Chamber Hosts Regional Bus Tour to Promote Manufacturing

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In recognition of National Manufacturing Month, the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and its economic development arm, the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, recently partnered with regional organizations to host a unique manufacturing bus tour as part of the Chamber’s Talent Compact Initiative. The initiative is aimed to further partnerships between the region’s K-12 schools, higher education institutions, economic development, and the region’s employers to collectively work to advance the region’s workforce.

The tour, which was held on Tuesday, October 24, provided education, civic and community leaders, and economic development officials an opportunity to learn more about—and the importance of—manufacturing in the region to promote careers in the industry. The MassHire North Central Workforce Board and Mount Wachusett Community College co-sponsored the bus tour.

Participants visited several manufacturing companies where they obtained an insider’s look at how select manufacturers operate, and learned about the growing job opportunities in manufacturing and the necessary skill sets for employment.

This year, the annual manufacturing bus tour included stops at Rocheleau Tool & Die, a family owned and operated business established in 1938 in Fitchburg that specializes in the manufacture of extrusion blow molding machinery, blow molds and related automation equipment; SMC Ltd., located in Devens, a worldwide contract manufacturer of various medical devices and medical equipment; and AIS, Inc., a furniture manufacturer based in Leominster that specializes in high-end office systems. The bus tour also included a stop at the Leominster campus of Mount Wachusett Community College and the MassHire North Central Career Center where participants learned about education and workforce related resources and services available to employers and job seekers.

North Central Massachusetts boasts the largest concentration of manufacturing in the state, with one-third of all private wages in the region paid from manufacturing jobs. Companies range from the world-class plastics industry cluster of more than 140 companies to pharmaceuticals, photonics, and paper as well as biomedical devices.

“The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation remain committed to supporting and growing this critical sector of the region’s economy while also building successful partnerships between businesses and the region’s schools which are critical to the collective, ongoing efforts of keeping manufacturing alive and well in the region,” said Roy Nascimento, president and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Manufacturers are some of the most well-paid, highly trained and in demand employees in the workforce, yet despite competitive wages and training, businesses are still challenged with recruiting the workers they need. We hope this tour provided our local educators, civic and community leaders, and other stakeholders with an opportunity to learn more about the jobs available in the region as the need for more young workers and a skills gap exists among the existing and transitioning workforce.”

“Manufacturing continues to be a priority industry in North Central Massachusetts,” said Jeffrey Roberge, executive director, MassHire North Central Workforce Board. “Many thanks to the North Central Chamber for hosting this important event as it brings together our legislators, educators and employers to learn more about this vital sector.”

“This tour proves how the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce commits itself to advancing manufacturing in the region,” said James L. Vander Hooven, Ed.D., president, Mount Wachusett Community College. “Mount Wachusett Community College remains dedicated to providing educational training opportunities to meet the growing needs of local business and industry.”

The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce wishes to thank and acknowledge the support and assistance of the following partners who helped make the event possible: MassHire North Central Workforce Board; Rocheleau Tool & Die; SMC, Ltd.; AIS, Inc.; Montachusett Regional Transit Authority; and Mount Wachusett Community College.

For more information on the manufacturing bus tour or the North Central Massachusetts Talent Compact Initiative, please contact the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce at 978.353.7600.

Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | Worcester County | Local Business | Visit North Central Massachusetts | Visit North Central Local Tourism | North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation | Chamber of Commerce Regional Bus Tour

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce leads effort to erect welcome sign in Hubbardston

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The North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce today announced it has sponsored the construction of a new welcome sign for the Town of Hubbardston located at the junction of Route 68 and Route 62 in the town.

The new sign is part of a project to construct welcoming signs at key gateways in communities in the region to boost civic pride and serve as a positive first impression for visitors. The project was partially funded by a grant secured by the Chamber.

The signs were designed and produced by Add-A-Sign in Leominster and represent the region’s traditional New England style. The Hubbardston welcome sign includes the year 1767, which is when the town was incorporated. It is painted in the proud city color of green with gold lettering. In addition to Hubbardston, similar welcome signs have also been installed at key gateways in Fitchburg, Gardner, Leominster, Sterling, and Westminster. Each sign is carved with the community’s seal and painted to match their official colors. Additional signs will be constructed for other communities in North Central Massachusetts as funding becomes available.

