Launched by the Baker-Polito Administration in 2015, the Urban Agenda Grant Program promotes economic vitality in urban neighborhoods by fostering partnerships that capitalize on unique local assets and community-driven responses to specific challenges. Urban Agenda grants are competitive one-year awards that offer these partnerships flexible funding to implement programming and projects based on creative, collaborative work models to support economic progress in urban communities.

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Springfield – McKnight – Association of Black Business and Professionals: $100,000 to support Pathways to Economic Resilience in the Black Community, a partnership with Springfield and MassHire to provide workshops to business professionals, competitive grants to small businesses, and a summer internship program to Black and Latino students.

OVERVIEW:

This year, with the unprecedented and far-reaching impact of the global pandemic, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has made available $2.5 Million through the Urban Agenda Grant to provide support to organizations that intend to develop and/or implement Covid-19 economic recovery strategies. The Association of Black Business
and Professionals (ABBP) has been awarded $100,000 to implement programs to directly address disparities in pandemic recovery assistance in Black communities. We will do so by strengthening and continuing our mission to provide financial literacy workshops and opportunities for Black business owners and professionals to network and build social capital. Furthermore, we will target a portion of these funds to provide 14 awards of $5,000 in direct financial assistance to Black businesses, and an internship program for black/brown students.

This pandemic recovery program targets the Mcknight, Upper Hill, Pine Point, Old Hill, and Boston Road neighborhoods of Springfield which have some of the highest populations of Black residents in the City of Springfield. Additionally, these neighborhoods have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, while also receiving disproportionately less in terms of recovery assistance when compared to other more affluent communities.

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Who Should Apply:

While many have been negatively affected by the pandemic, to ensure that these limited funds get to the most severely impacted businesses, preference will be given to the following priority categories:

1. Black-owned small businesses, especially those who have experienced significant operating revenue loss due to the coronavirus pandemic and/or have not received significant financial assistance through other pandemic assistance programs. Your business must be at least 51% Black-owned, operated, and controlled.

2. Non-profit 501 (c)(3) organizations whose primary mission is serving the Black community.

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Application Submission Instructions:
Please note, there are two separate applications for the Small Business Grant and the Internship Stipend. Your application must be filled out and submitted along with attachments as stated in “Required Documentation” electronically through ABBP’s online application portal. Only complete, accurate and legible applications will be
considered.

Please be advised, applications must include all required documentation by the program deadline in order to be considered. Please see the full list of “Required Documentation” details below. Common omissions that would exclude your application from consideration:

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Small Business

• Business Certificate (State or City)

• 1 pg Narrative (Questions included below)

• Proposed Budget

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Award Process/Timeline:
The Association of Black Business and Professionals (ABBP) will review all applications to determine eligibility. ABBP will award and disburse grants competitively based upon the eligibility criteria and your level of need.

Please review the following important deadlines:
 

Application opens – Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Application close for Round 1 – Tuesday, March 15, 2022
Awards Announced for Round 1 – Sunday, May 1, 2022
Application close for Round 2 – Saturday, April 30, 2022

Awards Announced for Round 2 – Wednesday, June 15, 2022
 

*All dates are subject to change based on the disbursement of funds received from Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED)
 

Compliance with Federal Funds, Laws and Regulations:
Applicants must comply with all applicable laws.

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PROGRAM DETAILS:

14 Businesses/Nonprofits can receive up to $5,000.

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Approved Use of Funds:
Businesses/Nonprofits
Operating Expenses, adapting to COVID-19 restrictions (e.g. expanding delivery, online service etc.), programmatic services.

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Business will collect and retain sufficient documentation to demonstrate that the expenses delineated in this application were incurred within the eligibility limits and established for the Pathways to Economic Resilience Grant Program. Documentation includes, but is not limited to, receipts, invoices, purchase orders, contracts, contemporaneous memoranda, or other relevant materials. These materials must be stored in an easily accessible and searchable format, in business control, and in compliance with document retention best practices. This documentation will be maintained in compliance with applicable federal, state, and municipal law to support internal and external audits of these obligations and expenditures. As the prime awarding agency of the Urban Agenda Grant Program, the Commonwealth reserves the right to request this documentation or other audit evidence at a future date.

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Grantor reserves the right to require Business to report on incurred expenses and/or outcomes in a form prescribed by the Grantor.

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Non-Approved Use of Funds:
Personal expenses, lobbying. Also, grantees must prevent the duplication of benefits, which means these grant funds may not be used to pay expenses if another source of financial aid has paid that same expense.

If a person owns multiple businesses and submits an application for each business, ABBP may reserve the right to limit proceeds to a business owner.

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Eligibility: 

Requirements for Businesses and Nonprofits:

• Business must be based in Mcknight, Upper Hill, Pine Point, Old Hill, and Boston Road neighborhoods, 

• Business can be a for-profit entity (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, cooperative or LLC) or nonprofit.

• Business must be currently in operation or if not in operation must have an intent to reopen.

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SMALL BUSINESS REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION:
PLEASE BE ADVISED - FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTATION BY THE PROGRAM’S DEADLINE MAY EXCLUDE YOUR APPLICATION FROM CONSIDERATION:

1. Completed and signed IRS W-9 Form for your business

If your business is a Sole Proprietorship:

• A copy of your Business Certificate (DBA) from the city/town in which your business operates.

• A copy of the business owner's valid photo identification (ID). This ID must match the business owner who is an authorized signer that signs this application. Please submit a photocopy of the front and back of the ID.
   

Examples include (submit one): State-issued driver's license/ID card, U.S. Passport book or card, or other valid, state or federal issued photo ID 

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Links to Applications:

Black business grant application

Still have more questions? Email us at abbpinfo@gmail.com