FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    |    Saturday, January 9th, 2020

Contact: Jessicah Pierre, Director of Strategic Communications 

Phone: (617) 401-1470

Email: comms@becma.org

Statement from BECMA on Sector-Specific Relief Grant Program For Massachusetts Businesses

Boston, MA – The Covid-19 pandemic has made it clear that the health and well being of the Commonwealth is dependent on the health and well being of Black and other minority communities. That’s why there has never been a more critical time than now to support Black- and other minority-owned businesses. All national and statewide indicators reveal that the pandemic has devastated an already beleaguered, yet resilient, business community that was, and remains, poised for growth and success. 

This message was heard loud and clear by Gov. Charlie Baker, Sec. Mike Kennealy, Larry Andrews, and other members of the current administration. We were encouraged that all 1,154 awardees of the state’s initial grants in Dec. 2020 were minority- or other disadvantages-owned businesses. We are further grateful that the state has maintained these priorities for the additional financial relief opportunities being made available to small businesses across the Commonwealth. 

In a July 2020 survey, 11% of Black business respondents indicated that they had closed their doors. We know that the winter months and recent restrictions could have caused this number to double. Knowing that a great many of Black businesses are in service industries like personal care, hair care, restaurants, and retail, we applaud the Baker administration for creating a grant relief program specifically for these industries that are experiencing the most significant economic hardship and loss of revenue due to the pandemic.

Buoyed with the knowledge that the development of some communities cannot coexist with the underdevelopment of others, we look forward to partnering with the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation (MGCC) and coalition partners to ensure that these limited funds get to the businesses most severely impacted by our current public health and economic crisis. 

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Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (www.becma.org):
The mission of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Inc. (BECMA) is to advance the economic well-being of Black businesses, organizations that serve the Black community and Black residents of Massachusetts. 

Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (www.becma.org):
The mission of the Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, Inc. (BECMA) is to advance the economic well-being of Black businesses, organizations that serve the Black community and Black residents of Massachusetts.