“One of the goals of our regional economic redevelopment plan, One North Central, was to capitalize on our region’s unique locations,” said Roy Nascimento, President and CEO, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. “Each city brings a distinctive experience to the region and with this project, those entering Hubbardston will learn about the town while receiving a warm welcome as they arrive.”

“Hubbardston has always prided itself on being a warm, welcoming community,” said Jeff Williams, chair, Hubbardston Select Board. “The new town sign beautifully embodies Hubbardston’s spirit of hospitality and charm. It will be a wonderful symbol to both residents and visitors that they have arrived somewhere special. I am deeply grateful to the Chamber for their generous donation. I look forward to continuing our positive partnership and working together to showcase all that makes Hubbardston such a great place.”

 

Hubbardston | Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | Economic Development | North Central Massachusetts Chamber | New England Town | Worcester County | Community Development | Economic Diversity | Hubbardston Welcome Signage

North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation provided financing to Deershorn Farm & Taxidermy

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The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce granted financing totaling $45,000 to Deershorn Farm & Taxidermy. The funding supported the purchase of a new tractor and provided the farm with working capital.

Deershorn Farm & Taxidermy is a local vegetable farm that also provides taxidermy services. Manager Stephen A. Mudgett, who owns and operates the fourth-generation farm with his wife and daughter, grows corn and other types of vegetables which are offered at the farm’s roadside stand, located at 241 Chase Road in Lancaster, Massachusetts and at local farmers markets. During the winter months, the farm provides taxidermy services.

“The new tractor enabled us to harvest more efficiently and make our work easier,” said Mudgett. “As a family-run farm, the support of the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation ensures we can continue to provide our community with fresh produce for generations to come.”

As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project.

For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.

 

Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) | Deershorn Farm & Taxidermy | Microloan Lender

Governor Healey Files Legislation Unlocking $800 Million to Compete for Federal Funding

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Governor Maura Healey filed legislation and signed an executive order to enhance the administration’s aggressive approach to competing for the historic amounts of federal funding made available to Massachusetts by the Biden Administration. Massachusetts has the chance to compete for and win up to $17.5 billion in federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act.  

To support the administration’s federal funds strategy, the Healey-Driscoll Administration is filing An Act to Provide for Competitiveness and Infrastructure in Massachusetts to create a Capital Investment and Debt Reduction Fund that will make $800 million in additional state funding available over the next three years to pursue federal grants. This money will expand the state’s capacity to allocate match funding to satisfy requirements in many federal grant programs for states to cover a portion of proposed project costs and adds to the roughly $2 billion in state matching funds that have already been identified from other funding sources, including through the FY24-FY28 Capital Investment Plan, the FY24 budget, and other appropriations. 

The Governor also signed an Executive Order formally establishing the Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO) to be led by Director of Federal Funds & Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. It also establishes the Massachusetts Federal Funds Partnership for municipalities and tribes. 

“As I’ve been saying since day one, we are here to compete and we are here to win, especially when it comes to these unprecedented federal funding opportunities made available by President Biden and our incredible Congressional delegation,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This blueprint gives our administration and municipalities the tools to compete for and bring home the funding our communities need, and put federal dollars to work advancing economic development, infrastructure and climate resiliency projects all across Massachusetts.”  

“Our administration is committed to ensuring that we have federal funding to support the important work of our cities and towns,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “The Massachusetts Federal Funds Partnership will play a critical role in keeping our local governments up to date on the federal funding opportunities that are relevant to them, and connecting our municipal and tribal leaders with the resources they need to secure federal dollars.” 

“The Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office will be able to effectively leverage the strengths of our state agencies, municipalities, and our Team Massachusetts partners to compete for federal funds,” said Director of Federal Funds & Infrastructure Palfrey. “The tools outlined in this executive order will enable the Commonwealth to capitalize on President Biden’s historic investments of federal money and maximize its impact for Massachusetts. I look forward to continuing our work with local leaders and incredible partners in Senator Warren, Senator Markey, and our congressional delegation to put federal dollars to work all across the Commonwealth.”  

