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Westborough EDC approves $23,500 in grants for five small businesses
Summary
The Town of Westborough Economic Development Committee approved five grants this quarter — $5,000 each to Body by Benson, Harry’s restaurant, Yago Gama BJJ Academy and Torres Barber Shop, and $3,500 to North Farm — from a $60,000 annual pool.
The Town of Westborough Economic Development Committee on April 1 awarded $23,500 in grants to five local businesses to support equipment purchases, accessibility improvements and minor facility upgrades.
The committee, which has a $60,000 annual grant pool, approved the following awards by voice vote: North Farm (John Nurse), $3,500 to add retail space and a cider‑donut machine; Harry’s (Janine Sander), $5,000 for new outdoor seating to improve accessibility; Torres Barber Shop (Jose Torres), $5,000 to offset start‑up costs; Yago Gama Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy (Daniela), $5,000 for mats and related infrastructure; and Body by Benson Pilates (Monica Benson), $5,000 for four Pilates chairs and other equipment.
The grants were discussed in turn. Monica Benson told the committee she opened in September 2024 and is “seeing over 1,000 bookings per month currently,” and said four Pilates chairs (about $1,200 each) would allow new class formats and the hiring of instructors so she is not teaching seven days a week. Janine Sander said Harry’s seeks to replace six picnic tables with round tables ‘‘so everybody can communicate and see each other’’ while keeping the same seating capacity. Daniela said her gym had financed mats (about $8,000) and faced roughly $6,500 in unexpected triple‑net (NNN) charges; she said added mat space would let the business expand classes and hire instructors. John Nurse described adding retail square footage and a cider‑donut machine to increase seasonal sales and create roughly 2–3 part‑time positions; Jose Torres said he had already rented and outfitted space and would use grant support for start‑up costs and to hire three full‑time employees as the business grows.
Committee members examined scoring rubrics and whether hiring should be weighted more heavily. Staff said the EDC currently intends to manage the $60,000 fund across four grant hearings but that the committee may allocate more in a single quarter if it chooses. Voting on individual grants was conducted by voice; the meeting transcript does not record roll‑call tallies for each member. Motions to approve each grant were made, seconded and passed by voice vote during the meeting.
The committee asked staff to follow up with grantees on receipts and outcomes; staff confirmed that payments are not released until grantees submit receipts showing the work or equipment has been purchased, and members discussed implementing six‑month or annual follow‑up reporting to track hires and impact. The chair encouraged grantees to attend the EDC awards breakfast later in April.
The committee’s discussion emphasized two themes: supporting legacy community businesses that draw foot traffic and backing new ventures that demonstrated early traction. Several members noted the grants program’s broader goal of driving downtown activity and job growth.
The meeting packet and transcript show the approvals took place by voice vote and that the committee did not record individual yes/no votes in the public minutes. The EDC will meet next month to continue grant reviews and other business.
