In Focus: Some resources for women entrepreneurship like initiatives, schemes and grants
#WomenEntrepreneursMA #TheBayStateBusiness #MassachusettsInnovation #EmpoweringWomen #EntrepreneurshipMadeEasy
Massachusetts, popularly known as “The Bay State,” is not only a hub for innovation & technology, but also a thriving ground for entrepreneurship. However, women entrepreneurs often face unique challenges in identifying and accessing the right resources to grow their businesses. But fear not, Massachusetts is making waves in addressing this gap!
Building Businesses, Breaking Barriers: Top Tools for Women Entrepreneurs in Massachusetts
The state boasts of a wealth of resources specifically designed to empower women entrepreneurs – from networking opportunities to funding programs & industry-specific guidance.
Organizations like the Center for Women and Enterprise, MassChallenge, and the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts are stepping up, to provide the works – from training & mentorship to access to capital. Whether you’re launching a tech startup in Boston or opening a boutique bakery in the Berkshires, Massachusetts offers a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, tailored to help women succeed.
In fact, exciting initiatives, such as creating entrepreneurial hubs for collaboration & resource sharing, are ensuring that no woman is left behind. The focus on improving accessibility & regional programming across the Commonwealth means that – women entrepreneurs in every corner of the state can now tap into these opportunities.
In Massachusetts, it’s not just about starting a business; it’s about thriving, innovating and creating a legacy.
Now, let’s dive into the treasure trove of resources – like initiatives, schemes & grants that are transforming women-led entrepreneurship in “The Bay State”!
> Women Entrepreneurs Boston
Women Entrepreneurs Boston (WE BOS) is an initiative that is designed to help Boston’s women entrepreneurs – by providing skills, technical assistance & networks to help women launch and grow their business. Women often face challenges including – limited funding, challenges in scaling and finding mentors & networks to support them as they grow.
WE BOS assists all women entrepreneurs, including start-ups, home-based businesses and established brick-and-mortar businesses, with the goal of increasing the number of well-established women entrepreneurs in the City of Boston. They provide expert educational programming, roundtable discussions and networking events to help Boston’s women business owners.
Women Entrepreneurs Boston also has a partnership with the Center for Women & Enterprise. The Center for Women and Enterprise provides entrepreneurial training & education at various locations in Boston. These programs will be accessible to all Bostonian businesswomen, regardless of their economic status. And, if you are a business owner in the City of Boston, you may be eligible to participate in a series of free entrepreneurial training programs.
http://we-bos.com/
http://www.greatergrovehall.org/women-entrepreneurs-boston/
https://www.boston.gov/departments/economic-development/women-entrepreneurs-boston
> Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE)
The Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE) is a non-profit economic empowerment organization. Their mission is – to strengthen communities & the economy by supporting women to launch and successfully sustain businesses. Basically, to increase women’s economic
empowerment through entrepreneurship.
Launched in 1999, the Central Massachusetts Women’s Business Center operates in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration; and they offer consultations, workshops and networking opportunities to help anyone reach her entrepreneurial goals.
At the Center for Women & Enterprise, they believe lifting up women, and for 25+ years, they have helped women launch and grow their businesses – by connecting them with the resources to succeed. They firmly believe that when women are empowered economically, it creates a ripple effect that expands throughout their communities.
So, they have helped aspiring women entrepreneurs and women business owners launch, build, and grow their business – by meeting them where they are and providing greater access to the resources, tools & support they need to achieve business success.
At CWE, they consider themselves really proud to be the most trusted and impactful training and certification program for women in New England.
https://cweonline.org/
https://cweonline.org/our-centers/cwe-central-massachusetts
> Center for Women and Enterprise (CEW)
The Center for Women and Enterprise (CEW) is a national non-profit organization – dedicated to helping people start and grow their businesses. CWE has worked with 46,000+ women entrepreneurs in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont, since 1995.
CWE also operates the Veterans Business Outreach Center of New England (VBOC of NE) that focuses on – assisting veterans, active duty service members and their families with starting and growing their business.
So, CWE provides opportunities for women entrepreneurs and women in business – to increase professional success, personal growth, and financial Independence through education, training, technical assistance & women’s business enterprise certification.
https://www.bostonbusinessloans.org/resources/center-for-women-and-enterprise-cew/
Massachusetts Government Agencies
> Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Certification Program
The State of Massachusetts’ Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) certifies diverse & small businesses interested in public and private business opportunities in Massachusetts. The SDO is responsible for certifying diverse business categories including – Minority (MBE), Women (WBE), Portuguese (PBE) & Veteran (VBE) businesses; and has agreements with third-party organizations that certify businesses in categories like – Service-Disabled Veteran (SDVOBE), Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBTBE), and Disability-Owned (DOBE), all of which must meet certain certification criteria.
SDO certification enhances a firm’s ability to do business in both public & private markets. Although certification does not guarantee that a business will be successful every time it bids, it may indeed, add a competitive edge to firms seeking contracts with the government.
> City of Boston – Women Entrepreneur’s Boston
Women Entrepreneurs Boston (WE BOS) provides skill-building opportunities, technical assistance & networking – to help women entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses in the city.
WE BOS unifies and supports all women entrepreneurs – helping everyone from startups to home-based businesses to established brick-and-mortar mainstays. The resources include: Coaching and Educational Workshops; Mentoring and Networking & Panel Discussions.