The legislation would leverage interest earnings on the state’s Stabilization Fund, which currently stands at an all-time high of roughly $8 billion. By utilizing the interest on the Stabilization Fund without touching the balance of the state’s savings, the state is anticipated to generate a pool of $250 million a year that could be used to strengthen its applications for federal grants and deliver a strong return on investment that will advance infrastructure, climate and other projects around the state. The interest earnings will be combined with $50 million in Fair Share resources already committed for transportation matching funds through the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

The state will dedicate $50 million of this new funding pool to ensuring the competitiveness of local and regional partners through municipal matching grants and a local infrastructure bank. The Fund also includes $12 million for local government technical assistance to help municipalities successfully apply for federal funding opportunities. 

The legislation further proposes to make the new fund permanent, establishing a new pay-as-you-go capital fund that would be used once these federal grant opportunities expire. The Capital Investment and Debt Reduction Fund would be used moving forward to support state assets and debt management, relieving some pressure on the state’s traditional debt-financed capital plan with safety mechanisms in place should economic conditions change. This type of fund has existed previously in Massachusetts and would be a valuable tool in helping to address the backlog of deferred maintenance needs across the state.  

“We want to ensure that no funding for Massachusetts is left on the table when applying to federal grant programs,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “The State Matching Funds Pool will ensure the Commonwealth is able to provide the financing necessary to unlock federal money, and immediately put awarded funds to work for our communities. It will also become a flexible tool for us in the future to address an array of needs for our state buildings and other assets without jeopardizing the safety net of our strong Stabilization Fund.” 

“This is a fiscally responsible and creative way to leverage the high interest rate environment and historically high stabilization fund balance,” said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg. “Providing a dedicated pool of funds will give Massachusetts an advantage when competing for critical federal funding opportunities. We can both protect the stabilization fund balance and put interest earnings to work for Massachusetts.”

The Executive Order will allow the state to maximize its ability to win federal funds through strong coordination between state agencies, municipalities, and other Massachusetts entities, and by providing additional state resources that are critical to unlocking federal dollars. 

The Executive Order formally creates the Federal Funds and Infrastructure Office (FFIO), which is tasked with identifying key federal funding opportunities that will advance Healey-Driscoll Administrations priorities. Those priorities include improved infrastructure, equity, job creation, economic competitiveness, climate resiliency and decarbonization, workforce development, and more. The office is led by Director Quentin Palfrey, who was appointed in March by Governor Healey as the principal advisor on federal funding and infrastructure. FFIO is responsible for continuing bi-weekly meetings of the Advisory Council on Federal Funds and Infrastructure, chaired by Director Palfrey, which facilitates inter-agency coordination and promotes government-wide strategies for maximizing the award of federal funding. FFIO will also maintain a State Clearinghouse responsible for the internal tracking of all federal grant opportunities and agency applications. 

FFIO will also be tasked with supporting the work of external partners to apply for federal funding opportunities that further the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s priorities for the Commonwealth. This will involve a coordinated approach to supporting municipalities and tribes across Massachusetts. To do this the executive order creates a working group, which will meet monthly as the Massachusetts Federal Funds Partnership, which Lieutenant Governor Driscoll announced last week. The meetings will be open to elected leaders and staff from all 351 cities and towns, as well as the leadership of Massachusetts’ federally recognized tribes. The Federal Funds Partnership will provide targeted updates on relevant federal funding opportunities and connect partners with resources for technical assistance and state matching funds. The first meeting will be kicked off by Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll on Wednesday, October 25th. 

This proposal will power the administration’s efforts to build on the progress it has already made in securing federal funding in recent months. This includes awards of $147 million to expand broadband access in Massachusetts, $108 million towards track improvements between Springfield and Worcester to enable additional West-East passenger rail capacity, $22 million for Massachusetts municipalities to combat extreme heat through increased urban tree canopies, and $19.7 million to establish a Department of Defense Microelectronics hub which will further opportunities for advanced manufacturing and technology. The Administration also has more than $3 billion requested in applications currently pending before federal agencies to fund ongoing projects in communities across the state, including for the Cape Cod Bridges. 

Policy briefs on the Capital Investment and Debt Reduction Fund can be found here. Read the Governor’s filing letter here. 

Statements of Support 

Adam Chapdelaine, Executive Director and CEO, Massachusetts Municipal Association:

“We’re deeply grateful for this timely proposal from the Healey-Driscoll Administration, which would ensure that the Commonwealth can maximize the historic funding available from the federal government. This initiative offers an important framework to support cities and towns in developing successful applications and providing matching funds to leverage
all opportunities.” 

