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Small Business Technical Assistance Services Program for Salem Tourism Industry Businesses
August 7, 2021
Details
Small Business Technical Assistance Services Program for Salem Tourism Industry Businesses
This Small Business Technical Assistance Services (SBTAS) Program is being offered to help tourism industry small businesses located in Salem, MA that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19. It is funded by the City of Salem Department of Planning & Community Development and the U.S. Department of Commerce and Economic Development Administration (EDA).
What this Grant Program Offers:
20 hours of expert consulting services at no cost to eligible tourism industry small businesses in Salem, MA. Participants can choose consultant(s) from a listing with expertise in the following areas:
- Accounting/Financial Planning
- Business Consulting
- COVID-19 Relief Program Navigation for Federal and State assistance programs (i.e. PPP, CARES ACT etc.)
- Legal Services
- Marketing & Branding
- Space & Design Layout
- Technology (i.e. working remote/online sales)
- Workforce Management/Human Resources
- CEO Group Membership: As part of the Program, participants will be offered a six-month membership in an Enterprise Center CEO Group. Each CEO group is a confidential and professionally facilitated peer advisory group that meets once a month for 3 hours. Business owners come together to discuss their challenges on an ongoing basis, receive feedback from other participating businesses, and identify ongoing solutions for their businesses.
How the SBTAS Program Works:
- Complete the SBTAS Application Online: Interested businesses owners fill out the SBTAS Program Application on the Enterprise Center website (click here for the Application)
- Eligibility & Program Review with Enterprise Center Staff: Once the Application is received by the Enterprise Center, its staff will contact the business owner for a brief eligibility intake and assessment conducted virtually by Enterprise Center Staff. This will help determine priority consultant needs from the above service areas. Participants will be provided with a listing of consultants in each of the areas listed above.
- Select Consultants: Participants review the listing and select their choice(s) of consultant(s) and allocate their 20 hours of technical assistance. Participants must use the consultant hours within a three-month period. Participants will choose which consultants to work with within those seven service areas. They can choose one or multiple consultants, as long as the services they request take no more than a total of 20 hours of consulting time.
- Consultants Introductions/Authorize Services: Once the participant decides what consultant services they need, the Enterprise Center will introduce the business owner to the consultant(s) selected. Each business owner and the consultant(s) will create their own schedule on how best to work together and utilize the 20 hours of consulting services allotted to them
- Check-In: Enterprise Center staff will check in with the business owner during the identified three months and the business owner will be asked to complete an evaluation survey at the end of the program.
Eligibility: In order to be eligible to participate in the SBTAS Program, businesses must be:
- A Salem business with its primary location in Salem, MA;
- Owned by one or more individuals that are at least eighteen (18) years of age;
- A tourism industry-related business which includes businesses directly related/facing or businesses that support tourism.
- A business that was impacted by COVID-19.
Enterprise Center Staff will review the eligibility requirements with applicants once their application has been submitted.
How to Apply to the Small Business Technical Assistance Services Program
Salem small businesses that are interested in participating are required to submit an online application for consideration into the SBTAS Program. All applicants will receive a response to their submittal within 24 hours when submitted during normal business hours.
The Program will be offered on a first-come-first-serve basis until the grant funds are depleted.
The SBTAS Program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender or gender identity, familial status, disability, ancestry, age, marital status, public assistance status, sexual orientation, veteran history/military status, or genetic information.