Marblehead Awarded Small Business Technical Assistance Grant

MARBLEHEAD, MA —The Massachusetts Downtown Initiative will provide Marblehead technical assistance in helping its small businesses as part of the initiative's Local Rapid Recovery Planning program.

"We recognize that the impacts of the COVID-19 health emergency have dramatically affected local business," state Housing and Economic Development Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox said. "Your efforts to explore solutions and projects to help revitalize businesses in your community are an effective way to plan for economic recovery. Congratulations and thank you for this effort."

The MDI program will extend beyond June 30 to account for an extended recovery with the five-month program set to begin this month.

Maddox said Marblehead will be matched with a consultant or regional planning agency that will set up and facilitate the plan. In addition to one-on-one technical assistance, Marblehead will receive a series of webinars to introduce officials to the Rapid Recovery Planning process.

"The purpose of the program is to develop a 'Local Rapid Recovery Plan' tailored to the unique challenges and immediate COVID-19 impacts that have affected local business districts and downtowns," Marblehead Town Administrator Jason Silva said. "The plans are meant to be highly action-oriented and seek to develop immediate strategies for short-term recovery. Medium- and long-term strategies will also be considered but won't be the focus of the work."

Silva credited Marblehead Town Planner Becky Curran for helping secure the grant.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)