Phineas Baxandall, Interim President, Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center:

“This is a smart proposal that leverages the state’s strong rainy day fund to secure billions of federal grant dollars in the short-term and to address the Commonwealth’s long-term maintenance and capital needs. In the next three years, this could make the difference in obtaining game-changing federal grants for things like high-speed rail across the state and electric charging infrastructure for the next generation.” 

Chrissy Lynch, President, Massachusetts AFL-CIO:

“We applaud the Healey Administration’s efforts to fully utilize historic federal funding opportunities. This Executive Order will bolster investments into the communities where working people live, into the infrastructure working people need to get around, and support the creation of union jobs at the same time.”  

Rebecca Davis, Chief Operating Officer, Massachusetts Competitive Partnership:

“We congratulate the Healey-Driscoll administration on implementing these critical steps to leverage the many funding opportunities currently available from the federal government. Ensuring that Massachusetts is well positioned to capture this generational opportunity is a priority for Massachusetts business leaders. By working together, we can amplify our impact and secure the necessary resources to drive progress and innovation in the Commonwealth.”

 

Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | North Central Massachusetts Chamber | Massachusetts Economy | Government Affairs | State House News Service | Healey-Driscoll Administration

North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation approves financing for Gather Provisions

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The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, recently granted a loan of $35,000 to Gather Provisions. The loan was done in partnership with TD Bank. The funding supported the creation of four part-time employee positions and will be utilized toward the purchase of equipment, inventory, supplies and additional start-up costs.

Founded in 2021, Gather Provisions specializes in chef services for private, in-home dinners with curated multi-course menus, as well as catering services for up to 75 people. The business recently expanded to include a small café, located at 290 West Main Street, Northborough. Mass. The café provides a casual, chef prepared menu of soups, sandwiches, salads and prepared food for lunch and early dinner patrons.

“As people are being pulled in many directions each and every day, we realized they may not have time to create a healthy, gourmet meal for themselves or their families,” said Erin Anderson, owner and chef, Gather Provisions. “With the support of the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation in partnership with TD Bank, we’re able to provide an opportunity for our community to obtain a quick, fresh and delicious meal for pick-up or to dine in at our a local café.”  For more information, visit https://www.gatherprovisions.com/

As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory, expansion and working with our banking partners to provide gap financing for the final piece of
a project.

For more information about the NCMDC loan programs, please call 978.353.7607 or visit NorthCentralMass.com or ChooseNorthCentral.com.

 

Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC) | Gather Provisions | Microloan Lender | NCMDC Loan Programs

Chamber member HUB International gives back to the local community

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As the current largest insurance broker in Massachusetts, Chamber member HUB International isn’t your average insurance brokerage company that you meet or Google online.

With a strong sense of community for every town or city they have an office in, being able to give back to the community is a high standard for HUB International. In 2022, HUB New England donated over $500,000 to over 185 local charities in the area, including a $500 scholarship to a graduating high school senior in each town they have a physical office in.

Based off of the hub and spoke model, they continue to grow across the country, not just through acquisitions, but also through the local community.

“Growing organically through the community is something that is very important to us,” said Shawn McLaughlin, President and Chief Executive Officer of HUB International New England. “This is where organizations like the [North Central Massachusetts] Chamber of Commerce come in. We work with a lot of non-profits, and donate a lot of time to the communities we serve.”

Who is HUB International?

According to their website, HUB International’s company mission is “to protect and support the aspirations of individuals, families and businesses, to empower our employees to learn, grow and make a difference in their communities.”

Although HUB International has over 530 offices across North America and over 100,000 customers in New England alone, they provide the “small town feeling” when it comes to personalized, commercial, employee benefits or retirement and private wealth insurance, taking on the “one stop shop” mentality for insurance and risk management.

Because of the size, scope, and scale of HUB International, there isn’t a lot that they haven’t seen when it comes to protecting customers’ needs and assets.

“We focus on protecting the customer’s assets for themselves. A customer would have a local agent to contact, but also have a really strong resource network behind them. We’re able to take care of our client no matter the size or complexities that may be involved,” said McLaughlin. “The goal is to help people through difficult times, and protect them from risk.”

