Baker-Polito Administration Announces Partnerships for Recovery, $774 Million Economic Recovery Plan

Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Housing and Financial Growth Secretary Mike Kennealy, Labor and Workforce Secretary Rosalin Acosta, and Administration and Finance Secretary Michael J. Heffernan joined Joe Kriesberg, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Affiliation of Neighborhood Growth Companies to announce the plan on the Gardner Auditorium.

“This plan represents a complete technique to get folks again to work and to help the small companies hit the toughest by the pandemic, placing the Commonwealth on a path to restoration,” mentioned Governor Charlie Baker. “By leveraging current instruments and applications and implementing new ones this plan will permit us to make essential sources and help to those that want it most out there now.” 

“Whereas we proceed to fight this pandemic, this plan takes an method that addresses key wants of the companies in downtowns and foremost streets, offers housing help for weak households, and opens new doorways for folks looking for to return to work,” mentioned Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Whereas we acknowledge we nonetheless have a methods to go, this plan will assist to jumpstart our innovation economic system and place Massachusetts to be on a path for achievement.”

• Placing $115 million to work instantly for small companies and workforce coaching, together with greater than $25 million to get folks again to work;

• Directing $323 million in current capital applications as a part of the response to proceed doing extra of what works;

• Submitting for $122 million by way of the Revised H.2 finances to complement current funding in help of struggling Foremost Road companies and talent constructing for residents;

• Steering $43 million in Federal, belief and different state funding towards our most crucial wants; and

• Committing $171 million to maintain folks safely housed through the pandemic.

Getting Individuals Again to Work

So as to get folks again to work, new investments are being made to construct workforce abilities, rising coaching applications and pathways, forging new partnerships between employers and staff, and supporting web connectivity to facilitate distant work and on-line profession development. The greater than $25 million out there now consists of:

• $10.4 million to interact Massachusetts employers by increasing workforce partnerships with massive employers in goal sectors to create aligned statewide training-employment pathways;

• $9.2 million to subsidize web for low-income populations, and to broaden scorching spots in unserved and underserved communities;

• $3.2 million to modernize MassHire digital pathways to evaluate and join UI claimants to acceptable providers and helps;

• $2 million to bolster manufacturing coaching by buying a standardized digital coaching program to extend workforce for the manufacturing sector; and

• $300,000 to complement $8.4 million towards Profession Technical Institutes in H.2 to assist shut the abilities hole for expert technician jobs and align coaching to {industry} wants.

An extra $54 million is accessible to help workforce restoration efforts by way of current programming such because the Expertise Capital Grants program, the Workforce Competitiveness Belief Fund, and the Workforce Coaching Belief Fund.

Revised Home 2 additionally proposes $17.9 million in workforce funding, together with $8.4 million in funding to rework vocational excessive colleges into Profession Technical Institutes working three shifts per day. This initiative is designed to coach 20,000 new staff over 4 years in expert trades and technical fields together with plumbing, HVAC, manufacturing, and robotics. This can include a mix of enrolling extra highschool college students in high-impact vocational commerce applications and increasing capability for adults to earn industry-based credentials, aligned to apprenticeships and post-secondary levels.

“These funds will present essential re-employment providers to our workforce, serving to folks make the transition from unemployment advantages to good paying jobs in a number of the Commonwealth’s key long run job progress sectors,” mentioned Secretary of Labor and Workforce Growth Rosalin Acosta.

Direct Assist to Small Enterprise and Foremost Road

To generate financial progress amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and help Foremost Streets throughout Massachusetts, the Administration is investing $322.8 million in direct help of small and numerous companies and native communities. This funding consists of grants (see particulars under) to the toughest hit small companies, particularly small companies owned by ladies, minorities, veterans, or members of different underrepresented teams. These grant awards will permit small companies to cowl bills comparable to hire, payroll, and utilities as they get again on their ft. Extra funding will help small companies by way of hands-on and customized technical help, together with focused help for women- and minority-owned companies round digital and on-line expertise as their enterprise mannequin pivots away from a brick-and-mortar location.

Many communities have seen their Foremost Streets and downtown districts hit significantly exhausting by the pandemic, and new funding goals to assist cities and cities plan for short-term improvements and long-term restoration.

A brand new $10 million spherical of the Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program will proceed to assist cities and cities shortly implement or broaden enhancements to sidewalks, curbs, streets, on-street parking areas and off-street parking tons in help of public well being, protected mobility, and renewed commerce of their communities.

