Small business funding in Boston

Verified against the administering organizations. Last updated September 9, 2026.

Boston runs its own business programs through the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, separate from anything the state does. The Legacy Business Program supports businesses that have been in the city for ten years or more. Family child care providers have a dedicated fund. Restaurants have a standing outdoor dining program. These require a Boston address and are listed here because they are invisible to anyone searching for Massachusetts programs.

Boston businesses also qualify for every statewide program and, since the city is not a Gateway City, do not get the lift that Springfield or Pittsfield businesses get on EDIP awards. The programs below are a sample; the count underneath is everything else in the database that applies.

Programs for Boston businesses

Boston Legacy Business Program

Grant$50,000 or lessRolling

Financial assistance of up to $50,000 for businesses that have operated in Boston for ten years or more and are part of their neighborhood's character. Rolling applications through the city.

Childcare Entrepreneur Fund

Grant$3,500Rolling

A $3,500 grant plus business training for family child care providers in Boston, aimed at keeping home-based early education programs open and growing. Next round opens October 1, 2026.

Commonwealth Corp Workforce Training Fund — Express Program

GrantUp to $15,000/yearRolling

The Workforce Training Fund's Express Program reimburses Massachusetts employers for approved employee training, up to $15,000 per company each calendar year. Reimbursement is capped at $300 per instructional hour and $3,000 per employee per course.

Massachusetts Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP)

Tax CreditTypically $10,000 to $15,000 per job created, higher in Gateway Cities, rural and small towns, and priority sectorsQuarterly — next application deadline November 4, 2026 for the December 16 EACC meeting; then February 10, 2027 and May 12, 2027

State tax credits of roughly $10,000 to $15,000 per new full-time job, lifted for Gateway Cities, rural towns and priority sectors, and refundable if the award exceeds what you owe. The EACC votes quarterly; applications close about six weeks before each meeting.

Massachusetts Vacant Storefront Program (MVSP)

Tax CreditUp to $50,000 in refundable tax credits per municipality, allocated to one or more businesses at the municipality's discretionMunicipalities applied by June 3, 2026 for 2027 credits; the EACC begins accepting business applications at its June 2027 meeting, and access expires after the final 2027 meeting · Next opens June 1, 2027

Refundable credits of up to $50,000 per municipality for a business that fills a storefront empty for six months or more. The town applies, not the business, so the first call is to your municipal planning or economic development office.

more active programs for Boston businesses, including 45 grants, 8 tax credits, 7 loans and financing, 12 rebates and 25 free resources and technical assistance. Tell FundBug what you do, where you are and who owns the business, and twice a month you get a digest of the ones you actually qualify for, with deadlines before they pass.

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Common questions

Does Boston have grants for small businesses?

Yes, through the city's Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion. Programs are usually aimed at a specific type of business (legacy businesses, child care providers, restaurants) rather than open to everyone.

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