Bringing you the latest tools to help your business.

This e-newsletter arrives with less than 3 weeks to Labor Day. We hope your hard work planning for the Summer of 2022 resulted in a successful summer. While you are finishing the season, don't miss these opportunities:

• Pitch to Grow! - Applications due 9/1
• Cape Cod Tech Employer Needs Assessment - Please participate
• August is national Black Business Month - Attend Amplify P.O.C. Cape Cod Summer Vendor Market on 8/20
• Workplace Safety Grant - Applications due 8/31
• Digital Growth Accelerator for Family Daycare Providers - Apply by 9/2
• Arts Foundation of Cape Cod offers Capacity Building Grant - Apply by 9/15
• MDAR Launches Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program - Applications due 9/16
• Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program reimbursement grant program - Applications due 9/30
• Mass Cultural Council Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals -applications due 11/1
• How Can Small Businesses Win the War on Talent? Webinar on 8/23
• Massachusetts Health Connector: Affordable, Flexible Health Coverage for Small Business on 9/20
• FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Blended Course 9/26
• CommonWealth Kitchen Financial Analysis and Expense Planning workshop 9/28
• MGCC Digital Capacity Grant extended into 2023
• SCORE's Top 5 Webinars of 2022 to date
• Considering a cooperative organization structure? Connect with Cooperative Development Institute
• An Employer’s Guide To Creating A Hiring Process 
• Cape Light Compact - Schedule a Small Business Assessment and Save
• Business Law Consults Available
• Schedule an appointment with the CDP
• QuickBooks Help
• Do you need a microloan or professional services grant?

To learn more about these workshops and programs, as well as other topics important to your business, please see below. As always, if there is a business topic that comes up for which you need more information or assistance, please email or call. CDP staff will help find resources to answer your questions.

Pam & Tricia

Are you a Cape & Islands small business (20 employees or less) that is at least 51% owned by an individual(s) who identifies as a person of color, Hispanic or Latino, female or indigenous?

Do you want to scale, grow or expand?

Apply today for Pitch to Grow! Pitch your ideas and get an opportunity to win cash prizes to expand your business. Eight (8) finalists will be selected by Pitch to Grow readers based on pre-established criteria. Finalists' presentations at Cape Cod Beer on September 28th will be judged by a team of bankers, small business owners, SCORE mentors and nonprofit leaders. Applications are due September 1st. Apply today!

The CDP is a proud sponsor of this event. Please reach out to Pam or Tricia if you have any questions.

Cape Cod Tech

Employer Needs Assessment

Developing a future skilled workforce on Cape Cod starts with identifying the needs of our local business leaders. The Cape Cod Regional Tech is asking business leaders, owners, and managers to take a few minutes to share their workforce needs in areas including, but not limited to: construction; hospitality; culinary; marine; automotive; IT; aviation; design; healthcare; dental; veterinary; landscape; horticulture; and cosmetology. 

Workplace Safety Grant - Applications accepted through August 31!

Over the past 30 years the Department of Industrial Accident’s Office of Safety has provided Massachusetts companies in good standing more than $24M in training funds to help prevent employee injury. This year there is $800,000 in available funding with individual grants up to $25,000 each. Companies and organizations of any size operating within the Commonwealth and covered by Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Law (MGL 152) are eligible for funding.

The application is available online and is easy to complete. Simply tell your story, the work site issues you would like to correct, the proposed type of training and who will provide it. Along with the completed application, submit a budget, your trainers’ credentials, and compliance verification forms. All worker safety training applications will be considered.

For more information email: safety@mass.gov or visit www.mass.gov/dia/safety. 

Empowering Family Childcare Providers of Color

to Reimagine

Childcare Services -

Apply by 9/2

Program Starts 9/12

LISC is creating an Accelerator cohort dedicated to assist 30 family childcare providers -- specifically providers of color. Childcare providers played a major role in sustaining the economy during the pandemic by supporting other essential workers and industries. They continue to be essential to sustaining the economy. LISC is offering childcare providers a FREE personal consulting team, guidance, solutions, tools, and resources to strengthen services and gain access to capital.

Arts Foundation of Cape Cod Partners with Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art to Bring Capacity-Building Program to Local Artists - Apply by 9/15/22

Emerging artists on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket are encouraged to apply for an intensive capacity-building initiative through the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod’s (AFCC) Creative Exchange program. 

