Merrimack Valley Black and Brown Voices Awarded $55K State Grant

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Merrimack Valley Black and Brown Voices recently received its first state grant, the organization announced.

The organization, formed in the summer of 2020, was awarded a $55,000 grant from the new Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grant Program, which aims to "leverage local expertise to support programs in areas with high incarceration and poverty rates."

Merrimack Valley Black and Brown Voices plans to launch the "Merrimack Valley Black & Brown Advancement Program" to create opportunities for Black and Brown business owners and entrepreneurs in North Andover. According to the grant announcement, the program will:

1. "Work in partnership with the North Andover Youth and Recreation Services to offer financial literacy and entrepreneurship building opportunities for BIPOC high school youth
2. Work in partnership with the Town of North Andover to secure outdoor and indoor spaces for monthly Winter/Spring 2022 Black and Brown Owned Business Markets
3. Provide BIPOC entrepreneurs in North Andover with opportunities to be a vendor (at no cost) at the Black and Brown Owned Business Markets
4. Work in partnership with North Andover CAM to launch a media campaign highlighting BIPOC business owners and youth leaders in North AndoverConnect BIPOC entrepreneurs with local resources (i.e. utilizing the Merrimack Valley Strong database) to help them grow and scale their businesses."

"Our organization is grateful to be working with the Executive Office of Housing & Economic Development to help strengthen and build our communities," the organization said in a statement. "More information about this program will be released throughout the month."

Lt. Gov Karyn Polito announced the first round of Community Empowerment and Reinvestment Grants at Lowell's United Teen Equity Center, another of the recipients.

"The competitive, one-year grants support applicants seeking to address issues in communities that have historically faced disproportionate challenges to economic growth," according to the announcement. "Additionally, to achieve the program’s equity goals, projects in locations that have experienced high rates of incarceration and widespread poverty, or are in communities comprised of traditionally disadvantaged and underrepresented populations, were prioritized."

Sixty-two grants were awarded in the first round.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.