Economic Development Commission

CDBG Microenterprise Assistance Grants (APPLICATION DEADLINE FEB. 8, 2021)

If your business is located in Clinton, Douglas, Lancaster, Northbridge, Sterling or Webster, you may be eligible to apply for a Microenterprise Assistance Grant.

Grant awards of up to $10,000 are available to eligible businesses within those towns that have experienced financial loss due to Covid-19 and the associated shut downs. Eligible businesses must have five employees or fewer (including the owner(s)), must have been in business since January 1, 2019 and must be able to demonstrate revenue loss caused by the pandemic. The business owner’s family income must fall within certain limits. Other eligibility requirements apply. 

The grants are made possible through a Community Development Block Grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Federal CARES Act and administered by the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development.

Preliminary applications will be reviewed for eligibility. All businesses deemed eligible for assistance will be entered into a lottery that will determine the order in which applications are processed. Separate lotteries will be held for each community. Applications received after the February 8th deadline will be added to the wait list on a first-come, first-served basis

For more information and a preliminary application contact Carol Cyr at the Webster Office of Community Development: (508)949-3800 ext. 4004 or e-mail: ccyr@webster-ma.gov.

You can also visit www.webster-ma.gov, or the website of the municipality in which your business is located: www.douglas-ma.gov; www.clintonma.gov; www.ci.lancaster.ma.us, www.northbridgemass.org or www.sterling-ma.gov.  Download the following documents for more information:

* Flyer

* Business Owner Information

* Duns Number

* Duplication of Benefits Certification for CDBG-CV

* Preliminary Application Business Information

* Preliminary Application Instructions

* Webster Microenterprise Grant Program (rev 1)

Economic Development Commission Video Playlist

Click on the Playlist icon in the upper right corner of the video file below to access the complete playlist of available videos. The Playlist icon is three small lines with a tiny triangle, next to the "Share" button. Menu will open upon clicking.