Ten local artists will be selected to spend a little under a year focusing on their professional development to ensure the financial sustainability of their creative practices. The AFCC is partnering with the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) in North Adams, which will be bringing its Assets for Artists program to the community cohort of Cape-based creatives.

Through the program, participants receive one-on-one financial coaching; are guided in creating a business plan; have access to a community cohort of creative peers; and receive a $1,000 working capital grant at the end of program completion. Participants will also attend several webinars, including “Making a Plan in a Time of Uncertainty,” taught by sculptor and artist Laura Baring-Gould; “The Basics of Building a Grant,” taught by poet, writer, and educator Yara Liceaga-Rojas; “Taxes and Money Management,” taught by artist Hannah Cole; and additional workshops as determined by the needs of the cohort. 

The deadline to apply is Thursday, September 15th. Awards will be announced at the end of October with onboarding beginning in November. The program will conclude with a graduation in September 2023. 

MDAR Launches Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program - Apply by September 16th

MDAR is soliciting proposals for projects that specifically address the goals of the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (“LFPA”). The purpose of this program is to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. MDAR intends to fund approximately $7,200,000 in projects through this competitive RFR process, and the suggested dollar value of projects is between $50,000 and $750,000. Access the RFR process here.

MDAR is seeking projects to: purchase domestic food from local and regional producers; target purchases from Socially Disadvantaged farmers/producers; and distribute food to underserved communities. MDAR encourages applications that benefit Socially Disadvantaged farmers/producers and that provide food distribution to underserved communities, especially those not part of the traditional food distribution network. Preference will be given to applications that demonstrate how relationships and distribution channels will continue past the conclusion of this program.

An informational webinar where questions may be asked will be held for interested applicants on Thursday, August 18, 2022, 6:00pm. The webinar will be 1 to 1.5 hour(s) in length, and cover the LFPA Grant Program and provide information on accessing the MassGrown Exchange platform. Follow this link to register for the webinar. 

Applications are due by 2:00 pm on September 16^th, 2022, and must be submitted to LFPAGrant@mass.gov. Applicants may submit questions regarding the RFR and application process. Please submit questions by email to: LFPAGrant@mass.gov.

Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program (AFSIP)

The Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program (AFSIP) is a reimbursement grant program that supports produce and aquaculture operations that are looking to improve their food safety practices that work towards minimizing the risks of microbial contamination and food-borne illnesses while increasing market access. 

To be eligible for consideration under the Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Applicant must be a produce or aquaculture operation as defined by M.G.L. c. 128, § 1A that are principally and substantially engaged in agricultural production for commercial purposes;
• Applicant must own the property upon which the project will be implemented or have a written lease agreement with the owner;
• Are legally recognized entities within the Commonwealth and have the ability to enter a legally binding agreement with the Commonwealth;
• Property must be in active agricultural use and managed as a commercial enterprise by the Applicant for at least the three (3) previous years to the date of the application. 

Learn more here

Cultural Sector Recovery

Grants for Individuals

Application Opens 8/15/22

Deadline is 11/1/22

Mass Cultural Council’s Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals offers unrestricted grants of $5,000 to creatives and gig workers to support recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and set a path for growth.

Who can apply to the Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Individuals?

To apply for this grant, an applicant must be: an artist or cultural practitioner active in any artistic discipline or cultural tradition; a teaching artist/scientist/humanist; or a cultural worker in the arts, humanities, or interpretive sciences. In all cases, the individual’s work should be independent/self-employed.

I received a COVID-19 Relief Fund for Individuals grant in FY20 or FY21. Am I eligible to apply?

Yes, you are eligible to apply. However, please note that if you are selected to receive a Cultural Sector Recovery Grant, your grant amount might be reduced by the amount of your COVID-19 Relief Fund for Individuals grant ($1,000 from FY20 or $1,500 from FY21).

I have previously received an Artist Fellowship or Local Cultural Council grant. Am I eligible to apply for the Cultural Sector Recovery Grants?

Yes. Prior Mass Cultural Council grants do not interfere with your eligibility to apply for a Cultural Sector Recovery Grant.

What if I have more questions?

Please read about the application process, then contact Mass Cultural Council Staff.

How Can Small Businesses Win the War on Talent?

