Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Attorney General Maura Healey
The Office of the Attorney General, through its Small Business Relief Partnership Grant Program, has committed funding to assisting municipalities and regional planning agencies with the provision of financial relief to local small businesses most impacted by closures, policies or general loss of revenue due to COVID-19.
Municipalities and regional planning agencies will be awarded funds up to $50,000 per request to administer or supplement a grant program targeting local small businesses that have been impacted by COVID-19.
Grant funds may be used by small businesses to help address fixed debt, payroll, accounts payable, lost sales, lost opportunities, and other working capital expenses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Industries include, but are not limited to, food service and production; restaurants; bed and breakfasts; house cleaners; laundromat or dry-cleaners; car repair/garage; barber shops/beauty salons; health care and social assistance; and small retail shops.
Grant awards will be issued in varying amounts up to $500,000. Individual requests may not exceed $50,000. The AGO expects that the entirety of the funds received by the applicant will be earmarked to help small businesses. No portion of the awarded funds may be used to defray any administrative or operational costs associated with delivering the funds. All funding decisions will be at the discretion of the AGO.
A grant RFP is now available. Applications must be delivered electronically via the AGO Grants website and will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are depleted. Applicants are reminded to review their contact information and update as necessary.
Pro bono legal support
The Attorney General’s Office also joined a coalition of law firms, nonprofits, and government agencies – led by Ropes & Gray, Lawyers for Civil Rights and Lawyers Clearinghouse – to launch the COVID Relief Coalition to provide pro bono legal support to vulnerable businesses and mission-driven organizations.
Coalition partners have created a new website that will support the coalition’s mission by enabling small businesses and nonprofits to learn about and apply for emergency loans and other sources of relief. The website will connect eligible small businesses and nonprofits to free legal support by coalition partners.
In addition to the Attorney General’s Office, coalition partners include the city of Boston; Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce; Boston Bar Association; The Boston Foundation; United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley; Dechert, Fish & Richardson; Foley Hoag; Foley & Lardner; Goodwin, Goulston & Storrs; Mintz, Morgan Lewis; and WilmerHale.