Citizens' Guide to State Services:
Business & Economic Development

Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development (EOHED)

1 Ashburton Place, Room 2101
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-788-3610
Fax: 617-788-3605
www.mass.gov/hed

The Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development is the state’s main office for housing and economic growth in Massachusetts. Overseeing and coordinating the resources of the Massachusetts Permit Regulatory Office, contact information above, Department of Housing and Community Development,Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. Within this section you will find the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, Office of International Trade and Investment, and the Office of Performance Management and Oversight, contact information above, and the Massachusetts Film Office.

The EOHED is charged with the goal of creating and retaining jobs and housing while maintaining a stable business climate and strengthening the state’s economic competitiveness.

The office also provides general policy oversight for the following quasi-public agencies engaged in economic development initiatives (although it does not manage or control them):

• The Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation
• Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development
• BDC Capital Corporation
• Massachusetts Capital Resource Company
• Massachusetts Development Finance Agency
• Massachusetts Technology Collaborative
• MassVentures, formerly the Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation
• The Devens Enterprise Commission

Massachusetts Office of Business Development (MOBD)

Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
136 Blackstone Street, 5th floor
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-973-8600
www.mass.gov/mobd/

The Massachusetts Office of Business Development serves as the state's principal development agency. It assists in the expansion and location of businesses in Massachusetts and is also responsible for the promotion of Massachusetts as a business location. It provides direct assistance to businesses.

Specific assistance is provided in expediting the permit process, in obtaining capital, and other forms of financial assistance from public and quasi-public finance agencies, in offering an inventory of site locations, in identifying and obtaining training assistance. MOBD works in partnership with the Small Business Development Centers (see A4 below). It also is a collaborating partner in the Massachusetts Export Center.

Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment (MOITI)

Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
136 Blackstone Street, 5th floor
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-973-8543
www.mass.gov/moiti

The Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment is the Commonwealth’s primary international business development agency charged with promoting trade and investment with global partners in Massachusetts and around the world. The office strives to build successful international collaborations and partnerships essential to bringing new economic growth to the Commonwealth.

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network

Tillson House
University of Massachusetts
23 Tillson Farm Road
Amherst, MA 01003
Phone: 413-545-6301
Fax: 413-545-1273
www.msbdc.org

The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network is part of a nationwide program established to provide individualized management assistance that draws on the resources of the academic community, federal, state and local government and the private sector.

Founded by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, combined with the contributions of participating universities, local chambers of commerce, and regional centers provide basic MSBDC services of one-to-one management/technical assistance and sponsor educational programs for small businesses in a given geographical region.

There are several regional offices, please call or visit the website for further information.

Massachusetts Export Center

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network
2 Center Plaza, Suite 200
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-973-6610
Central & Western MA: 508-887-5412
South Coast, Cape Cod & the Islands: 508-999-1388
Fax: 617-973-8681
www.mass.gov/export

Recognizing the need to make export services easily accessible to companies, the Massachusetts Export Center was established to serve as a one-stop resource for export assistance.

Companies can access a wide variety of export assistance, including:

• Export readiness assessments
• One-on-one export counseling
• Export workshops, training programs and conferences
• Overseas market research, statistics and trade leads
• International marketing activities
• A network of international offices
• Meetings with visiting international business delegations
• Export financing; a newsletter
• International business publications

Call ahead for an appointment as walk-ins cannot be accommodated.

Supplier Diversity Office (SDO)

Executive Office of Administration and Finance
1 Ashburton Place, Room 1017A
Boston, MA 02108
Phone: 617-502-8843
www.mass.gov/supplier-diversity-office

Formerly the State Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance (SOMWBA) the Supplier Diversity Office (SDO) promotes the development of certified minority business enterprises.

The current list of recognized enterprises are listed alphabetically:

• ACDBE: Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
• DBE: Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
• DOBE: Disability-Owned Business Enterprises
• LGBTBE: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Business Enterprise
• MBE: Minority Business Enterprise
• MWBE: Minority Women Business Enterprise
• M/NPO: Minority Non-Profit Organization
• M/W/NPO: Minority Women Non-Profit Organization
• PBE: Portuguese Business Enterprise
• SDVOBE: Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Enterprise
• VBE: Veteran Business Enterprise
• WBE: Women Business Enterprises
• W/NPO: Women Non-Profit Organization

SDO is Massachusetts' certification agency for state purchasing, and the office also certifies disadvantaged business enterprises for participation on contracts funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). SDO offers pre-certification workshops monthly throughout the state, provides management and technical assistance referrals, and organizes seminars and workshops for minority and woman entrepreneurs on a wide variety of business topics.

SDO publishes and also provides internet-based directories of certified firms with information about public and private sector procurement opportunities, business assistance agencies and organizations, and also publishes a quarterly newsletter, the Certified Business Bulletin (CBB), mailed to certified companies.