August 23, 2022

10 AM- 12 PM (online)

As a small or mid-sized business, it’s just not possible to compete with the larger organizations in the battle for top talent. But that’s okay – you don’t have to! This is not a problem that is solved only by throwing money at it! It takes some strategy and there are a few key steps that any organization can take to create a buzz around your business and draw potential candidates to your front door (or your virtual workplace if you are a remote environment)! Join us as we talk about the candidate landscape today, what’s driving the worker shortage, what will happen over the next 12 months and how you can put your business ahead of your competition!

The presenter will be Allison Ebner, Vice President, Member Relations & Partnerships with Employers Association of the NorthEast (EANE).

Massachusetts Health Connector:

Affordable, Flexible Health Coverage for Small Business

September 20, 2022

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM (online)

This information session will focus on health insurance options available to small businesses and their employees through Health Connector for Business. We will also review the options available for individuals and families who are not eligible for coverage through their small employer.

FSPCA PREVENTIVE CONTROLS FOR HUMAN FOOD BLENDED COURSE, Monday, Sept 26th, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM at UMass Amherst

 The Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-based Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation (referred to as the Preventive Controls for Human Food regulation) are intended to ensure safe manufacturing/processing, packing and holding of food products for human consumption in the United States. The regulation requires that certain activities must be completed by a “preventive controls qualified individual” who has “successfully completed training in the development and application of risk-based preventive controls”. 

This course developed by the FSPCA is the “standardized curriculum” recognized by FDA; successfully completing this course is one way to meet the requirements for a “preventive controls qualified individual.” This Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) Blended Training course was developed to provide an alternative for individuals to complete the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food course. 

The Blended course consists of 2 parts. Part 1 is online, and Part 2 is instructor-led (in-person). Both parts must be completed to obtain the certificate. The online portion of the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food blended course is a prerequisite for enrollment into Part 2, the instructor-led of the FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food. The online portion is completed through IFPTI's Learning Management system and emphasizes key-point concepts from the participant manual. Part 2, the in-person portion covers all the information presented in the first two days of the traditional three-day FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food. 

Upon completion of this course, the trainee will become a FDA-recognized “Preventive Controls Qualified Individual” (PCQI). The course covers: 

• How to create a Food Safety Plan meeting the FDA requirements as required by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). 
• How to conduct a Hazard Analysis, and differentiate between prerequisite programs and risk-based preventive controls. 
• Guidelines for choosing Critical Limits, setting up monitoring programs, and implementing corrective actions when deviations occur. 
• Documentation for all aspects of the PCHF-required Food Safety Plan including verification and validation activities, monitoring, corrective actions, and records review.

Registration for Part I of this 2-part course cost is $198 and the link for course registration is as follows: Part 1: Registration for Online Portion - FSPCA Blended Program

Registration for Part 2 cost is $275.00 per person plus credit card processing fee. and the link for course registration is as follows: Part 2: Registration for in-person course at UMass Amherst

Financial Analysis

and Expense Planning

September 28, 2022

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM (Online)

Learn about the financial analysis and expense analysis foundations that are critical to the success of your food business.

Whether you are looking to launch a food business or have already started, having the foundation in financial analysis and expense planning is essential. In this online workshop, you will learn:

• How to analyze your food business financial plans
• How to plan for your expenses
• How to improve your business financial situations

MGCC Grant Programs for Small Business Owners extended into 2023!

Schedule an appointment with Pam or Tricia today to see if your small business is eligible for these amazing opportunities.

Digital Capacity Building Grant 

MGCC's Empower Digital Grant provides funding (up to $5k) for tools and services to develop digital capabilities for your small business. MGCC will make these funds available for eligible businesses until funding is fully disbursed.

MGCC will now pay the Business Owner the grant funds upon submission of the Project Completion Certification Form.   MGCC will cover up to $5,000 without requiring a contribution from the business owner. 

Eligible MA-based small businesses must be sponsored by MGCC's SBTA providers.

Gain critical business skills

and best practices

with SCORE's

top five webinars in 2022

1. Finance & Capital: How to Find Grant Opportunities for Your Small Business. Get expert insight into the small business grant landscape, things to consider, where to find funding, and more.
2. Planning & Strategy: Your Roadmap to Success - How to Create a Business Plan. What is a business plan, what does it need to include and why is it so important to create one? In this webinar, learn how to approach your business plan and how to build it.
3. Startups: Deep Dive into LLCs - Compliance Considerations, Business Liability & Taxation. Learn about the tax advantages, disadvantages, and structuring options of filing your business as an LLC.
4. Marketing: Your Marketing Roadmap - Get in the Marketing Mindset. What mindset do you need to be an effective marketer? Ramon Ray will guide you through the key principles you must focus on before leveraging marketing tactics.
5. Solopreneur: 10 Key Steps to Grow Your Solo Business. What mindset do you need to be an effective marketer? Ramon Ray will guide you through the key principles you must focus on before leveraging marketing tactics.

