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Select Board hears pitch to restore small business grant program funding to $60,000
Summary
Economic Development Coordinator Lara Crawford asked the Select Board to restore the small business grant program to $60,000 annually, describing grants (typically under $5,000) that have supported local investment and estimating nearly $1,000,000 in leveraged private investment since mid‑2023.
Lara Crawford, the town’s economic development coordinator, presented the small business grant warrant article seeking to restore the program budget to $60,000 annually.
Crawford said the program—administered by the Economic Development Committee—originated as a FY2024 article and is now proposed as a recurring annual allocation. Since July 2023, staff reported nine grants paid in FY24 and three paid in FY25, and Crawford said those awards have helped businesses invest in job creation and capital improvements, estimating nearly $1,000,000 in private investment attributable to the grants. Typical awards are under $5,000, enabling the town to support many small businesses without large per‑recipient expenditures.
Board members asked for clarifications on expected grants awarded in FY25 (staff estimated up to 12 awards if many applicants qualify at the $5,000 cap) and confirmed the application process is available online via the Community Development Department’s Permit Pro portal. The board also discussed improved reporting next year to show outcomes and said the restored line will bring the program back to the intended $60,000 annual level.
Ending: The presentation closed with the board expressing support for the program and staff saying the application and reporting systems are in place; no Select Board vote was recorded on the article at this meeting.