Individually, native restoration planning grants will quickly be out there to cities and cities to help with long-term planning for his or her enterprise districts. A complete of $10 million is accessible for this program.

To help the museums and different cultural services which have confronted a very difficult actuality this yr, however stay a cornerstone of what Massachusetts affords to guests, these establishments will probably be eligible for $10 million in Cultural Services Working Grants. This funding will assist these organizations to make security enhancements and different upgrades to permit them to proceed to supply their distinctive sights and reveals.

As a part of this restoration plan, the Governor’s not too long ago filed revised finances proposal recommends over $100 million in further funding for financial restoration and growth efforts, together with $35 million for group growth monetary establishments (CDFI) grants and loans, and $15 million for matching grants for capital investments by companies with 20 or fewer staff. Moreover, greater than $115 million in current capital by way of applications comparable to MassWorks, and people within the MassDevelopment portfolio (Brownfields Redevelopment Fund, Web site Readiness Program, Transformative Growth Initiative, and Collaborative Workspaces), will probably be leveraged in help of financial restoration. This restoration plan enhances the Administration’s $275 million financial restoration package deal, which was introduced in June.

Small Enterprise and Foremost Road Highlights (new funding):

• $50.8 million in Small Enterprise Grants to assist the toughest hit companies;

• $10 million to proceed funding the Shared Streets and Areas Program;

• $10 million for native restoration planning grants to help cities and cities;

• $10 million to help cultural services comparable to museums;

• $8.3 million in small enterprise technical help to assist companies entry grant applications and loans, in addition to assist construct enterprise administration abilities, resilience, and different help in navigating pandemic impacts;

• Together with $2.3 million to supply customized technical help to woman- and minority-owned companies;

“Our present circumstances name for a plan with the dimensions and scope to match the urgency we have to handle essentially the most urgent challenges we now face,” mentioned Secretary of Housing and Financial Growth Mike Kennealy. “By focusing on important sources towards these key areas, this technique will permit us to put a strong basis for our path to restoration.”

“Throughout this unprecedented public well being emergency, the Baker-Polito Administration is continuous to take a position important sources to help restoration and progress initiatives for small companies and Foremost Streets throughout Massachusetts,” mentioned Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “By shut coordination with federal, state, and native companions – together with our Legislative colleagues – we’re proud to place forth a plan that thoughtfully invests funds from a number of sources to equip employers with the instruments, sources, and helps to assist navigate the brand new COVID-19 panorama.”

“We enormously admire Governor Baker’s sense of urgency to maneuver these grant {dollars} now, whereas additionally working with the Legislature to safe further funds within the state finances and the financial growth invoice,” mentioned Joseph Kriesberg, President of the Massachusetts Affiliation of Neighborhood Growth Companies and Board Member of the Massachusetts Development Capital Corporation. “Small enterprise homeowners have sacrificed to assist maintain all of us protected and wholesome.  This initiative is our alternative to have their again.”

Extra Investments

So as to maintain folks safely of their properties through the pandemic and help small landlords with bills, the Administration not too long ago introduced $171 million in help of the Eviction Diversion Initiative. This complete technique consists of funding to assist to cowl housing prices comparable to hire and mortgage funds, spend money on new applications round mediation and authorized illustration, and supply repaid rehousing when a tenant is evicted. Moreover, the Administration continues to spend money on the Commonwealth’s inventory of inexpensive rental housing with $121 million in direct subsidies.

Massachusetts has lengthy been a hotbed of innovation and creativity in science and expertise, and sectors such because the life sciences and superior manufacturing will not be solely essential to the innovation economic system, but additionally proceed to contribute to the response to the coronavirus. To make sure we proceed to steer on this area, $62 million in current capital funding by way of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Middle, the Massachusetts Know-how Collaborative, and MassVentures is accessible to help restoration and progress.

Small Enterprise Grant Program Particulars

Massachusetts Development Capital Company (MGCC) is administering the Small Enterprise Grants program, with $50.8 million out there starting at present. Grant awards vary between $25,000 – $75,000, and eligibility standards and purposes can be found here.

As a part of this grant program, desire is given to small companies whose homeowners are ladies, minorities, veterans, members of different underrepresented teams, or centered on serving the Gateway Cities of Massachusetts, who’ve been unable to open and people most adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Choice can be given to candidates that haven’t been in a position to obtain support from different federal applications, together with PPP and different aid associated to COVID-19.

This system has two distinct funding “doorways” based mostly on enterprise measurement, with totally different eligibility standards, which is accessible online. Candidates should overview the data to find out which program to proceed with making use of.