Resources
At the Black Business Association of Amherst Area (BBAAA), we believe access to the right resources is essential for entrepreneurial success. This page is your go-to hub for practical tools, funding opportunities, educational materials, and community programs—all curated to support Black-owned businesses at every stage of their journey.
Whether you’re just getting started, scaling up, or seeking ways to stay resilient in a changing economy, our resource collection is designed to meet you where you are. From grant databases and local business development contacts to marketing tips and legal support, these tools are here to help you grow with confidence.
Explore. Learn. Take the next step with the backing of a community that’s invested in your success.
State Government Resources
Massachusetts Business One-Stop Portal
Mass.gov
Business Starting, managing,
licensing, and growing a business in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR)
Business Taxes
Business tax
registration, sales tax, withholding tax information.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth
Corporate Division
Business
registration, filings, corporations database
COMMBUYS (State Procurement System)
The official online procurement platform for state contracts. Businesses can register to sell goods/services to Massachusetts state agencies. Free to create a vendor account.
Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC)
EmpoweringSmallBusiness.org Loans, grants, and technical assistance for small businesses, especially underserved markets.
Supplier Diversity Office (SDO)
Certifies minority-owned, women- owned, veteran-owned, disability-owned, and LGBTQ+-owned businesses. Certification makes businesses eligible for state purchasing set-asides and procurement opportunities. Offers training and access to networking events and government contracts
MassHire BizWorks
Workforce training grants, recruitment help, and hiring incentives for businesses.
Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD)
One-on one help with site selection, incentives, and expansion plans.
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC)
Grants and programs for businesses in clean energy, technology, and manufacturing sectors.
Massachusetts Export Center
Help with exporting, compliance, trade counseling, and international sales strategy.
Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR)
Grants and business support for farms, food processors, and local food systems
Business Development & Support Organizations
MassVentures
Funds venture capital for early-stage businesses
Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network (MSBDC)
Free consulting, training, and resources for small businesses
Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC)
In Greenfield offers small business loans, classes, incubator spaces and operates the Western Mass Food Processing Center.
SCORE
SCORE provides mentoring, business training/workshops and suppor
Center for Women & Enterprise (CWE)
Training, funding access, and mentoring.
Valley Community Development Corporation (Valley CDC)
Valley CDC) supports small businesses. Offers free one-on-one business consulting, and workshops
Financing, Grants, & Investment Resources
Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC)
Loans and grants for small businesses
MassChallenge
Startup accelerator, grants, investor connections.
MassVentures
Seed-stage venture capital for Massachusetts-based startups
Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC)
Startup space, innovation community, funding connections
Boston Impact Initiative Fund
Impact investing in local small businesses, especially BIPOC-owned
Eastern Bank Foundation – Small Business Grants
CommonWealth Kitchen
Funding opportunities + commercial kitchen space
Visible Hands
Venture capital focused on underrepresented founders.
City of Boston – Small Business Financing Programs
Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC)
FCCDC offers small business loans, food processing, incubator spaces and business support, Shared-use commercial kitchen, co-packing services, product development help
CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture)
Marketing help, grants, and farmer/food entrepreneur support in Western Mass
New England Food Vision Prize
Henry P. Kendall Foundation Grants for regional food supply chain businesses
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC)
Economic development assistance, sometimes grant opportunities for small businesses
MassDevelopment – Western MA Regional Office
Loans, bonds, and site selection help- useful for businesses scaling production
Valley Venture Mentors (Springfield)
Startup mentoring, funding, pitch competitions- not just tech businesses
Common Capital
Economic development assistance, sometimes grant opportunities for small businesses
EforAll Holyoke
Business accelerator programs for entrepreneurs, especially underserved populations
Forge (Western MA Office)
Product development support, manufacturing connections- great for makers and startups
Legal & Compliance Help
Lawyers for Civil Rights-LRC BizGrow Massachusetts
Provides free legal and technical assistance to businesses
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA) Massachusetts
Legal assistance for businesses in creative fields
National and Private Business Resources
Hello Alice
Free small business platform with grant opportunities, funding alerts, business guides, and a huge network. Offers regular grant to businesses
Verizon Small Business Digital Ready
Free online courses, business mentorship, and exclusive grants for small businesses. Verizon often offers $10,000 grants tied to course completions.
LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation)
LISC Provides grants, loans, and technical assistance especially for underserved communities. Runs small business relief grants, affordable commercial space programs, and business resilience programs
National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)
Advocacy and support for Black-owned businesses nationally and internationally. Business networking, access to contracts, supplier diversity programs, and occasional funding opportunities.
Umass Small Business Innovation Research Center
(UMass SBIR Center)
Helps businesses apply for federal SBIR/STTR grants for research and innovation. Assists with commercialization, grant writing, and federal contracting
UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Management – Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship
Offers programs for entrepreneurs, including pitch competitions, accelerators, mentorship, and student/business collaboration opportunities
UMass Amherst Food Science and Innovation
Business collaboration opportunities for food entrepreneurs, access to research and facilities
Networking Opportunities
Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA)
Roxbury, MA advocates economic equity and prosperity for Black businesses through policy, and partnerships.
The Western Massachusetts Regional Economic Development
Sponsors summit events where stakeholders collaborate on strategies for regional economic growth and development
Berkshire Black Economic Council
Advocate for economic development in the Black community of the Berkshires.
Association of Black Business & Professionals (ABBP)
Focuses on supporting and promoting Black-owned businesses and professionals in the Springfield area.
Springfield Creative City Collective
Promotes arts-based economic development
Buy Black
A free community resource serving Black-owned businesses nationwide.
U.S. Federal Government Business Resources
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)
Loans (7(a), microloans, disaster loans) Free business counseling (SCORE, SBDCs, Women's Business Centers) Federal contracting programs. Innovation funding (SBIR/STTR grants)
SAM.gov (System for Award Management)
Register your business to apply for federal contracts and grants. Search for contract and grant opportunities
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – Businesses and Self-Employed
EIN registration. Business tax resources, deductions, and credits
U.S. Department of Commerce
Business development programs. Data and economic resources. Export assistance
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
Business centers across the country. Assistance for minority-owned businesses to access capital, contracts, and market
U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Grants for economic development projects. Support for regional entrepreneurship initiative
Grants.gov
Central portal to search and apply for all federal grants. Grants for businesses, nonprofits, researchers, and others
U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank)
Export financing and insurance. Support for U.S. companies selling products abroad
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Patent and trademark filing and protection. Intellectual property information and support for businesses
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – Rural Development
Loans, grants, and technical assistance for rural small businesses and cooperatives
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) – Employer Resources
Employment law compliance resources. Workplace safety and wage standards for small businesses