Webinars are convenient, but sometimes you want to have a conversation about these business topics (and more!). The CDP Business & Credit staff are available to meet with you to discuss your business needs. Schedule an appointment today. 

Cooperative Development Institute: Making democratic ownership

work for everyone

The Cooperative Development Institute brings savvy, focused, and engaged assistance to cooperators throughout New England and New York. The CDI is a 501(c)3 nonprofit founded in 1994 by co-op leaders in the Northeast region. It's mission is, "to work with people in the Northeast to create cooperative businesses and networks that grow a prosperous, equitable economy."

CDI's Business Ownership Solutions (BOS) works with business owners and their employees to think through whether conversion to employee ownership is feasible and could meet their needs, whether as a succession plan or as a growth strategy. The CDI provides expertise in cooperative design, financial analysis, business planning, transaction structure and financing, and education and training needed to execute a successful conversion to an employee-owned company.

The CDI, along with the CDP, was instrumental in assisting Chatham Harvesters to open its new facility in Commerce Park. The space includes a receiving area where fish can be prepared, and if necessary, vacuum-packed and frozen. An adjacent room features a sparkling commercial kitchen where workers will create value-added products that will provide new revenue opportunities for coop members.

For business owners, conversion to a cooperative is one of the best ways to get a fair price for the business, sustain the legacy they’ve built, and, if structured properly, can provide substantial tax benefits for the current owner.

For employees, conversion can improve wages and benefits, and offers an opportunity to build wealth through ownership.

For communities, employee ownership conversion preserves local control and sustains the jobs and economic activity the business provides.

BOS promotes a model of economic and community development that is equitable and sustainable, that builds on the assets and strengths of its clients. In the nine years since BOS was founded, it has led 17 businesses through transitions to worker-owned cooperatives, creating an ownership opportunity for over 430 workers and helping them secure over $21 million in capital to buy those businesses. 

CDI's Cooperative Food System programs develop cooperatives and collaboration at all levels of the food supply chain. Cooperation is essential to a resilient and just food system that provides healthy local food and good jobs, and supports strong communities and local economies.

An Employer’s Guide

To Creating A Hiring Process

As you grow and need workers to support your expansion, it can be challenging to know how to hire the best candidates for your organization. That’s why it can be a good idea to create a systematic hiring process for your business. With a plan in place, you and your HR team will be better able to attract and bring on high-quality employees.

CDP volunteer, Karyn Rhodes, vice president HR Solutions at Complete Payroll Solutions, provides a great blueprint for you hiring process. Her suggestions include:

• Identifying your need
• Determining your recruitment strategy
• Writing a job posting
• Advertising
• Reviewing submissions
• Conducting interviews
• Performing assessments
• Checking references and running background checks
• Onboarding

Read the full article here

Save Energy & Get Incentives to Upgrade 

Cape Light Compact is an award-winning energy services organization serving the energy interests of customers on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. Start with a no-cost business energy assessment! A business energy assessment, available to building tenants and owners, will provide insight into areas for potential cost and energy savings for your business. Plus, you’ll get access to incentives of up to 80% off recommended efficiency upgrades.  Questions? Contact Lindsay Henderson.

Schedule an Assessment Now 

CDP offers Individual Business Guidance in a number of ways.

How can we help your business?

Individual Business Guidance

Are you self-employed, a solopreneur or a small business owner, and live or work on the Lower Cape? 

The CDP offers individual business guidance for all types of businesses.

What are your business needs?

Individual Mentoring through SCORE

SCORE offers individual mentoring across the Cape. The CDP partners with SCORE to offer mentoring on the Lower Cape.

Professional Services Grants Available for 2022.

Many businesses are finding the need to change their business model in these turbulent times. The CDP has Grant Funds available to help business owners hire specialized consultants to quickly implement these changes whether in technology, legal or marketing.

Make an appointment to learn more and to help stabilize or grow your business.

Mass Growth Capital Corporation

Cape Air

Cape Cod Five Charitable Foundation Trust

Santander Bank

Seamen's Bank Long Point Charitable Foundation

USDA Rural Development