SCALE Business Accelerator Program
The Supplying Capital and Leveraging Education (SCALE) program is a technical assistance program designed for small businesses in specific industries.
Application CLOSED ON Monday, december 16, 2024.
The purpose of the SCALE program is to build businesses’ capacity to more effectively pursue government contracts. The program focuses on industry categories that represent a large share of the City of Boston’s purchases through competitive procurement.
SCALE differs from other small business technical assistance programs in that it provides industry-specific technical assistance, business consulting, and capital advisory services. Technical assistance providers focus on capacity building activities, education, and training that is specific to the type of work each business performs.
This grant program is a collaboration with the BDC Community Capital Corporation, which will manage and oversee its administration in partnership with technical assistance providers. After grant recipients are selected, BDC Community Capital Corporation and the technical assistance team will work with SCALE participants to develop a plan for utilizing the funding. The goal is to address key challenges that hinder their ability to secure larger institutional contracts or to identify investments that can help their businesses scale.
Businesses who are accepted into the SCALE program will receive a grant award of up to $200,000 divided between two disbursements: up to $50k disbursed prior to the recipient entering the 3 to 6 month technical assistance program, and the remainder disbursed to the recipient on the condition that they complete the full SCALE program. The grant program funding, provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, is anticipated to total $5 million and will be disbursed in the beginning of 2025.
Grant Administrator: BDC Community Capital Corporation
Technical Assistance Providers
Revby - Snow removal and landscaping
Revby is a Boston-based small business technical assistance provider and a business, marketing, and market research consultancy. Their work focuses on diverse small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Prepshift - Food and dining services
Prepshift is a local tech-enabled business coaching firm that specializes in restaurants and food companies.They take a highly focused and efficient approach to coaching independent food entrepreneurs so they can create better jobs and more profitable businesses.
Calyptus Consulting Group - Design and architectural services
Calyptus specializes in the fields of transit management, triennial reviews and procurement system reviews, purchasing, procurement, acquisition, benchmarking, supply management, manufacturing and human resources. They offer consulting, assessment and training services designed to help organizations improve their transit management, lean management, procurement and supply chains, quality competencies and cost performance.
Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) - Construction (GC and Trades)
Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) drives inclusive economic prosperity in under-resourced communities through innovative research and programs to create jobs, income, and wealth for local residents. Founded in 1994 by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter, the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City is a national nonprofit research and advisory organization and the leading authority on U.S. under-resourced economies and the businesses that thrive there.
About the Fund
The purpose of the grant is to help business participants supplement operational capacity where necessary to allow the business owner or lead for the SCALE program to fully participate in the technical assistance programming of the 3 to 6 month engagement and, using the larger grant payments, operationalize business plans created during the SCALE program with help from technical assistance providers.
The SCALE Program application closed on Monday, December 16, 2024.
Have questions? Contact Kharlita Chambers-Walker, Supplier Diversity Outreach and Engagement Manager at kharlita.chamberswalker@boston.gov or 617-635-2788.
Eligibility Criteria
Find out if your business qualifies for the Boston Contracting Opportunity Fund!
This year, we are prioritizing the following sectors:
- Construction
- Plumbing and HVAC services
- Electrical work
- General contracting services
- Roofing, siding, and flooring work
- Insulation, drywall, masonry, and weatherproofing work
- Design and architectural services
- Food and dining services
- Snow removal and landscaping
Requirements
RequirementsBusinesses must provide goods, services, or works that correspond to the industry categories shown above.
Businesses must either be certified by the City of Boston's Department of Supplier Diversity, have a certification application pending, or be certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (SDO). Click here to start your certification application.
Businesses must be based in Boston, MA Certification: Businesses must be certified by the City of Boston’s Department of Supplier Diversity or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office (SDO).
Businesses must be an active, for-profit business in either the growth or mature stages of development.
A for-profit business is one that operates to generate revenue for its owners or shareholders through the sale of goods or services. A business in the growth stage is expanding its market presence, increasing revenue, and scaling operations, while a business in the mature stage has achieved stability with consistent revenue, a well-established market position, and efficient operations. Both stages involve active, profit-driven businesses that are legally registered and operational.
Businesses must outline its plan to completing the program, including but not limited to attending in person and virtual workshops and seminars, completing any coursework or assignments, and regularly meeting with technical assistance providers.
Businesses must agree to supply technical assistance providers with relevant information/documentation/data to complete preliminary and final businesses capacity assessments.
Each applicant must submit a narrative summarizing 1) the history if their business and its stage of development, 2) why their business will benefit from participation in the SCALE business accelerator program, 3) their interest in and/or history of bidding on public contracts, and 4) how grant funding will help them build their capacity to bid on public contracts. More detailed directions for completing the proposal narrative can be found here.
Required: Proof of a Boston business address (e.g., a Boston business certificate, or a signed lease, business permit / license / title, utility bill in which the business is named directly, or other home office documentation).
Eligible Businesses
Eligible Businesses- Snow removal and landscaping
- Design and architectural services
- Food and dining services
- General contracting services
- Roofing, siding, and flooring work
- Insulation, drywall, masonry, and weatherproofing work
- Plumbing & HVAC services
- Electrical work