HUB International works with everyone, from the individual sole proprietor to the bigger, global companies, and all of the different divisions are designed to work with the customers that they service.

Truly being a part of the community

The mission of giving back is two-fold: to create awareness in communities and to give back to the local community.

Every year, HUB International supports and holds two annual golf charity outings, coordinated by Hub employee volunteers, where all of the proceeds go to charities as selected by HUB employees. HUB staff nominate and vote on at least three charities based on those nominations.

Additionally, HUB New England employees are serving on 43 boards in their community with local nonprofits, and 54 insurance boards supporting the industry. McLaughlin himself serves on the board of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF.org). This accounts for 121 HUB employees donating their time outside of work at an estimated 2,926 hours per year for local charities within their area.

Strengthening that bond between businesses, individuals, and the community, HUB International is honored to be a part of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce.

“The [North Central Massachusetts] Chamber of Commerce is one of the more robust organizations that we work with,” McLaughlin said. “We like the ability to work with other businesses as well as direct to consumer. The chamber hits both of those areas, and it’s an easy way for us to tap into the community.

We’ve found that the [North Central Massachusetts] Chamber is a good connector for the local community and a really good way for us to stay in touch with other local businesses. It’s been an honor to be a part of the organization.”

Looking forward to a bright future

The start of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the mindset and the way that HUB International does business. Currently, the insurance company has a hybrid environment, where employees will go into the office a few times a week, but are otherwise working from home.

With that being said, HUB has adopted the “first call resolution,” model in their personal lines department, meaning that the issue/situation should be resolved in one call, instead of the hassle of going back and forth with the customer.

“This first call resolution provides more laser focus to ensure our customers receive efficient and effective attention,” McLaughlin stated. “We are now looking at expanding that approach to some of our commercial divisions.”

HUB continues to see growth not only through acquisitions, but organically as well. HUB has a strong focus on niche specialties throughout the local areas, and most recently, the firm added retirement and private wealth management capabilities.

“Our world has gotten far more complicated, and our customers’ needs have shifted so they are much more specific to their business,” McLaughlin said. “As we evolve, instead of being a generalist, our firm developed industry specializations, while retaining our strong local presence.”

You can contact HUB International through their website at www.hubinternational.com to speak with an agent in your local area.

 

Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce | HUB International New England | Insurance Broker in Massachusetts

Fitchburg artist donates painting to Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center

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Visit North Central Massachusetts, the tourism and destination marketing arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, today announced the addition of new artwork painted by Fitchburg resident Ann Howe to its Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center.

Howe, 86, a longtime resident of Fitchburg and local artist, joined her family, Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale, Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella and members of the Visit North Central Massachusetts and Chamber staff on October 16, to donate the artwork.

“Through a connection with a member of Mrs. Howe’s family, we learned they were looking to find a home for the painting so the community could enjoy it,” said Roy M. Nascimento, president and CEO, Visit North Central Massachusetts. “We thought what better way to share the talent of one of our local artists with the more than 165,000 people who visit our Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center than to have the painting call our visitor center home.”

The painting, which is inspired by the characters of the movie, “Wizard of Oz,” was completed more than three decades ago in June 1992 as a fun, family photo opportunity for the Saint Anthony’s Church Annual Italian Festival. Since then, people of all ages have enjoyed the painting, including Howe’s seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

“When I heard, my painting was going to the Johnny Appleseed Visitors Center, I got so excited,” said Howe. “I just moved to the Highlands and this painting was something I wanted to make sure my community and the children could enjoy for many more years. I’m so glad we found such a wonderful home for it and thank you to Roy and my family for all their help to get my painting here.”

Following installation at the visitor’s center, the painting will be on display during regular business hours.

Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | Worcester County | Local Business | Visit North Central Massachusetts | Visit North Central Local Tourism | Johnny Appleseed Visitor Center | Small Town Economy | Community Development | Business Growth | Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale | Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella | Chamber President & CEO Roy M. Nascimento

Highlights of New Tax Reform Package

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After close to two years of discussion and a lengthy negotiation process in the current session, H4104, the State’s first significant tax relief in well over a decade, was signed by Governor Maura Healey into law earlier this week. In its first year, the tax package will provide about $561 million in relief for the current fiscal year. Several other provisions will be phased in over time providing more than $1 billion in relief by fiscal year 2027 according to reports. The legislation contains a number of provisions aimed at providing relief to individuals as well as businesses including:

Child Tax Credits: The new law features an overhauled child and dependent tax credit. This will provide parents and caregivers with $310 per dependent this year and $440 per dependent next year and beyond. Additionally, the current credit’s limit of two qualifying dependents has been eliminated.

Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): The law increases the EITC for low-income residents to 40% of the federal EITC, up from the previous 30% Senior Circuit Breaker: The maximum credit that lower-income residents aged 65 and older can claim is being doubled from $1,200 to $2,400.Rental Deductions: While Massachusetts allows renters to write off up to 50% of their rent from their taxes, the maximum deduction is being raised to $4,000, up from $3,000.

Short-Term Capital Gains: The new law slashes the short-term capital gains from 12% to 8.5%.

Single Sales Factor: Under the new law, the state is abandoning the three-factor test for determining sales tax for corporations which previously took into account (I) property (2) payroll and (3) sales. The transition to a single sales factor apportionment formula will begin on January 1, 2025.

The Estate Tax: The new law raises the Estate Tax floor from $1 million to $2 million, exempting all estates below $2 million from the tax. A $99,600 credit that can be used to reduce the overall tax burden will now be issued to all estates.

Joint Filing: All married couples who file taxes jointly at the federal level will now be required to file jointly at the state level. Previously couples could elect to file separately at the state level regardless of how they filed at the federal level. This move is aimed at preventing high-earning couples from avoiding the new surtax on $1 million by filing separate tax returns.

Housing Development Incentive Program (HDIP): In an effort to spur much needed housing development across the Commonwealth, the legislation makes significant new investments in the state’s HDIP program, providing Gateway cities with a tool to develop market rate housing and providing tax credits to developers building housing projects. The new law allocates $57 million to clear the backlog on eligible projects awaiting the credit and raises the cap on HDIP spending to $30 million per year.

 

Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce | Community Development | Economic Development | Legislative Issues | Government Affairs | Elected Officials | Governor Maura Healey

Advertise in the 40th Anniversary Edition of the Chamber Report

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2024 will mark the North Central Massachusetts Chamber’s 40th Anniversary! To help mark the occasion, the Chamber will be releasing a special edition of the Chamber Report in January celebrating this milestone. A limited number of advertising opportunities will be available. Members interested in advertising in this commemorative edition should contact Yasmin Loft at to reserve your spot!

Chamber of Commerce | North Central Massachusetts | North Central Massachusetts Chamber | Chamber 40th Anniversary Advertise | Chamber Report

Chamber Updates

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SMALL BUSINESS ENERGY RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM: The Chamber is offering one-time energy grants of $1,000 to small businesses to help to off-set high energy prices and financial obstacles. Thank you to National Grid for contributing $100,000 to the Chamber to help make this grant program possible. Since launching the grant in July, we have already awarded $49,000 in grants to 49 small businesses. There are still grants available, so we encourage members to reach out to us to see if they are eligible. We are prioritizing chamber members for the grants.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT: In August, Travis Condon, the Chamber’s Public Affairs Manager, and Kat Deal, the Chamber’s Programs & Events Manager, completed their second year of the US Chamber’s Northeast Institute for Organization Management (IOM). IOM is a four-year national professional development program geared towards chamber of commerce and association professionals. Participants complete a week-long intensive session each year taught by university professors, industry experts, and leading practitioners in the chamber industry. Courses included advocacy, media training, membership, finance, legal issues, human resources to name just a few. They also had an opportunity to reconnect with other Chamber and Association professionals from all over the country.

ACCE CONVENTION: Chamber President & CEO Roy Nascimento was invited to present at the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives National Convention in Salt Lake City in August. He spoke at two sessions titled “Data-Driven Workforce & Economic Growth Strategies” and “Overcoming Barriers to Upskilling Workers” where he shared our experiences and efforts with chamber and economic development leaders from throughout the country.

NASCIMENTO ELECTED TO ACCE FOUNDATION: In related news, Chamber President & CEO Roy Nascimento was elected recently to serve on the board of directors for the ACCE Foundation, a 501(c)3 that supports the work of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. ACCE’s Foundation was established to fund programming, peer-to-peer learning, and leadership development for chamber professionals seeking to create positive change by addressing the issues that challenge the long-term economic health and quality of life in our country’s cities and towns. Directors bring their knowledge and expertise to help the ACCE Foundation understand industry trends and the needs of members working in the priority areas of the Foundation. Those include education and talent; diversity, equity and inclusion; and economic and community development.

