MassDevelopment’s Biz-M-Power offers matching grants of up to $50,000 to eligible, growth-oriented small businesses. These grants can help offset costs related to acquisitions, expansions, improvements or leasing of facilities, purchasing or leasing equipment, and other capital needs.

To qualify for this funding opportunity, businesses must have fewer than 20 employees and annual revenues not exceeding $2.5 million. Applicants must also demonstrate that they have at least 20% of the required owner’s funds available at the time of application, as shown by business bank account statements.

For fiscal year 2025, the Commonwealth’s Capital Budget has allocated $1,000,000 for this program, which will be administered by MassDevelopment’s Growth Capital Division.

For more details, please visit MassDevelopment’s Biz-M-Power Matching Grant Program: https://massdevelopment.com/products-and-services/funding-and-tools/grant-programs/.

To be considered, applicants must submit a complete application by June 15, which is available exclusively online through Submittable: https://massgcc8.submittable.com/submit

While working with the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation is not required, you are welcome to contact Sandie Cataldo for assistance at .

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Gardner’s Master Plan Committee and consultant team will be hosting a community workshop next Thursday, May 22 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in Perry Auditorium at City Hall.

Come join us and discuss your vision for Gardner’s future! We will be developing a vision statement that will guide the work of the master plan. The vision statement will inform the project team’s recommendations, which will be designed to help Gardner reach the community’s vision.

Registration is encouraged, sign up here.

Help us spread the word! Use the attached flyers to share information about the workshop with your fellow community members.

And be sure to take the community survey, available through Sunday, May 25!

Learn more about the project on the master plan website.

We are proud to announce that Leominster has been selected as one of 20 finalists nationwide for the 2025 All-America City Award! Chosen from communities across the United States, Leominster was recognized for its commitment to strengthening environmental sustainability, using inclusive community engagement to create lasting, impactful solutions.

This year’s theme, “Strengthening Environmental Sustainability through Inclusive Community Engagement,” highlights how communities are breaking down barriers to participation while building programs that promote resilience and protect the environment. Finalists were selected through a competitive review process and evaluated for their civic innovation, collaboration, and efforts to empower residents. Representing 20 communities across 12 states — from small towns to major cities — this year’s finalists showcase the strength and diversity of local leadership nationwide.

Mayor Dean Mazzarella expressed his pride in this accomplishment, stating, “We take pride in all that our community does to work together to achieve what’s best for the city. To be a finalist among hundreds of applicant cities and towns across the country speaks volumes to us.” Leominster will proudly compete at the AllAmerica City Award Event in Denver, Colorado, from June 27–29, where finalists will present their initiatives before a jury of national civic leaders.

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The City of Fitchburg is designing improvements for Coolidge Park to reduce downstream flooding, improve water quality in Falulah Brook, and enhance the park for the community. The project will focus on sections of the park near Falulah Brook and will aim to help reduce the downstream flooding along John Fitch Highway, which frequently occurs during heavy rainstorms.

The proposed improvements will use nature-based solutions to better manage stormwater and create flood storage, and may involve increasing green space. Planned features include a floodable field, a redesigned Wallace Civic Center parking lot with stormwater improvements, and a permeable parking lot with bioretention areas to collect and treat runoff from John Fitch Highway.

The City is asking park users and residents for input to help shape these designs. Community feedback is essential to understand exactly how the park is used by residents. This will help the design team to figure out the best ways to incorporate stormwater management and flood control techniques into the landscape without negatively impacting the existing uses of the park.

“We encourage everyone who uses Coolidge Park or lives nearby to share their experiences and ideas,” said Nick Erickson, Commissioner of Public Works. “This input will directly help shape the design of this project.”

Residents are invited to complete a short survey by May 3 to share their thoughts on flooding, recreational needs, and ideas for improving the park. Take the survey here at https://tinyurl.com/CoolidgeSurvey.

Once community input is collected, the City and project team will prepare draft designs to share with the public later this year.

This project is supported by a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, which aims to help communities reduce the risks of climate change impacts such as flooding and extreme heat.

For questions, contact Nicholas J. Erickson, Commissioner of Public Works, .