Sponsoring Agency: Natick Center Cultural District
Type of Fund: Grant
Deadline Available: Available
Deadline Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 05/03/2021
Size of the Fund: Less than USD $50,000
The Massachusetts Office of Business Development presents the communities Ashland, Framingham, and Natick a $250,000 Business Marketing Technical Assistance Grant, funding a new program helping struggling small businesses in this region.
The Business Marketing Technical Assistance Grant focuses on an identified need for marketing support within the business community. Business owners will have an opportunity to work directly with marketing professionals to create, redesign or update their website, upload an online point of sale tool to business websites where applicable, and focus on digital marketing strategies for direct marketing to consumers.
This grant opportunity provides a much needed resource to help businesses survive during a very challenging time. Business owners will have an opportunity to work directly with marketing professionals to create, redesign or update their website, upload online point of sale tool to business websites, and focus on social media marketing strategies for direct marketing to consumers.
Through the Technical Assistance Grant, the communities of Ashland, Framingham and Natick are providing consultant services to assist businesses to improve their marketing efforts to increase sales.
Funding Information
• The grant provides consultant services up to $5,000 per award. The consortium communities reserve the right to reduce the amount of the award from the original request.
• The technical assistance provided is limited. The total funds available are $250,000. The grant team will fund as many qualifying projects as are possible from the funds available.
Services Provided
Applications will be accepted to address the following needs:
• Marketing Assistance
o Requests for assistance may address any aspect of digital marketing for the business, including but not limited to: branding, website updates or creation, social media guidance, point of sales creation or update.
• Website Design
o Requests for assistance may address any design issues related to website design, including but not limited to: preliminary design guidelines, updating features, mobile ready platform.
• Social Media
o Requests for assistance may address any social media issue related to marketing and increasing followers and generating leads, including but not limited to: a review of current social sites, adding sites that may help increase visibility, preparing a plan for social posts for consistency.
• Point of Sale Implementation
o Requests for assistance may address any aspect of determining how to increase sales through a point of sale process on current or new websites, including but not limited to: a current upgrade or creation of point of sale for online sales.
Eligibility Criteria
• All businesses with located in Ashland, Framingham and Natick will be considered for this grant.
• This grant is open to all sectors in the small business community. All businesses under 50 employees will be eligible. Preference will be given to BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA+, or veteranowned businesses, and those that have not already received CARES Act funds.
More information at: https://www.natickcenter.org/2021/04/16/natick-receives-grant-funding-for-small-businesses/
