"It's an opportunity for the public to come in and learn about the program and comment on it," Palmer Community Development Director Alice L. Davey said.
PALMER — The public will get a chance to chime in on a grant application to help Quaboag Valley businesses at an April 21 hearing at 6:30 p.m. at the Palmer Town Building, 4417 Main St.
Palmer Community Development Director Alice L. Davey will conduct the hearing to solicit public input on the continuation and expansion of the Quaboag Valley Business Assistance and Loan Program through a $500,000 grant application to the state Department of Housing and Community Development Economic Development Fund.
"It's an opportunity for the public to come in and learn about the program and comment on it," Davey said.
If approved, the grant would provide loan assistance to various small businesses. Beneficiaries would include so-called microenterprises, or businesses with five or fewer employees and low- to moderate-income owners; for-profit businesses that project job creation for predominantly low- to moderate-income people; and nonprofit organizations that project job creation for predominantly low- to moderate-income people.
The grant also would provide funding for technical assistance to microenterprises looking to develop viable loan applications.
Town Manager Charles T. Blanchard has agreed to let Palmer serve as lead community for the grant, which would benefit all 15 Quaboag Valley communities, according to Davey. She said she is optimistic about Palmer receiving the grant on behalf of the municipalities.
The Quaboag Valley Business Assistance Corporation, a nonprofit under the auspices of the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp., would manage the grant program with assistance from Davey. "I oversee the grant locally," she said.
Any person or organization wishing to speak at the hearing will have a chance to do so, according to Susan Trudeau, program coordinator for the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corp. Public input received at the hearing will be taken into consideration, officials said.
Established in 1995, the Quaboag Valley Business Assistance and Loan Program has helped hundreds of local small businesses over the years.
Communities that stand to benefit from the grant, a component of the Massachusetts Community Development Block Grant Program, include Belchertown, Brimfield, Brookfield, East Brookfield, Hardwick, Holland, Monson, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Palmer, Spencer, Wales, Ware, Warren and West Brookfield.
Davey has more information at (413) 283-2614.