News from our members

A Primer on Proposal Writing: Designing a Great Project and Proposal

Monday, February 22, 2016
6:30 – 8:30pm
Snow date February 29th

Leominster Public Library | 30 West Street | Leominster, MA

Presented by Sarah Sutton, Sustainable Museums

Space is limited for this free workshop. Register online by going to the Calendar of Events at www.leominsterlibrary.org,
or by calling the library at 978-534-7522 ext 3.

Let’s talk about what funders want, and break down the application process into simple steps. We will then use simple budgets and simpler logic models to practice designing a strong proposal for a strong project. There will be time for questions and shared thinking.

Consultant Sarah Sutton has nearly 30 years of proposal-writing experience in educational, cultural, and natural resource nonprofits around the country. She writes grant proposals to private and public agencies ranging from family foundations and local arts councils to the National Science Foundation. She loves the strategy and the wordsmithing that goes into this work, but most of all she loves the people and the projects at the organizations she encounters.

A Primer on Proposal Writing is organized by Freedom’s Way Heritage Association in partnership with the National Park Service and the Leominster Public Library.
The Leominster Public Library is a member of the Foundation Center’s
Funding Information Network.
Leominster Public Library
30 West Street
Leominster, Massachusetts 01453
978-534-7522
www.leominsterlibrary.org

Hometown Bank Named SBA Lender of the Quarter

The Small Business Administration (SBA) District Director, Robert H. Nelson, presented Hometown Bank with the SBA Lender of the Quarter Award for the first quarter of 2016’s fiscal year after the Bank generated ten SBA loan approvals between October 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. The Bank currently ranks twelfth out of Massachusetts’ eighty-nine most active lenders since doubling its loan approval for the entire 2015 fiscal year total in just one quarter. This distinction recognizes the merit of the Bank’s lending performance during this time.

“We are honored to receive the designation of Lender of the Quarter. It is a direct reflection of the effort that the Hometown Bank team puts forth to support local businesses,” said Michael Hewitt, Hometown Bank’s President and CEO.  “We value our vibrant small business community and recognize the importance of providing these businesses with the capital needed to grow and create jobs. Through participating in SBA’s lending programs we have new opportunities to promote success stories.”

Hometown Community Bancorp, Inc., is the holding company for Hometown Bank, a Massachusetts mutual cooperative bank headquartered in Oxford, MA. Hometown has about $412 million in assets and operates eight full-service banking offices throughout central MA.

 

Photo Caption: Left to Right – Michael P. Mahlert, EVP; Anne Hunt, SBA Deputy District Director; Robert H. Nelson, SBA District Director; Michael D. Hewitt, President & CEO; Deanna Mills, VP.

2/11 – MBTA Fitchburg Line Schedule Improvement Initiative (RSVP 2/4)

MBTA Fitchburg Line
Schedule Improvement Initiative
Date: Thursday February 11th
Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Location: Can-Am Machinery, 44 Old Princeton Rd. Fitchburg MA
Join our unified effort to petition the MBTA for an earlier outbound train and a commuter rail schedule that works for our region. Lunch and raffle provided by Can-Am Machinery.
Agenda:
Opening Remarks: Mayor Stephen L. DiNatale City of Fitchburg
Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella City of Leominster
Mayor Mark. Hawke City of Gardner
MBTA Update: Mohammed Khan MART Administrator
Wachusett Station: Bruno Fisher MART Deputy Director
Reverse Commute Benefits: Jake Daniels Can-Am Machinery
Open Forum: Corey Lynch MBTA Deputy Director
(Rail Operations)
Details:
The MBTA has released a draft of the new Fitchburg Line Commuter Rail schedule. The new schedules will be implemented on May 23rd. From now until February 12th, the MBTA is accepting public comment on the new schedules.
With the new schedule the earliest train arriving to Fitchburg is 9:07 AM. The purpose of this initiative is to inform the MBTA that North Central Massachusetts residents, businesses, institutions and elected officials want an earlier train (8:00 AM) and a commuter rail schedule that works for our region.
Residents and business owners have been lobbying the MBTA for an early train for many years.
Please join our efforts in petitioning the MBTA now before their public comment period ends February 12th.
Raffle Items:
2 Boston Bruins tickets for March 5
Dinner for two in Boston’s North End
Each prize includes round trip commuter rail passes

Please RSVP to Jeff@canaminc.com by Thursday February 4th.