Small Business Resources & Incentives

The United States Small Business Association offers a variety of funding programs, loans and grants to small businesses.    Portions of the Town of Athol are in a HubZone and as such can apply for to join the HubZone program which can make your business eligible to compete with the government's set aside contracts, if your business meets their criteria.

NewVue Communities offers small business assistance (primarily focusing on micro-enterprises, typically 5 or fewer employees) via one on one technical assistance, credit & rural initiatives, and calling creatives.  

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center at Clark University in Worcester offers free webinars/training for businesses, and offers free and confidential business advising and training for existing and prospective businesses.   

Northeast Advanced Manufacturing Consortium in combination with MassHire offers apprenticeships for any manufacturing occupation.

Assets for Artists is a non-profit organization where grants, free professional development services, free one on one coaching and goal setting tools are offered for artists.    Their Massachusetts free professional development workshops can be found here.

Rethink Restaurants will work with individual restaurants (and local governments and community based organizations) provides individual counseling and technical assistance programs to build sustainable restaurants.  

Score Business Counseling provides professional business consulting from mentor businesses who have had successful businesses.   This includes but is not limited to resource hubs, templates, workshops and events.   

Apprenti has a registered apprenticeship program for employers.

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce offers business assistance in the form of training sessions and workshops, business counseling services and loan counseling.