Franklin County Community

COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

THE WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS FOOD PROCESSING CENTER'S MISSION IS TO PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINING LOCAL AGRICULTURE, AND PROMOTE BEST PRACTICES FOR FOOD PRODUCERS. THE FOOD PROCESSING CENTER (FPC) IS A NATIONAL MODEL. IT OFFERS A FULLY EQUIPPED COMMERCIAL KITCHEN FOR MEMBER USE, CO-PACKING CAPABILITIES AND HAS BEEN FOCUSING ON HELPING FARMERS AND OTHER CLIENTS ADD VALUE TO LOCAL FOOD, INCLUDING A VEGETABLE FREEZING OPERATION THAT PUTS LOCALLY PRODUCED PRODUCT IN LOCAL SCHOOLS. FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2021, A TOTAL OF 60 BUSINESSES USED THE FACILITY. SINCE THE FPC OPENED IN 2001, OVER 500 FARMS AND FOOD BUSINESSES HAVE USED IT, PRODUCING HUNDREDS OF PRODUCTS, CREATING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF SALES, ADDING VALUE TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF REGIONALLY GROWN CROPS AND CREATING OVER 100 JOBS. INCLUDED IN PART VIII, STATEMENT OF REVENUE LINES 1E AND 1F WERE $287,059 OF GRANTS FOR THIS PROGRAM, OF WHICH $44,725 WAS PAID TO SUBRECIPIENTS.

THE LENDING PROGRAM AT THE FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION RAISES CAPITAL FROM BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOURCES TO PROVIDE FINANCING FOR BUSINESSES, START-UPS AND EXPANSIONS. FOR THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2021, 24 LOANS WERE MADE FOR AN AGGREGATE AMOUNT OF $1.4 MILLION. AS OF JUNE 30, 2021, THE ORGANIZATION WAS SERVICING 127 LOANS WITH AN OUTSTANDING BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY $4.4 MILLION, WITH A DELINQUENCY RATE ABOUT 2.5%. THIS PROGRAM HAS SUPPORTED HUNDREDS OF SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS THAT HAVE IN TURN CREATED WELL OVER 1,500 JOBS AND LEVERAGES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ADDITIONAL PRIVATE CAPITAL INVESTMENT. INCLUDED IN PART VIII, STATEMENT OF REVENUE LINES 1E AND 1F WERE $1,114,321 OF GRANTS FOR THIS PROGRAM OF WHICH $171,605 WAS PAID TO SUBRECIPIENTS.

THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CONSISTS OF ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESS OWNERS WITH BUSINESS PLANNING, STRUCTURING AN ORGANIZATION, CREATING A BUSINESS PLAN, SETTING GOALS, MARKETING, OPERATIONAL CONTROLS, AND CREATING A FINANCIAL PLAN. THIS PROGRAM HAS EXPANDED ITS REACH TO NOW INCLUDE HAMPSHIRE AND NORTHERN BERKSHIRE COUNTIES. HUNDEREDS OF CLIENTS WERE SUPPORTED THIS PAST YEAR, WITH 184 OF THEM RECEIVING MORE THAN FIVE HOURS OF ASSISTANCE. INCLUDED IN PART VIII, STATEMENT OF REVENUE LINES 1E AND 1F WERE $597,106 OF GRANTS FOR THIS PROGRAM, OF WHICH $324,442 WAS PAID TO SUBRECIPIENTS.