State Launches Two Initiatives to Attract Businesses

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BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration has launched two initiatives to strengthen Massachusetts' position as a top destination for businesses: the Business Front Door, a digital-focused platform designed to connect businesses with personalized guidance to navigate state funding opportunities and incentives, and Why Massachusetts, a new website designed to attract businesses to locate and grow in the state. 
 
The Business Front Door was a recommendation from the administration's 2023 economic development plan and will leverage the resources and policy tools developed in collaboration with the state Legislature as part of the nearly $4 billion economic development bill, the Mass Leads Act, which Gov. Maura Healey signed in November 2024. 
 
"These new tools promote what we in Massachusetts already know: that this is one of the best places in the world to do business," said Healey. "With the launch of the Why Massachusetts website and the Business Front Door, we are ushering in a new era of technology-forward business engagement that prioritizes clarity, efficiency and personalization, and underscores our administration's commitment to fostering a competitive business environment."
 
Why Massachusetts promotes the state's global leadership in innovation, talent and quality of life while showcasing the key industry sectors where Massachusetts leads, including life sciences, artificial intelligence, climate tech and advanced manufacturing. The site highlights the data-driven reasons why businesses thrive in Massachusetts, including top rankings in education, health care, and quality of life; world-class research institutions; a highly educated workforce; and access to global markets.  
 
Complementing the site, the Business Front Door is a streamlined platform that serves as a one-stop shop for business owners and entrepreneurs looking to start, expand or relocate to Massachusetts. This new platform provides a clear pathway for businesses to work with "Team Massachusetts," which includes the Executive Office of Economic Development, its quasi-government economic development partners, and other agencies and offices across state government focused on supporting businesses.  
 
"We have heard from businesses across Massachusetts that they need a simpler way to learn about and access state resources, and these new tools address that by streamlining our efforts to support businesses into one user-friendly online platform," said Economic Development interim Secretary Ashley Stolba. "The Business Front Door ensures that every type of business across every industry, from emerging startups in life sciences to established enterprises in manufacturing, can receive comprehensive guidance and support from our administration."
 
The Business Front Door offers businesses a full concierge service that involves a user-friendly online portal through which they can access a tailored list of resources such as grant funding, loans, and technical assistance. Each business that enters the Business Front Door portal is assigned a "Navigator" from Team Massachusetts who will serve as a single point of contact for the business, offering guidance on issues and questions as they explore state resources.  
 
Within the concierge portal, the businesses can submit questions about their needs and a member of Team Massachusetts will respond directly. The portal also connects owners with key information, advisors and partners that can support their growth, and it opens virtual office hours for all businesses. 
 
Visit www.mass.gov/BFD for more information.

Tags: economic development,   

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North Adams Council Gets Update on Opioid Collaborative Actions

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council got an update from the Berkshire Overdose and Addiction Prevention Collaborative on Tuesday. 
 
Andy Ottoson and Anna Youngman, of the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, spoke about the Into the Light Project and other work being undertaken by the collaborative. 
 
"The HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Coalition, with funding from the city and from [Berkshire Health Systems], brought the Into the Light Project to our area to reduce stigma, encourage compassion, and promote dialog, inviting viewers to advocate for improved treatment access and respectful disruptions around addiction," said Youngman, North County HEAL Coalition community coordinator. 
 
The exhibit of artist illustrations and narratives of those lost to overdose, including residents of North Berkshire, was displayed at Hotel Downstreet earlier this year; partial versions of the exhibit are now being displayed in municipal buildings, including City Hall and Adams Town Hall. 
 
Youngman said about 1,000 people from seven states viewed the exhibit and that the "feedback from the project was exceptional." The exhibit is the brainchild of nonprofit's founder and artist Theresa Clower who has put on nearly two dozen installations around the country. 
 
"We extend our deepest gratitude to the local families who shared the stories of their loved ones with us throughout this project by allowing us to see the whole person, their joys, their talents, and their dreams," said Youngman. "These families have helped break down stigma and remind us that every life matters."
 
She continued that the number of outreach specialists has doubled to 12 and that the collaborative is doing a needs assessment to determine the most crucial needs and create a strategic plan for use of the opioid settlement funds. 
 
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