City of Boston to Launch GrowBoston! Program with Interise

[November 16, 2021] This December, the City of Boston will launch the GrowBoston! Program, powered by Interise's StreetWise ‘MBA’ curriculum. The program will provide 15-20 Boston-based M/WBE small business owners, who are at the same stage of growth, with interactive class sessions, peer mentoring groups, and the opportunity to learn from local experts in the fields of leadership development, finance, marketing, contracting and procurement. In each class session, participants will identify ways to immediately improve their business. At the end of the program, participants will walk away with a personalized three-year Strategic Growth Action Plan — along with the confidence, ability, and network of peers and experts they will need to implement it.

The 'contracting factor' of the StreetWise ‘MBA’ curriculum, which prepares participants for contracting success through procurement opportunities with Boston’s top anchor institutions, corporations, government, and other large purchasers, is what attracted the City to invest in this program specifically. This program is part of the City's response to address the disparity study commissioned by the city that analyzed over 47,000 contracts awarded by the City over a five-year period (2014 - 2019) worth over $2.1 billion and found that of those contracts, 11% were awarded to minority- and women-owned businesses. Only 0.4% -- or $9.4 million -- reached Black businesses.

With 15 years of experience, partners across 75+ cities and close to 9,000 Streetwise ‘MBA’ alumni companies, Interise is driving groundbreaking impact across the country. While our impact is national, Boston, Massachusetts will always be where we started. On average Boston based Interise alumni secured new contracting of $648,450. We know businesses that grow through contracting not only create jobs faster, but they create local jobs with higher wages and benefits and also reinvest those resources within their communities by supporting other local businesses and helping the area's economy,

The seven-month program will run December 1, 2021 to June 15, 2022 and includes 13 sessions that meet virtually every other Wednesday from 5:00-8:00pm EST. The program is free of charge for all participants! In order to participate, businesses must be located in the City of Boston, have been in business for at least three years, and have at least one employee besides the owner.

Applications are due November 25th. Click here to apply!

SEED Awarded $4.5 million from RI Commerce Corporation through State Small Business Credit Initiative

[August 3, 2023] South Eastern Economic Development (SEED) Corporation has been awarded a $4.5 million loan from RI Commerce Corporation under the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). Funding for this program was made available through the reauthorization and amendment of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (SBJA) by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 in order to provide $10 billion to fund the SSBCI as a response to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a federal program administered by the Department of the Treasury that was created to strengthen state programs that support private financing to small businesses.

Healey-Driscoll Administration Announces $78 Million for New Grant Programs to Support Massachusetts Small Businesses

[April 6, 2022] The Inclusive Recovery Grant Program will provide up to $75 million in funding through grants of up to $75,000 for businesses owned by people of color, women, veterans, immigrants, individuals with disabilities, or those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community; businesses that focus on reaching markets predominantly made up of socially and economically disadvantaged and historically underrepresented groups; and other underserved markets.

SEED Honors 2022 Award Recipients at 40th Annual Meeting

[December 8, 2022] SEED's 40th Annual Meeting was held on December 8th at White's of Westport and included the presentation of the 2022 Business of the Year, Start-Up Business of the Year, and Regional Business Advocate of the Year. Click the link to see the winners!

SEED Makes 68 Small Business Loans Totaling $17.8 million in 2022

[November 30, 2022] In 2022, the South Eastern Economic Development (SEED) Corporation made 68 small business loans totaling $17.8 million and assisted in the creation of 398 new jobs. These loans were either made in participation with the region’s financial institutions to meet a financing gap, or as direct loans to small businesses not able to obtain conventional financing.

Lisa Holmes Named NADCO's CDC Employee of the Year

[November 18, 2022] SEED is extremely proud to announce that Lisa Holmes, Senior Vice President, Lending Team Leader, has been named the 2022 CDC Employee of the Year by the National Association of Development Companies (NADCO)! Selected from a pool of candidates nationwide, Lisa is being presented this award for exemplifying exceptional leadership, a strong team mentality, and an expertise in small business lending that has elevated her organization, colleagues, and clients. She was formally recognized this week at NADCO's 2022 conference in Denver, Colorado.