NEW LOANS: The North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation (NCMDC), the Chamber’s economic development arm, has approved and closed on a total of twenty-three small business loans totaling $1,145,000 to date for FY23. The smallest loan was just $5,000 while the largest was $216,000. Our loans helped to leverage an additional $1,066,579 in capital from banks, public entities and from the borrowers. The majority of the loans helped fund start-up businesses as well as some existing small businesses that were expanding. Two of the loans were made under our new Regional Business Investment Fund and are helping with real estate development projects in two of our communities that have been prioritized for economic development. These loans resulted in the creation of 63 new jobs and the retention of 35 jobs.

MINI-GRANTS: The NCMDC continues to offer mini-grants between $500 – $5,000 to our borrowers to assist with technical assistance. For FY2023, we have approved a total of ten mini-grants totaling $35,288.93 for bookkeeping, marketing, signage and other professional assistance. Prioritization is given to existing loan clients but we will consider other small businesses in North Central Massachusetts with a demonstrated need.

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: Our economic development team has provided a total of 2052 hours of direct technical assistance to existing and start-up businesses in the region. During the last quarter, our team also worked with the Massachusetts Export Center to help several businesses with questions around certificates of origin. In addition, the Small Business Development Center at Clark University has resumed holding office hours at the Chamber to help support start-ups and expanding small businesses in the region.

NORTH CENTRAL COMPACT: In June, the members of the Compact met again to continue to explore collaborative strategies to the workforce challenges in the region. The North Central Talent Compact is a collective impact coalition convened by the Chamber and other major stakeholders to address the complex talent and workforce challenges facing the region. The group consists of a group of prominent business, education, workforce and community leaders who are committed to collective action and leadership. An outgrowth of the Compact meeting is an expanded Career and Hiring Event in October, with more schools participating and bringing students to connect with employers to learn about available careers.

WEBSITE: The Chamber has started a project to redesign the Chamber website to make it a more dynamic and valuable resource for our members and communities. As part of the process, we plan to consolidate our Chamber website – northcentralmass.com – and our economic development website – choosenorthcentral.com – to make it easier to manage and avoid duplication. We also recently completed a homepage redesign of our tourism website – visitnorthcentral.com. We are excited about the project and look forward to launching the redesigned site in the coming months!

ONLINE TRAINING: In conjunction with the Chamber website redesign project, we are also launching a new online training platform called Initiate. Initiate is a comprehensive online training resource that will be integrated with our redesigned website and offers several modules around starting a business, marketing, operations, bookkeeping and more that many small businesses need.

LATINX OUTREACH: The Chamber and NCMDC continue to prioritize efforts to engage more with Latinx business owners/entrepreneurs and connect them with financial resources, programs and business networks. Latinos are the largest minority group in the region and increasingly playing a larger role in our economy. We are currently in the process of interviewing candidates for the bi-lingual Community Business Advisor role to help with these efforts.

PODCAST: We continue to trend upwards with our Inside North Central podcast series. Over the last year we have had 2,549 plays on the major podcast services, which reflects a 300% increase over the previous year. Our podcasts are currently available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podbean, and Google. Thank you to all the members who have participated in interviews and/or listened to the new Podcast series.

SOLAR: From its inception in August 2014 through July 2023 the solar field on Pleasant St. has produced 12,843,986 kWh of Net Metering Credits to the manufacturers participating in the program. Total value of these credits is $3,015,926 and the collective savings to participants totals $2,563,537. As one of the participants, the Chamber has received $241,274 in energy savings to-date.

CHAMBER GIFT CARDS: In preparation for the upcoming holiday season, we encourage member merchants interested in accepting the new revamped Gift Local E-Gift Cards to contact the Chamber. We are approaching the one-year anniversary since the transition to the new platform for processing the gift cards. Feedback from participating members and gift card recipients has been positive so far. There is no charge to participate and the new cards are easy to process via the Mastercard network, however participating merchants must run an activation card from the Chamber in order to be able to accept the cards.

 

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