> Massachusetts Small Business Administration (SBA)
The Massachusetts SBA is supported by a main district office in Boston, as well as an additional location in Springfield. They provide services including – funding programs, counseling, federal contracting, certifications & disaster recovery. They can also connect you to partner organizations, lenders & other community groups that help small businesses succeed. Examples of educational programs and events include – Legal Considerations for Women-Owned Business Certifications, Accounting for Non-Accountants, Basics of Starting a Business, and Beginner’s Guide to Canva.
Massachusetts Agencies & Non-profit Organizations
> Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE)
Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE) is an inclusive economic empowerment organization helping women business owners and aspiring women entrepreneurs launch and grow their business – by providing greater access to the resources, tools, and support they need.
Basically, CWE provides a number of facilities like:
– Education
– Training
– Technical assistance
– Women’s business enterprise certification
CWE clients represent a variety of racial, ethnic & socio-economic backgrounds at every stage on the business development spectrum – from starting a home-based business in public housing to running a multi-million dollar technology firm.
> EforAll
EforAll is a non-profit organization that partners with communities nationwide – to help under-represented individuals successfully start and grow their businesses through its unique combination of immersive business training, mentorship and an extensive support network.
The EforAll Business Accelerator Program is a free, 1-year program conducted twice a year and is open to anyone to apply – with a dream of starting or growing a business or non-profit. Massachusetts communities served by EforAll include Berkshire County, Cape Cod, Fall River and New Bedford, Greater Worcester, Lynn, Merrimack Valley, Pioneer Valley, and Roxbury.
> Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC)
The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network provides free, confidential, one-to-one business assistance & free or low-cost educational training programs – to prospective and existing small businesses throughout the Commonwealth.
Areas of assistance include business plan development, pre-venture feasibility, cash flow analysis, personnel and organizational issues, conventional and non-conventional financing, marketing, international trade, SBIR & government procurement.
Additional SBDC regional offices and specialty centers include the Berkshire Regional Office in Pittsfield, Central Regional Office in Worcester, Greater Boston Regional Office in Newton, Northeast Regional Office in Salem, Southeast Regional Office in Fall River, Western Regional Office in Springfield, Massachusetts Export Center in Newton, Government Sales Advisory Program and Small Business Innovation Research SBIR in Central Massachusetts, and APEX Accelerator Program in Springfield.
> SCORE Massachusetts
SCORE provides business mentoring from experienced advisors at no cost & free workshops on all aspects of your business. From startups to existing businesses looking to grow, the expertise SCORE provides helps entrepreneurs to succeed.
SCORE volunteers are successful real-world business professionals with experience in areas such as – accounting, finance, human resources, consulting, import/export, law, operations, production, retail, wholesale, manufacturing, sales, marketing, management, business plan preparation, strategic planning & many other business disciplines. SCORE provides:
– volunteer mentors who share their expertise across many industries.
– free, confidential business mentoring in person, via email or by video.
– free business tools, templates, and tips.
– inexpensive or free business workshops and webinars.
https://www.lisamasiello.com/massachusetts-women-entrepreneurs-start-a-new-business
Funding – State and Federal Sources
> U.S. Small Business Administration – Funding Sources
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get the funding they need. Funding resources include:
– Loans: Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the SBA.
– Investment capital: Find an investor for your business. Investors make both debt and equity investments.
– Disaster assistance: Get help after a disaster with low-interest disaster loans.
– Surety bonds: Protect your work and your client with an SBA-guaranteed surety bond.
– Grants: Look for government grants that help businesses do scientific research and development.
> Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC)
Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation is a quasi-public agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and they are providing financial services & managerial assistance that saves and creates jobs at women-, minority-, immigrant- and veteran-owned businesses in Massachusetts.
MGCC works with traditional financial institutions – to make challenging loans bankable, working with community development corporations and other non-profits to provide financing for job- producing projects and assisting a wide range of small businesses find the growth capital they require.
For viable Massachusetts small businesses in need of financing, MGCC small business loans are an alternative lending source that provides loans from $5,000 to $1,000,000. Grant programs are also available for small business owners to expand their business and improve their digital capabilities.
> MassVentures
To elaborate, MassVentures is the Commonwealth’s strategic venture capital team. They find, fund & also foster early-stage deep tech that fuels economic growth across the Commonwealth.
At its core, MassVentures is a venture studio with an emphasis on academic spinouts & building diverse teams that convert research & early-stage ideas, into companies serving underserved areas in the Commonwealth.
By providing not only financial resources but also strategic direction, operational support & access to a network of experts, MassVentures provides portfolio companies a greater chance of success.
https://www.lisamasiello.com/massachusetts-women-entrepreneurs-start-a-new-business
> Amber Grant
WomensNet makes Amber Grant available where you can win one of three $10,000 business grants for women every month. If you are starting your business, the best place to start – is with Amber Grants for Women.
Business women from Massachusetts (and also all around America) are eligible to win this grant. And every month, the judges award three $10,000 to women-owned businesses. Or even better – the monthly winners compete for one of the three year-end Amber Grants of $25,000. So, spend a little time in applying, and you can translate it into $35,000 in grant money for your business!!
https://ambergrantsforwomen.com/business-grants-women-massachusetts/
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
