Boston Contracting Opportunity Fund
The Contracting Opportunity Fund helps small, local businesses build their operational capacity and level the playing field for historically disadvantaged businesses interested in City contracts.
The Fund provides grants up to $15,000 to help with expanded rental space, equipment and/or inventory purchases, business bonding and insurance, or operating capital.
“We must use every tool possible to break down barriers for businesses looking to win City contracts, expand economic opportunity, and ensure Boston is a city for everyone."
-Mayor Michelle Wu
About the fund
On Monday, October 30, 2023, Mayor Michelle Wu announced 51 recipients of the 2023 Contracting Opportunity Fund, disbursing approximately $750,000 in grants of up to $15,000, focusing on six priority sectors that represent areas of high municipal spending.
- Waste collection & management
- Snow removal & landscaping
- Design & architectural services
- Food and dining services
- Construction - Plumbing & HVAC services
- Construction - Electrical work
- Construction - General contracting services
- Construction - Roofing, siding, and flooring work
- Construction - Insulation, drywall, masonry, and weatherproofing work
- rental space
- equipment and inventory purchases
- business bonding and insurance, or
- operating capital.
Our goal is to help small, local businesses build their operational capacity and level the playing field for historically disadvantaged businesses interested in City contracts:
- women (WBE)
- minorities (MBE)
- veterans (VOSB/SDVOSB), or
- certified Small and Local (SLBE) businesses.
Does my business qualify?
Find out if your business qualifies for the Boston Contracting Opportunity Fund!
This year, we are prioritized the following sectors: Waste collection & management; Snow removal and landscaping; Design & architectural services; Food and dining services; other; and Construction (subsectors below).
Construction Subsectors: Plumbing & HVAC services; Electrical work; General contracting services; Roofing, siding, and flooring work; Insulation, drywall, masonry, and weatherproofing work.
Applicants must be:
- a certified MBE, WBE, or SLBE with the City of Boston's Supplier Diversity Program, or
Note: Not certified with the City of Boston Supplier Diversity Program? Begin your application.
- eligible to be certified and apply for certification before the Fund application closes. NOTE: the 2023 application has closed.
Applicants must also be in good standing with the City of Boston.
Applicants must show how funding will increase their capacity to bid for City contracts and commit to providing supporting documents for grant expenditures.
Non-profit organizations are not eligible for this fund.
Have questions about the fund? Check out our frequently asked questions document and watch our question-and-answer webinar.
Eligible Business List
Eligible Business List- Building construction
- Heavy construction
- Mechanical contracting services
- Water, sewer, and utility lines
- Concrete, asphalt, and related products
- Electrical work
- Street cleaning
- Excavation, wrecking, and land preparation
- Roofing, siding, and flooring
- Landscape services
- Painting, striping, and marking
- Windows and doors
- Insulation, drywall, masonry, and weatherproofing
- Trucking and moving
- Heavy construction equipment
- Plumbing and HVAC supplies
- Fencing, guardrails, and signs
- Fam and marine construction
- Other construction materials and services
- Architectural and design services
- Engineering
- Developers and operative builders
- Construction management
- Environmental services
- Transportation planning services
- Testing and inspection
- Architecture and engineering services
- IT and data services
- Human resources and job training services
- Business and market research services
- Educational services
- Advertising, marketing, and public relations
- Other professional services
- Waste and recycling services
- Transit services
- Dining services
- Vehicle maintenance and repair
- Equipment maintenance and repair
- Security guard services
- Cleaning and janitorial services
- Security systems services
- Printing, copying, and mailing
- Pest control
- Catering and restaurants
- Other services
- Deicing chemicals
- Office equipment and supplies
- Petroleum and petroleum products
- Vehicle parts and supplies
- Computers and peripherals
- Wholesale food products
- Automobiles
- Cleaning and janitorial supplies
- Furniture
- Industrial equipment
