Spring Seminar Workshop Series
Recording from Tuesday, April 13 about the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
View more workshop recordings here.
Tuesday, April 6, 2021 – NORTH ADAMS CHAMBER LAUNCHES VIRTUAL WORKSHOP SERIES
NORTH ADAMS, MA – The North Adams Chamber of Commerce is set to launch a Spring Seminar virtual workshop series to provide technical assistance and one-on-one consulting for area small businesses as a result of the Urban Agenda grant. Topics include, but are not limited to, social media marketing, e-commerce development, human resources, financial management, and operational management as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. Technical assistance workshops will be facilitated via Zoom and open to all area small businesses.
The first workshop kicks off on April 13 with the focus on the Restaurant Revitalization Fund hosted by Chris Macksey of Prix Fixe Accounting, followed by “Working with Community Partners” April 14 facilitated by Aaron Oster, co-owner of AOK Berkshire BBQ. A schedule can be accessed on the NAC eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/organizations/events. All workshops are free and open to the public. More workshops will be announced soon.
The City of North Adams is one of twenty-three communities across the Commonwealth, and the only municipality in Berkshire County, to receive a grant award through the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development’s Urban Agenda grant program. The City’s $59,000 grant award will support a new technical assistance and wayfinding program for small businesses in North Adams.
The NAC Business Development team is spearheading the workshops while incorporating regional business owners and industry professionals to help facilitate workshops and panels. The goal of the workshops is to be a resource for small businesses and to provide networking opportunities amongst business owners and other community members. Workshop topics were influenced by a survey taken by more than 20 small business owners across the Northern Berkshires.
For more information, or to request technical assistance, please email Nico Dery, NAC Business Development Coordinator at [email protected] or Amy Shapiro at the Franklin County Community Development Corporation at [email protected]. ###
Financial Opportunities
North Adams Microenterprise Stimulus Fund
Funds are still available for North Adams Businesses for forgivable loans up to $10,000
The City of North Adams is partnering with the Franklin County CDC to implement a Microenterprise Assistance Program (NAMSP) that opened on Thursday, October 15, 2020, with applications rolling until the money is depleted. Rounds will continue until funding is depleted. Microenterprise Assistance forgivable loans of up to $10,000 are available to businesses to help cover documented business losses due to the COVID-19 economic shut down that are not covered by other funding programs. The Franklin County CDC is implementing the forgivable loan programs for $108,000 for the City of North Adams.
Information Session: View a pre-recorded information session, held on October 9, copy or click the link below. Enter the passcode to gain access to the video.
Passcode: u+Y=d1V1
Contact: Amy Shapiro, Business Development Director | Franklin County CDC | [email protected] | call or text cell (413) 834-2508
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1-1 Business Counseling Services
Receive free counseling services from the North Adams Chamber Business Development team. This 1-1 business counseling session includes consultation of business structure and processes and an analysis of marketing, finances, and business plan critique.
This service is available to all Northern Berkshire-based businesses.
Interested?
Other Counseling Services
Berkshire County Regional Employment Board
The BCREB provides leadership for workforce development in Berkshire County by aligning education and training with local labor market needs.
The Board develops policies, allocates resources, oversees programs, and serves as a broker between business and education and training providers. The Board’s membership is representative of the make-up of the Berkshire economy, including mostly small and medium sized businesses and a variety of employment sectors.
Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network
The MSBDCN is committed to helping your business succeed in Massachusetts. We provide free, confidential, one-to-one business advising, and free or low-cost educational training programs to prospective and existing small businesses in Berkshire County.
Areas of assistance include, but are not limited to business plan development, preventure feasibility, cash flow analysis, personnel and organizational issues, conventional and non-conventional financing, and marketing.
- Berkshire County, contact MSBDC Berkshire Regional Office at 413-499-0933
Franklin County Community Development Corporation
The FCCDC assists small business owners with business development in business planning, lending, and commercial space. Our goal is to help entrepreneurs who live or work in Western Massachusetts and the North Quabbin to minimize their risks by connecting them to resources and information to maximize their success. The purpose of the corporation is to stimulate a more vital rural economy, to maximize community control over our future economic destiny, and to expand opportunities for low and moderate-income residents.
SCORE
To make an appointment with a SCORE counselor, contact the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce at 413-773-5463, or Western MA SCORE at 413-785-0314