Massachusetts Film Office (MFO)

Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development
136 Blackstone Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-973-8400
E-mail: mafilminfo@state.ma.us
www.mafilm.org

This office promotes Massachusetts as an ideal filming location.

Massachusetts Sports Marketing Office

Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism
136 Blackstone St., 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617-973-8500 option 2, extension 8
E-mail: SportsInfo@state.ma.us
www.masportsoffice.com

This offices promotes Massachusetts as an ideal sporting location.

Quasi-Public Finance Agencies

Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC)

Formerly the Massachusetts Community Development Finance Corporation (CDFC), MGCC is a quasi-public economic development agency, provides debt and equity financing for small business and real estate projects in targeted low-income and moderate-income communities throughout the Commonwealth.

All projects of the agency must meet MGCC's investment standards as well as assist in the creation of jobs, affordable housing, or commercial development. Business investments must be located in a community, which has a local Community Development Corporation (CDC). MGCC is run by a nine-member board appointed by the governor for staggered five-year terms.

Other programs include the Venture Capital Program, which provides debt and equity financing for small businesses and the Commonwealth Enterprise Fund.

Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development (MassEcon)

This office is a private non-profit partnership bringing together government and industry leaders dedicated to the economic growth of Massachusetts. It serves as a central source of available properties information to expanding and relocating companies, as well as to promote the retention and expansion of businesses within the Commonwealth.

BDC Capital Corporation

Formerly the Massachusetts Business Development Corporation (MassBusiness), BDC Capital specializes in subordinated debt lending. BDC Capital is a resource for companies seeking working capital, fixed asset, and business acquisition and/or expansion.

Massachusetts Capital Resource Company

Massachusetts Capital Resource Company was established in 1977 as a limited partnership privately owned and funded by Massachusetts-based life insurance companies. The Company’s mission is to provide risk capital to fill the senior debt to equity funding “gap” experienced by growing companies.

Mass. Capital provides higher risk growth and acquisition capital to manufacturing, distribution, service and technology companies with a focus on emerging growth and middle market companies with operations in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Development Finance Agency (MassDevelopment)

With the consolidation of the Massachusetts Government Land Bank and the Massachusetts Industrial Finance Agency, MassDevelopment is the Commonwealth's primary source of public financing for economic development projects. Criteria based assistance is offered for bonds, financing, tax credits, and grants in a wide variety of fields to businesses, non-profits, municipalities and developers. There are regional offices and further information on these locations as well as programs may be found by calling or visiting their website.

Department of Economic Research (DER)

The Department of Economic Research (formerly the Labor Market Information Division) produces, analyzes, and distributes various data, labor market reports, and other resources related to employment, unemployment, occupations, industries, and other components of the Massachusetts labor market.

Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC)

Massachusetts Technology Collaborative is a quasi-public economic development organization established by the state to develop renewable energy. The collaborative was established by law (MGL Ch. 40J), in partnership with state government, industry, and the public and private universities of Massachusetts, to support an expanding technology-based economy for the Commonwealth, through the creation and operation of shared-use technology centers.

Regional Office:

Independent Agencies

MassVentures

Formerly known as the Massachusetts Technology Development Corporation (MTDC), MassVentures is an independent state agency and which makes investments in new and expanding technology-based companies within the Commonwealth. As a leading edge venture capital firm, MassVentures finances companies which have the capacity to expand and generate new jobs, but which have been unable to secure from private sources sufficient capital to fund such expansion. MassVentures also provides management assistance to emerging companies by referring them to appropriate alternative sources of funding.

Devens Enterprise Commission

Chapter 498 of the Acts of 1993 created an independent area formerly known as Fort Devens. Presently, the commission is encouraging business development there.

Business Registration & Regulations

Roughly translated, and not meant as a legal interpretation, Massachusetts General Law Chapter 110, Section 5: Any individual who is conducting business under a name other than his or her own given name must file a business certificate (sole proprietorship or general partnership) with the Clerks’ office in the city or town hall where the business is located, or by incorporating with the Corporation Division. DBA’s (Doing Business As) for individuals, corporations, LLC, LP, or LLP’s register at the city or town hall as well.

If you wish to form a new corporation, LLC LP LLP, or register one already formed in another state or country please contact the Corporation Division (see A20 below).

Generally, out of state or out of country corporate entities are required to register if they have a physical location here in Massachusetts, or if they wish to conduct business with a Massachusetts state agency, or bid on a state project here in the Commonwealth. Some professions require further state licensure.

Corporations Division

Visit the Corporations Division for the complete listing of corporate information and services.

Department of Revenue

Generally, corporations conducting business in the Commonwealth pay a corporate excise tax. This division enforces the tax laws as they apply to corporations, nonprofit corporations, exempt corporations operating in Massachusetts.

