1Berkshire Announces USDA Funded Winter 2025 Technical Assistance Offerings

04:00PM / Wednesday, December 18, 2024Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 1Berkshire, thanks in part to funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announced its upcoming slate of technical assistance offerings through the Berkshire Economic Recovery Program (BERP).

Through its series of cohorts spanning nearly four years, the Berkshire Economic Recovery Program Technical Assistance series has been able to support more than 200 businesses through targeted training and focused convenings and quantified by over $2,500,000 in funding collectively accessed by businesses through their participation.

Going into the Winter of 2025, the program will continue on with three upcoming cohorts. These cohorts will each provide up to seven participating organizations/businesses support through a two-hour kick-off workshop and resources, followed by up to two additional hours of one-on-one direct targeted technical assistance by a paid provider.

1Berkshire, through competitive grant funding secured from the USDA, is able to provide this high-impact service at no cost to businesses, entrepreneurs, and organizations located in any of the 32 cities and towns of Berkshire County, representing a more than $1,000 direct value per business in each cohort.

The upcoming cohort kickoff dates are:

Jan. 23, 9am-11am - Building a Social Media Marketing Strategy, with Francesca Olsen (Session full - Waitlist open)
Jan. 28, 4pm-6pm - Let’s Jumpstart Your Crowdfunding Campaign, with Laura Christensen
Feb. 18, 4pm-6pm - Let Robots Do The Work: AI Tools for Small Business Success, with Jenny Bergman

Because the BERP Technical Assistance is FREE, each cohort has a capacity of seven participants; space is very limited, and registration is required. For details on these technical assistance offerings and to register, visit: https://bit.ly/BERPTA

For more information, or for additional inquiries, contact the 1Berkshire Economic Development Team at EconomicDev@1berkshire.com.

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Pittsfield Housing Project Adds 37 Supportive Units and Collective Hope

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
05:01PM / Monday, December 29, 2025

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— A new chapter in local efforts to combat housing insecurity officially began as community leaders and residents gathered at The First on to celebrate a major expansion of supportive housing in the city.

The ribbon was cut on Thursday Dec. 19, on nearly 40 supportive permanent housing units; nine at The First, located within the Zion Lutheran Church, and 28 on West Housatonic Street. The Housing Resource Center, funded by Pittsfield's American Rescue Plan Act dollars, hosted a celebration for a project that is named for its rarity: The First.

"What got us here today is the power of community working in partnership and with a shared purpose," Hearthway CEO Eileen Peltier said.

In addition to the 28 studio units at 111 West Housatonic Street and nine units in the rear of the church building, the Housing Resource Center will be open seven days a week with two lounges, a classroom, a laundry room, a bathroom, and lockers.

Erin Forbush, ServiceNet's director of shelter and housing, challenged attendees to transform the space in the basement of Zion Lutheran Church into a community center. It is planned to operate from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. year-round.

"I get calls from folks that want to help out, and our shelters just aren't the right spaces to be able to do that. The First will be that space that we can all come together and work for the betterment of our community," Forbush said.

"…I am a true believer that things evolve, and things here will evolve with the people that are utilizing it."

Earlier that day, Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus joined Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll and her team in Housatonic to announce $33.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grant funding, $5.45 million to Berkshire County.

He said it was ambitious to take on these two projects at once, but it will move the needle. The EOHLC contributed more than $7.8 million in subsidies and $3.4 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the West Housatonic Street build, and $1.6 million in ARPA funds for the First Street apartments.

"We're trying to get people out of shelter and off the streets, but we know there are a lot of people who are couch surfing, who are living in their cars, who are one paycheck away from being homeless themselves," Augustus said.

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