Mass. Executive Office previews Business Front Door portal, names navigator for child care and small businesses

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development on a virtual session previewed a new online portal, Business Front Door, and announced a designated navigator service to help small businesses and child-care providers find state programs and licensing information, presenters said.

The portal consolidates program listings and contact points from multiple state agencies and gives businesses a single place to register, ask questions and receive tailored recommendations. Naomi, a presenter from the Executive Office of Economic Development, said the tool is a “minimum viable product” that will evolve with user feedback.

Presenters described how the service works: a business creates a profile on the portal, answers a short intake about its status and needs, and is paired with a named navigator who will recommend programs, relevant contacts and next steps. Gaby Centeno, who said she works “con alianzas con los empleadores” and will serve as a navigator for Business Front Door, told attendees, “No es un robot, soy yo,” emphasizing that users will interact with a person rather than an automated system.

The portal lists programs that can support hiring, training and energy savings. Presenters cited an employer training reimbursement program that can cover classroom or training-series costs up to $15,000 per calendar year. The portal also aims to connect child-care providers with staff at the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) when appropriate; presenters said a navigator with expertise in child care will help make those connections.

Presenters said the service will initially prioritize for‑profit businesses for immediate navigator outreach; nonprofit organizations may create profiles and explore the portal but may not receive the same immediate navigator contact. The team also described a separate program, Community One Stop for Growth, aimed at nonprofit partners and municipal users; presenters said Business Front Door is focused on a narrower initial audience while the office assesses expansion.

To make the tool accessible, presenters said the portal is translated into the six most common languages in Massachusetts and that staff can arrange interpretation in up to about 100 additional languages for phone interactions. Attendees were told a follow‑up survey will collect feedback and that presenters will share slides in English and Spanish after the session.

During Q&A, a representative from LC Centro de Ayuda y Autismo para Niños asked whether the navigator could help with licensing and certification questions for novel program models. Naomi and other staff said the navigator can route specific regulatory or tax questions to agency experts and follow up with businesses to clarify which agency or certification applies.

Presenters invited businesses and consultants to register, noted that consultants sometimes create profiles on behalf of businesses, and said the portal is mobile friendly. They asked attendees to provide feedback as the office iterates on the tool.

Slides and a recording of the session will be posted on the Executive Office of Economic Development’s website and social channels, presenters said.