Westford Encourages Small Businesses To Apply For Recovery Funds

WESTFORD, MA —Additional funding is available for qualifying businesses through a community micro enterprise grant program that began in January to support businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The program, which initially made $10,000 forgivable loans available to businesses is now able to provide up to $25,000 per business to support them amid the pandemic recovery, according to Westford Town Manager Jodi Ross in a news release.

The loans are meant to help cover costs such as rent, staffing and utilities for small businesses with five or fewer employees (including any owners), whose owner or owners meet low to moderate household income qualification as designated by United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in Westford and four other area towns.

The micro enterprise grant program is the result of a partnership between the five communities and TRI, The Resource, Inc. The program is funded by a $1.6 million Community Development Block Grant. It has granted 15 forgivable loans since launching in January. The program has the capacity to provide many more grants for businesses in need.

Loans were made possible by a $1.6 million in Community Development Block Grant - Coronavirus Funding awarded to the Town of Acton through the CARES Act.

For more information and to see if your business qualifies, visit www.trimicroeloans.org and choose the appropriate tab for Acton, Boxboro, Littleton, Maynard and Westford for a step-by-step pre-application questionnaire.

"The last year has been difficult on all of us, and especially for small businesses, but this grant can serve as a critical lifeline that I hope others will utilize," Littleton Town Manager Ansaldi said in a release.