Click Here to find communities (cities and states)
The Bay State is known for its historical significance, charming towns, and bustling cities.
It is a major center for education, finance, and technology.
We especially love its strong education system, access to a highly skilled workforce, its vibrant technology sector, and its stable economy.
Massachusetts is investing $750,000 in programs designed to connect consumers with local farms and agricultural businesses.
The Healey administration announced the funding October 23, 2026, through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
The awards will support 10 regional organizations working to promote locally grown food, improve access to agricultural products, and connect farmers with customers.
The funding includes support for marketing activities, consumer education, and initiatives involving farmers markets.
The grants are being distributed through the state’s Buy Local Program.
Recipients include organizations serving communities across Massachusetts.
Buy Fresh Buy Local Cape Cod, based in Barnstable, received approximately $89,985.
The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, based in West Tisbury, received approximately $89,996.
Berkshire Grown, based in Great Barrington, received approximately $89,999.
Central Mass Grown, based in Rutland, received approximately $79,570.
Additional recipients include Northeast Harvest in Topsfield and Sustainable Nantucket.
The awards support regional organizations rather than providing unrestricted grants directly to every farm in their service areas.
Small agricultural businesses often depend on relationships with local customers, retailers, restaurants, and community organizations.
Regional agricultural marketing programs can help farmers communicate where their products are available and encourage consumers to purchase locally grown food.
The Buy Local Program supports organizations working to strengthen these connections.
Activities may include promoting farm products, increasing awareness of farmers markets, and helping consumers identify agricultural businesses operating in their communities.
The program also supports efforts to make locally grown products more accessible throughout the year.
A portion of the latest funding will assist winter farmers markets.
These markets can provide additional opportunities for participating agricultural businesses to sell products outside the traditional growing season.
Massachusetts agriculture includes farms producing vegetables, fruit, dairy products, and other agricultural goods.
Many smaller operations sell products directly to consumers through farm stands, farmers markets, and community-supported agriculture programs.
Direct sales can provide an alternative to traditional wholesale distribution.
However, the financial results of individual farms depend on production costs, customer demand, pricing, and other business conditions.
The state’s Buy Local grants are intended to support organizations that promote these agricultural businesses.
The announcement does not guarantee increased sales for individual farms.
The October 23 announcement also highlights efforts to help more consumers use Massachusetts’ Healthy Incentives Program.
The program allows eligible Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participants to receive additional benefits when purchasing qualifying fruits and vegetables from participating Massachusetts producers.
Regional Buy Local organizations help raise awareness of programs connecting consumers with local food.
The latest grants are intended to support this work alongside broader agricultural promotion activities.
The funded organizations operate in different parts of Massachusetts.
Some focus on specific communities or islands, while others serve multiple counties.
For example, Berkshire Grown serves western Massachusetts, while Central Mass Grown supports agricultural promotion in the Worcester County region.
The Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership serves communities across Bristol, Plymouth, and Norfolk counties.
Farmers interested in participating in regional marketing activities should contact the appropriate organization for information about available programs and participation requirements.
The October 23 announcement does not establish a new direct grant application opportunity for individual farmers.
For Massachusetts agricultural businesses, the $750,000 investment represents additional support for organizations working to strengthen local food markets and connections between farms and consumers.
More than 500 Massachusetts businesses are receiving financial assistance to train employees through a new round of workforce development grants.
Governor Maura Healey announced October 23, 2026, that the state has awarded approximately $6.6 million through its Workforce Training Fund Program.
The grants will support training for more than 5,200 workers at 543 businesses.
Employers receiving the latest General Program awards also anticipate creating 286 additional jobs over the next two years.
The Workforce Training Fund Program helps qualifying Massachusetts employers pay for training intended to improve employee skills and business operations.
Supported activities can include technology training, project management, manufacturing processes, software instruction, and workplace communication.
The program also supports English-language instruction and other forms of employee development.
Businesses can pursue funding through two separate grant programs.
The General Program supports customized training projects, while the Express Program provides a streamlined option for smaller employers.
The state announced approximately $2.68 million in General Program grants involving 45 employers.
These awards will support training for more than 2,000 workers.
Employers receiving the grants anticipate adding 286 positions by 2028.
General Program grants can range from $10,000 to $200,000 for individual employers.
Qualifying employer consortiums may receive awards of up to $220,000.
Recipients must contribute a matching investment of at least one dollar for every grant dollar awarded.
The program is available to qualifying Massachusetts employers of different sizes.
However, applicants must meet the Workforce Training Fund’s contribution requirements and other eligibility conditions.
The latest announcement also includes approximately $3.97 million in Express Program grants.
These awards supported 498 small businesses and training for approximately 3,200 workers between May 1 and August 31, 2026.
The Express Program is available to qualifying Massachusetts employers with 100 or fewer Massachusetts W-2 employees.