Employer Contribution Division

Most employers who employ one or more permanent, temporary or part-time workers in Massachusetts must pay unemployment insurance taxes. A new employer, or any employer who has not done business in Massachusetts before, must notify DUA immediately by filing an Employer Status Report enabling them to establish an employer account and receive a DUA number.

Department of Career Services (DCS)

Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development
19 Staniford Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-626-5300
E-mail: DCSFeedback@MassMail.State.MA.US
www.mass.gov/topics/career-services

Formerly the Division of Employment and Training, DCS administers the federal Job Training Partnership Act, which replaced the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). Eligible persons, i.e. economically disadvantaged individuals, dislocated workers, and others who face significant employment barriers are referred to the appropriate Service Delivery Area agency (usually a community-based organization or agency) by the division. Through its partnership with the State Workforce Investment Board and the Massachusetts Institute for Social and Economic Research (MISER), a Placement Accountability System (PAS) was created via the World Wide Web to link data on completions in training and education programs with data on the workforce. An individual who completes a training or education program is matched to workforce or education data to determine wage and employment status, and/or participation in further education. PAS is based on a series of legislation. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 62E, Section 12 as amended in 1993 authorizes the matching of databases necessary to achieve PAS. The 1974 Family Education Privacy Rights Act allows the use of individual level student record data for purposes of program evaluation. Both the 1990 Student Right-to-Know Act and the 1992 Re-Authorization of Higher Education Act of 1965 requires states to provide basic educational outcomes information such as as graduation and placement rates. Other functions of DET include: collecting unemployment insurance contributions from Massachusetts employers distributing unemployment insurance benefits to workers who have become unemployed through no fault of their own; providing quality employment and referral to training services for job seekers and recruiting qualified candidates for employers; and conducting economic research; projecting employment growth; collecting data from the business community; and analyzing and disseminating state and local labor market information.

Massachusetts Workforce Development Board

Department of Workforce Development
19 Staniford Street
Boston, MA 02114
Tel: 617-626-7112
www.mass.gov/orgs/Massachusetts-workforce-development-board

Formerly the State Workforce Investment Board, the Massachusetts Workforce Development Board serves as the Governor's principal advisory board on workforce development. The Workforce Development Board is charged with developing plans and policies, which are approved by the Governor, to coordinate services through One-Stop Career Centers and workforce boards.The reconstituted board will consist of 17 business representatives and seven workforce representatives including two representatives from labor, one of which is chosen from the National Association of Government Employees; and four from community-based organizations. The board will also have four executive branch representatives from the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development, Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and Executive Office of Education. The governor or a designee, two state legislators and two local government representatives will also sit on the board, which will be chaired by a member of the business representation.

Commonwealth Corporation

33 Harrison Ave, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02111
Phone: 617-727-8158
E-mail: commcorp.org/contact-us
www.commcorp.org

The Commonwealth Corporation, formerly the Corporation for Business, Work, and Learning, provides employment and training programs for laid-off workers, training for incumbent workers, promotes modernization and economic growth, career development, education, and opportunities for youths and adults. The Trust: provides financial consulting, working capital, and equipment loans and guarantees to small and medium-sized manufacturing firms. The Massachusetts Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MassMep), 508-831-7020, provides oversight of the state's industrial extension service for small and medium-sized manufacturers.

Regional Office

Hadley
4 Bay Road
Building A, Suite 100
Hadley, MA 01035
Phone: 413-584-3627

Massachusetts Rapid Response Teams

Department of Career Services
Department of Workforce Development
19 Staniford Street
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-626-5703
Fax: 617-727-8671
E-mail: ken.messina@massmail.state.ma.us
www.mass.gov/rapid-response

Massachusetts Rapid Response Team is a workforce development service of the Division of Career Services. It helps those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own because their company is closing or preparing for a substantial layoff. The services include: career counseling, writing a new resume, discovering new job skills, upgrading present skills, changing careers, becoming a consultant and starting a new business. The office can help people discover their options after being laid off and refer them to the appropriate Worker Assistance Center/Career Center in their community, or public school or college. The centers' resources such as computers, telephones, copy and fax machines, and newspapers can also be used. For information on regional offices call, or visit their website.

Tourist Industry

Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT)

The Office of Travel and Tourism promotes Massachusetts as a location for tourism, convention, travel, and recreation-related activities. It works cooperatively with a private sector advertising firm to market Massachusetts as a travel destination. The office distributes publications describing cultural, historical, and recreational places and events. It provides informational, marketing, and technical assistance to public and private non-profit entities organized for similar purposes.

Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA)

Created by Chapters 190 and 629 of the Acts of 1982, the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority oversees the operation of the following venues: Boston Convention Exhibition Center; John B. Hynes Convention Center both in downtown Boston, and MassMutual Center in Springfield. These facilities are designed for holding local, national and international conventions and meetings. The authority also operates the Boston Common Parking Garage.