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City of Cambridge Small Business Operations Grant Program – Massachusetts

The Cambridge Small Business Operations Grant Program provides direct help to businesses.

Donor Name: City of Cambridge

State: Massachusetts

City: Cambridge

Type of Grant: Grant

Deadline: 02/16/2024

Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000

Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned

Details:

The grant can pay for operational costs such as rent, payroll, inventory, and equipment. The grant is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The goal of the grant is to help small businesses in and around Cambridge’s commercial districts recover and adapt from ongoing economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All businesses must be local, non-franchise businesses with 50 or fewer full-time employees.

What the Grant Can Be Used For

  • Brick and Mortar Businesses
    • Brick and mortar businesses could receive a grant up to $15,000 to reimburse small businesses for the following expenses from March 3, 2021 until April 30, 2024:
      • Commercial rent/mortgage
      • Employee wages/payroll
      • New equipment
      • Inventory expenses
      • Marketing expenses
      • Delivery expenses
      • Other business operating expenses not included above
  • Home Based Businesses
    • Home based businesses could receive a grant up to $7,500 to reimburse small businesses for the following expenses from March 3, 2021 until April 30, 2024.
      • Equipment
      • Marketing expenses
      • Owner/employee payroll
      • Inventory expenses
      • Other business operating expenses not included above
    • Grant funds cannot be used for the following:
      • construction projects
      • to pay for local, state, or federal taxes, bills, permit or license fees owed
      • repayment of any previous federal or local grants/loans owed.

Eligibility Quiz

If your answer to most of these questions is  “yes,” you could be eligible for this grant:

  • Is your current non-franchise business located and operating in Cambridge, MA?
  • Do you have 50 or fewer full-time employees including yourself?
  • Is your business still in operation?
  • Can you provide business tax returns or profit and loss statements that show your business loss of sales between 2019 and 2021?
  • Do you have a Cambridge business certificate?
  • Businesses that are already participating in other City grant programs can still apply to the Small Business Operations Grant. Some exclusions apply.

Businesses NOT eligible for this grant: 

  • Businesses not located in Cambridge, MA
  • Cambridge businesses that recently closed
  • Cambridge businesses that have signed a lease, opened, or started on or before April 2021. Businesses must be in operation prior to April 2021.
  • Cambridge businesses that cannot provide taxes or sales documents that show a loss of sales/revenues from 2019 and 2021
  • Businesses not currently compliant with all federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to zoning, licensing, and permits
  • Although cannabis businesses are permitted in the City of Cambridge, the use and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law for any purpose. Since this is a federally-funded program, cannabis businesses are not eligible for the program
  • Businesses that received a City-ARPA Grant (such as the Restaurant-Nightlife Relief Grant or Small Business Relief Grant) and have not provided proof of use for those grants to City staff.

For more information, visit City of Cambridge.

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