Under current guidelines, funding is limited to $15,000 per company per calendar year.
Additional limits include $3,000 per employee per course and $300 per instructional hour.
Businesses must maintain a qualifying physical location in Massachusetts and contribute to the Workforce Training Fund.
Employees receiving training must work in Massachusetts, although they do not necessarily need to live in the state.
The newly announced General Program awards include employers in multiple regions.
In the Bristol workforce region, BayCoast Bank received a $219,120 consortium award to train 468 workers, with 50 additional jobs anticipated by 2028.
In the Boston region, John Nagle Company received $103,200 to train 42 workers.
The state’s recipient list also includes businesses in the Greater Brockton, Cape and Islands, Central Massachusetts, Greater Lowell, and other workforce regions.
These awards illustrate the program’s reach across industries and communities.
The Workforce Training Fund continues accepting applications through its established programs, subject to available funding.
General Program applications are reviewed competitively on a rolling basis.
Eligible businesses can also review the Express Program’s directory of approved training courses.
Applicants should examine the current guidelines before committing to training expenses.
The October 23 announcement identifies previously awarded grants, not a new unrestricted funding pool.
For qualifying Massachusetts businesses, the programs provide an established way to seek financial assistance for employee training and workforce development.
Massachusetts Government — October 23, 2026 Workforce Training Announcement
Commonwealth Corporation — Express Program Eligibility and Funding Limits
Commonwealth Corporation — General Program Application Information
Massachusetts is investing $6 million in community workforce programs designed to help residents develop marketable skills, enter growing industries, and pursue small business ownership.
Governor Maura Healey announced the funding on October 16, 2026, with grants supporting 34 projects across 17 Massachusetts communities.
The awards are part of the state’s Community Workforce Partnerships initiative, which connects workforce development organizations with local employers and residents seeking better economic opportunities.
The programs cover industries ranging from healthcare and construction to hospitality, financial services, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Rather than funding a single statewide training program, Massachusetts is distributing resources among organizations addressing workforce challenges in their individual communities.
The grants support job skills training, industry certifications, literacy education, and assistance for residents facing barriers to employment.
Some projects also provide transportation assistance, career counseling, and other services intended to help participants complete their training.
The state says the programs are designed to help residents move into employment or better-paying positions within approximately one year.
For local employers, these initiatives could provide access to workers trained for specific industry needs.
Several funded projects specifically address entrepreneurship and business development.
In East Boston, the Veronica Robles Cultural Center received $150,000 for a program helping Latino immigrant entrepreneurs and culinary microbusinesses develop business skills.
In Lawrence, The Community Group received $200,000 to help primarily Spanish-speaking women prepare to establish licensed family child care businesses.
New Bedford will benefit from a $98,000 award to the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts.
That organization’s Family Child Care Entrepreneurship program will train Spanish-speaking residents interested in establishing licensed home-based child care operations.
These initiatives address an important component of local economic development: helping residents create businesses rather than relying exclusively on traditional employment opportunities.
Other grants focus on industries experiencing specialized workforce needs.
In Haverhill, Community Action received $165,000 to help prepare unemployed and underemployed residents for advanced manufacturing careers.
Tech Foundry in Springfield received $200,000 for a program providing employment assistance, coaching, and supportive services to 22 adult participants.
In Lowell, the International Institute of New England received $200,000 to prepare English-language learners for healthcare training and employment.
Chelsea will receive additional construction workforce resources through a $200,000 carpentry pre-apprenticeship initiative operated by La Colaborativa.
These programs may create opportunities for employers seeking workers with relevant training and industry credentials.
The funded projects are located in Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Framingham, Gardner, Greenfield, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, New Bedford, North Adams, Peabody, Revere, Somerville, Springfield, and Worcester.
Boston received funding for multiple initiatives, including programs serving Dorchester, Roxbury, and East Boston.
The geographic distribution reflects the state’s emphasis on addressing workforce needs at the community level.
The $6 million represents grants awarded to nonprofit organizations administering workforce and entrepreneurship programs.
These are not direct cash grants being offered to individual small businesses.
However, local employers may benefit from workforce partnerships, trained job candidates, and industry-specific educational initiatives.
Entrepreneurs interested in the business development programs should contact the organizations operating those initiatives to learn about participation requirements and enrollment opportunities.
The announcement does not establish universal eligibility or guarantee immediate enrollment.
For Massachusetts communities, the funding represents a new investment in connecting local workforce development with employment and business ownership opportunities.
Explore a growing network of digital properties spanning financial media, local communities, business information, and cannabis industry news.
BIG Super Search welcomes conversations with prospective investors, strategic partners, and collaborators interested in our technology, established platforms, and long-term vision.
ExactMatchClick.com is proudly part of the BIG Super Search Network.
No Comments