Sometimes it pays to start our own projects and market them as a business – solo or with a team.
Franklin County Community Development Coorporation (FCCDC)
“The Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC) is an economic development non profit organization providing comprehensive business development education, access to capital, commercial office and manufacturing space plus home of the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center.”
Valley Community Development (Hampshire County)
“The Valley Community Developments’s Small Business Development program provides comprehensive pro-active support for entrepreneurs planning to launch their own businesses.”
Entrepreneurship Certificate (GCC)
“The Entrepreneurship Certificate provides the skills needed for a start-up business venture or to invigorate an existing small business. It includes hands-on experiences in your chosen business field, maximum flexibility to emphasize areas of personal need and interest, and a capstone project allowing students to be mentored by GCC faculty through the development of a personalized business plan.”
HPLIFE:
Sponsored by the Hewlett Packard Foundation, these free online training courses are designed to help entrepreneurs learn what they need to know to establish and grow a business. Users learn at their own pace in their own time. Courses include Basics of Finance, Profit and Loss, Your Target Audience, and more.
Western Massachusetts SCORE
The Western Massachusetts chapter of SCORE provides FREE, confidential counseling to small business entrepreneurs at six locations in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. SCORE, the nation’s largest volunteer business counseling service, is a nonprofit association dedicated to help those in business, about to start one, or just thinking about it. SCORE chapters provide Free Mentoring to small business owners and startups, and modestly priced local workshops as well.”
MA Small Business Development Center Network (Umass Amherst)
“The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network is committed to helping your business succeed in Massachusetts. We provide free, confidential, one-to-one business assistance and free or low-cost educational training programs to prospective and existing small businesses throughout the Commonwealth.
Valley Venture Mentors (VVM)
“VVM is a nonprofit organization based in Springfield that provides key support to the entrepreneurial ecosystem through its Mentorship and Accelerator programs. VVM offers three monthly Mentorship Meetings: 1st Thursday in Greenfield, 2nd Wednesday in Springfield, and 3rd Tuesday in Springfield.”
Common Capital, Inc.
“A community loan fund and non-profit organization committed to a thriving local economy in order to create positive social and community impacts. They align capital and other resources to community needs and opportunities by providing financing and business assistance to small businesses and high-impact community projects.