The Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) is pleased to announce the award of $100,000 in grants to six recipients statewide as part of the Diversity Goal and Business Technical Assistance Grant Program. MGC recently developed and approved this grant program to optimize the outcomes for the diversity goals outlined in Chapter 23K related to the diversity hiring and contracting goals of the casino developers.  The Expanded Gaming Law specifically requires that casino developers set their own diversity goals for the utilization of Minority, Woman and Veteran owned businesses as part of the design, construction and operations of the casino with a similar focus on hiring of diverse workforce during construction and operations of the casino.  The Commission approved these grants during a public meeting on May 12, 2016.

MGC recently requested grant applications to consider funding non-profits, public or quasi-public organizations through this grant program that serves local businesses that are owned and controlled by economically and socially disadvantaged individuals including minority individuals, women and veterans; and serve businesses that have the potential of doing business with a casino in the Commonwealth. The goals of this grant program include:

• Helping diverse firms succeed in casino markets for goods and services, and as subcontractors to prime contractors during construction.
• Supporting technical assistance like joint ventures and collaboration for smaller businesses and contractors
• Provide specialized assistance to important underserved markets or regions near a casino licensee
• Provide high-quality assistance, such as one-on-one consulting, and training resources to support the needs of existing businesses including strategic and operational planning, financial analysis, opportunity development and capture, contract management, and compliance to eligible small businesses

MGC identified six recipients through a competitive process open to proven or promising programs, partnerships or initiatives led by nonprofit, public or quasi-public entities. The grants must be used or designated this fiscal year ending June 30, 2016 with the potential of refunding next fiscal year based on budget availability and performance.

A full list of grants approved by the MGC follows (listed by region of focus):

Western MA

• Association of Black Business Professionals of Springfield, MA will receive a grant of $20,000 for planning and business outreach and license fee for a business technical assistance seminar for growth strategy planning. Other partners in this project include Interise, City of Springfield, Springfield Regional Chamber, SBA, MGCC, Common Capital, Webster Bank
• Springfield Regional Chamber, Black Leadership Alliance, Latino Chamber of Commerce will receive $10,000 as a partnership to offer small business technical assistance and diversity certification workshops  with SDO along with member assistance with financing, partnerships, expansions in order to meet the supplier needs of the western Mass casino development.

Eastern MA

• Hispanic American Institute will receive a grant of $15,000 in partnership with the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce, Social Capital Inc. for informational dissemination and outreach to targeted businesses in Everett, Chelsea, Boston and the surrounding communities through traditional media and community web portals, outreach to businesses and referrals regarding opportunities with Wynn Boston Harbor, technical assistance services focused on Minority business certification through outreach to a 500 MBE database.

Statewide

• The Supplier Diversity Office of the Commonwealth of MA will receive $20,000 to develop, implement and support an expanded certification program for veteran-owned businesses, informing them of the increased opportunities to do business in the Commonwealth including with the casinos.  The effort will include expedited certification for VBE/SDVOBE applicants seeking to conduct business with MGC casino licensee contractors among other outreach strategies.

• The Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council will receive $20,000 to support the identification of qualified businesses as suppliers to casinos and provide two informational matchmaking events with casino/businesses, the creation of a database of potential MBEs for operational casino phase including profile by skillset

• Center for Women & Enterprise will be awarded $15,000 for the creation of a pre-recorded video workshop explaining the casino procurement process. The video will include information about supplier diversity and certification in general, procurement process information from the casinos and licensing information from the MA Gaming Commission. The video workshop will help small business owners learn how to pursue and manage contracts for goods and services with MA casinos in both the construction and operation phases. Once produced, the goal will be for each casino, the MA Gaming Commission, and other interested parties to embed the video on their websites for maximum visibility.