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Start, Stay, & Grow
on the North Shore
The North Shore Alliance for Economic Development fosters regional economic growth, supports established companies and encourages new and growing businesses to locate and expand here.
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January 2025 CCI Meetup
January 8, 2025
9:00am – 10:30am
REGISTER FOR CCI MEETUP
Join us for a dive deep into the 2025 grant cycle! Led by Karen Ristuben, Program Director of the Creative County Initiative (CCI) at Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF), Sabrina Boggio, CCI Program Assistant, and John Andrews from Creative Collective, this session will provide detailed guidance on three funding opportunities now open for applications. Don't miss this chance to learn directly from key program leaders about how to make your application stand out.
We’ll review: Detailed eligibility requirements for each grant program; Application timeline and process updates; Examples of previously funded projects; Tips for successful applications;
Opportunities for collaboration and community impact.
Grant Programs Highlighted:
The 2025 grant cycle represents ECCF's continued commitment to supporting Essex County's vibrant creative community. These programs aim to foster innovation, equity, and sustainable growth in our regional arts ecosystem.
Partnership Grants (Up to $25,000 - Two-Year Grant)
- Collaborative grants designed to integrate arts, culture, and creativity into community life
- Must include partnerships between: 1 Creative Entity, 1 Local Government, and 1 Business Partner
- Letter of Interest due January 30, Full Applications due March 15, 2025
- Special consideration for BIPOC-led organizations and new collaborations
ALAANA Artist Grants (Up to $5,000)
- Supporting creative projects by artists who identify as BIPOC/ALAANA
- Two application cycles: January-March and April-June 2025
- Focus on projects that elevate unique cultural heritage and catalyze community engagement
Special Project Grants ($2,000 - $5,000)
- Designed to spark innovation and transformative artistic endeavors
- Available to both nonprofits and artists within Essex County
- Emphasis on projects creating lasting systemic change
Last Mile Fund ($100, $300, or $500)
- Rolling applications throughout 2025
- Supporting artists' professional development and project completion
- Flexible funding for supplies, equipment, fees, and other creative needs
Key Discussion Points:
- Detailed eligibility requirements for each grant program
- Application timeline and process updates
- Examples of previously funded projects
- Tips for successful applications
- Opportunities for collaboration and community impact
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Start-Up Tuesday:
Starting & Launching a Business:
What You Need to Know
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
8:30 - 10:30 am
Enterprise Center
121 Loring Avenue, Salem, MA
FREE
Developing your entrepreneurial idea into a profitable business adventure requires tenacity, curiosity, courage & the ability to leverage opportunities. This workshop includes a checklist, practical tips, and real-world advice on starting a successful business. As an entrepreneur you will wear many hats: beyond a unique product or service offering, smart entrepreneurs have learned to manage accounting, sales, marketing and much more.
Speaker: Thomas Kristoph, SCORE Northeast Massachusetts
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Small Business Resource Webinar:
Massachusetts Supplier Diversity Office
Wednesday, January 22, 2025
9:00 - 10:00 am
Enterprise Center
121 Loring Avenue, Salem, MA
FREE
The Massachusetts Diversity Office is regarded as the most inclusive state supplier diversity office in the nation and is dedicated to increasing opportunities for small and diverse Massachusetts businesses through robust outreach, certification, and education. Its mission is to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in state contracting by:
1. Certifying diverse businesses (minority, women, veteran, service-disabled veteran, disability and LGBT-owned) and small Massachusetts-based businesses;
2. Connecting these companies with business opportunities and resources that enhance their marketability when bidding on public contracts; and
3. Collaborating with Executive Agencies and public organizations to:
a. Identify and remove barriers for diverse and small businesses; and
b. Increase diverse and small business spending.
Please join us for this webinar to learn more about certification, business opportunities and resources for your business.
Speaker: John B. Fitzpatrick, Director, Supplier Diversity Programs
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Tuesday, January 28, 2025
8:30 - 10:30 am
Enterprise Center
121 Loring Avenue, Salem, MA
FREE
Ready to take your email marketing to the next level? In this engaging and interactive workshop, you’ll learn how to select the ideal email platform for your needs, organize your contact lists like a pro, and use segmentation to deliver personalized, impactful messages. Dive into the world of marketing automation and discover how to save time while boosting engagement. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining your current approach, this session is packed with practical tips and creative strategies to help you stand out in the inbox and drive real results.
Speakers:
Brian Gravel, Executive Vice President - GraVoc
John Bottini, Business Development Manager - GraVoc
Rhea Jacobs, Marketing Specialist - GraVoc
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Developing a Strategy to Get Your Instagram Content Seen in 2025!
Thursday, January 30, 2025
8:30 - 10:30 am
Enterprise Center
121 Loring Avenue, Salem, MA
FREE
In this interactive workshop we will begin with a brief primer on social media algorithms and how it all works and then dive into the best practices for a strategy to help get your content seen in 2025. You will leave the workshop with an understanding of and confidence in how to create a strategy to truly optimize your Instagram content for 2025.
Speaker:
Alyse Grimm
Content Creator & Marketing Expert/ ThingstodoinSalem.com and SalemMAWedding.com
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Please join us for Casual Conversations with Women in the Sciences at InnoVenture Labs!
Tuesday, January 14th
100 Cummings Center, Suite 451
Beverly, MA 01915
4:00pm - 6:00pm
Registration: *Members – $15.00 / *Non-Members – $25.00 / Students – $15.00
Have you tried to find mentors, peers, and other women in the life and/or applied sciences field who share similar challenges, obstacles, and frustrations? NSTC and InnoVenture Labs invite you to join us to meet, network, and share experiences with other women in scientific fields. This informal conversation is open to anyone in leadership, science and engineering, or a support role in the life sciences, biotechnology, applied sciences and/or clean tech fields. This is an opportunity to meet others in related scientific fields, form connections, and talk openly about the things we face every day being a woman in a tech world.
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The North Shore Alliance for Economic Development (Alliance) has launched the North Shore Small Business Diversity Directory (Diversity Directory) in an effort to improve equity and diversity in both the public and private sectors. Housed on the Alliance website, it is both an online and printable Directory that will help businesses market their services and products. The Diversity Directory information will also assist private businesses and municipalities to pro-actively increase equity in their procurement opportunities.
Businesses who believe they qualify and would like to register in the North Shore Diversity Directory are invited to complete the registration form.
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North Shore Alliance For Economic Development | (978) 744-4430
www.northshorealliance.org | lswanson@northshorealliance.org
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