Office of Business Development
BEC Resources
Boston Empowerment Center
City of Boston Technical Assistance Partners
Center for Women and Enterprise (CWE)
1135 Tremont Street
Suite 480
Boston, MA 02120
Tel: 617.536.0700 Fax: 617.536.7373
Email: N/A Web: N/A
Contact: Tandeka Guilderson, Director
Founded in 1995, the Center is a regional economic development organization, with offices in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island. CWE offers courses, workshops, individualized consulting, and access to debt and equity financing to women entrepreneurs at every stage of business development. CWE’s mission is to empower women to become economically self-sufficient and prosperous through entrepreneurship. Training includes multi-week classes, short-term seminars, mentoring round tables, and one-on-one consulting.
Languages: English No Walk-In Service Fee for Service
(sliding scale fees apply to all programs)
Community Business Network (CBN)/Massachusetts Association of CDCs
99 Chauncy Street
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: 617.426.0303 Fax: 617.426.0344
Email: joek@gbls.org Web: n/a
Contact: Joe Kriesberg
CBN is a collaborative of 10 Community Development Corporations (CDCs). It provides customized one-on-one technical assistance to new and emerging businesses and helps package loans for entrepreneurs. The CBN provides access to banks, public agencies, and non-profit lenders.
Languages: Chinese, English, Walk-in Service No Fee for Service
French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish, Vietnamese
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA)
O’Neill Federal Building
10 Causeway Street
Boston, MA 02222
Tel: 617.565.8100 Fax: 617.565.8101
Email: rosemary.coffey@gsa.gov Web: n/a
Contact: Rosemary Coffey
The U.S. GSA advocates for small, disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses in New England seeking federal contracting opportunities.
Languages: English Walk-In Service No Fee for Service
Jewish Vocational Services (JVS)
—Neighborhood Business Builders
105 Chauncy Street, 6th Floor
Boston, MA 02111
Tel: 617.451.9973 Fax: 617.451.1496
Email: brownemary@hotmail.com Web: www.jvs-boston.org
Contact: Mary Browne, Micro Enterprise Director
Through its Business Builders Program, JVS offers long-term business consulting services, loans, and mentors for small businesses within the City of Boston. The program provides business counseling and loans to women, low income and minority entrepreneurs, business owners, and other qualified individuals. The program focuses on pre- and post-loan technical assistance to borrowers and loan packaging for business loans from $500 to $25,000. Business Builders offers training to all entrepreneurs and micro enterprise training to eligible candidates who are legal refugees or who have very low incomes.
Languages: English and Spanish Walk-In Service - Some Fee for Service
(workshops also offered in Vietnamese)
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) [score.org]
This Neighborhood Means Business!
269 East Cottage Street
Dorchester, MA 02125
Tel: 617.474.1170 Fax: 617.474.1137
Email: n/a Web: n/a
Contact: Susan Worgaftik, Director
This is a program of Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, designed to strengthen neighborhoods. This 20-week course offers practical training in business basics to merchants whose small businesses anchor their neighborhoods—but who need more expertise and networking to grow.
Languages: English, Spanish Walk-In Service Fee for Service
Umass Minority Business Assistance Center
University of Massachusetts
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
Tel: 617.287.7750 Fax: 617.287.7767
Email: henry.turner@umb.edu Web: www.memt.umb.edu/centers/mbac
Contact: Henry Turner, Director
The Minority Business Assistance Center services small businesses in the Greater Boston region specializing in the promotion of minority businesses in the Commonwealth by leveraging resources for minority entrepreneurs. Free one-on-one technical assistance is offered as well as nominal cost workshops. Services include help with developing effective business plans, business organization and structure, work flow analysis, personal management, strategic planning and time management. In addition, the Center provides brokering services to assist both procurement and EEO officials find qualified minority vendors who can fill their contract needs, bid requirements, and/or company needs.
Languages: English, Spanish No Walk-in Service Nominal Fee for Workshops
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Link to SBAonline.sba.gov
Working Capital
99 Bishop Allen Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139
Tel: 617.576.8620 Fax: 617.576.8623
Email: JessR@workingcapital.org Web: www.workingcapital.org
Contact: Jess Morales Ruan, Greater Boston Program Manager
Working Capital is a nonprofit community development financial institution that provides credit, business education and training, and networking opportunities to self-employed business people of limited means. Micro loans range from $500 to $20,000 for members. Workshops and seminars are offered as well as inclusion in the annual Directory of Business Members. Call for a schedule of free information sessions.
Languages: English, Spanish Walk-In Service Nominal Membership Dues
Empowerment Zone
Link to Boston EZ/Boston Connects
Boston Main Streets
Link to BostonMainStreets.com
Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA)
Link to www.cityofboston.gov/bra/
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Link to SBAonline.SBA.gov
Click here for more information about Technical Resources or Financial Resources offered by the City of Boston.
Directions
Directions to Boston Empowerment Center
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