovative ideas, products, and services to enhance federal agency missions. The new collaborative workspace will also give Massachusetts companies, higher education institutions, and nonprofits access to new federal business opportunities.
Type: Incubator
Agency: Non Profit
Launched in 2014 by Baystate Health, TechSpring provides technology companies access to a real, live health system using a proven process and platform to test and validate digital health solutions. 12,000+ employees work across a region-wide integrated delivery network, five hospitals and 1000 beds, including a flagship teaching hospital and 90+ medical practices.
Type: Co-Working Space
Agency: Private
Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) has been home to over 3500 companies since 2001, many of whom have started here. Companies originally headquartered at CIC have created over $3.9B in publicly disclosed exit value.
Type: Co-Working Space
Agency: Private
Groundwork! supports the amazing community of talented entrepreneurs in New Bedford and surrounding areas, and to create a special space for people, ideas, and collaboration.
Type: Accelerator
Agency: Non Profit
MassChallenge is a not-for-profit accelerator providing startups with the access and resources they need to succeed - from free office space to mentoring, workshops and global network access. Since 2010, MassChallenge has accelerated 835 startups, which together have raised $1.3 billion in funding, generated over $500 million in revenue and created over 6500 jobs across the world.
Type: Accelerator
Agency: Non Profit
EforAll is a small business/nonprofit accelerator focused on mentoring organizations in mid-sized cities. EforAll offers twice yearly Accelerator Programs, where 15-20 entrepreneurs work with mentors and experts to move their ventures forward quickly.
Type: Accelerator
Agency: Non Profit
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts VVM builds, supports, and maintains a community committed to nurturing startups. Its primary accelerator program involves four months of intense training and critical support with the opportunity for participants to win up to $50,000 each (equity-free) to develop their businesses.
Real Estate
Type: Relocation Services
Agency: Non Profit
MassEcon is a nonprofit specializing in on-the-ground services to companies seeking to expand within or relocate to Massachusetts. MassEcon also engages with prospective businesses at tradeshows across the nation to help sell Massachusetts.