Inside Scoop
Bringing You the Latest Tools to Help Your Business
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"Our nation owes a debt to its fallen heroes
that we can never fully repay." - Unknown
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Memorial Day Weekend is upon us—a time to honor and remember those who gave their lives in service to our country. For many, it also marks the unofficial start of summer. And for small business owners running seasonal operations, it signals the beginning of a critical window—the race to earn a year’s income in just three short months.
We encourage everyone to Shop Local. Our friends at Love Live Local remind us that:
These businesses are the backbone of our community, consistently showing resilience and determination in the face of significant challenges. Local businesses create meaningful connections with their customers, fostering a sense of community and belonging that goes far beyond transactional relationships. They are not just selling products or services; they are building relationships, supporting local causes, and contributing to the character and culture of Cape Cod.
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Understanding the Potential Economic Impact
of Small Business Owners’ Retirement
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Do you have a plan for what to do with your business when you’re ready to exit?
Over 200,000 small businesses with employees in the Northeast have owners who are nearing retirement age. Most of those owners don’t understand how to prepare to sell or transition the business and don’t know who to turn to for help. Lack of awareness and planning too often leads to unnecessary liquidation and closure, leaving a gaping hole in the community. For this reason, the CDP Business & Credit Team is participating in a 9 month fellowship with the Northeast Transition Institute (NETI) to learn the tools to assist business owners as they approach this critical stage of their business.
The CDP's Business & Credit Team is surveying business owners on Cape Cod and your response to understand the level of preparedness here. This information will help business service providers, civic leaders and policy makers better understand the scope and scale of the challenge and its potential impact on our economy.
This survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. All individual survey responses will be confidential. Only the aggregated, anonymous data will be available publicly.
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Recent referral prizes include gift certificates to
Abroad Restaurant, Farm Gallery, Salty Market, and Cook's Organics.
REFER A BUSINESS TODAY! YOU MAY BE JUNE'S LUCKY WINNER!
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To schedule an appointment, visit the CDP Business Events page or email Pam or Tricia
Thank you to our community partners for the opportunity to use their space to meet with clients and for their support of small businesses and entrepreneurs.
| | Community Partners' Opportunities | | |
The Biz-M-Power Matching Grant Program will make available matching grants for up to $50,000 to qualifying growth-oriented small businesses applicants to offset the costs of acquisitions, expansions, improvement or lease of a facility, purchase or lease of equipment, and other capital needs. Business applicants will be required to show 20% of their requested grant amount funds at hand at the application point via business bank account statements.
Deadline: June 15, 2025
Click here to download the Biz-M-Power Program Guidelines
Questions? Contact the CDP Business & Credit Team or MassDevelopment's Biz-M-Power Team.
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Small Business Checklist:
Viability, Legal and Marketing Considerations
Thursday, June 12 | 10 AM - Noon | Zoom
Facilitated by WE CAN volunteer Nancy Barron Reynolds
Taking your business from an idea to official. Covering the topics of business viability, legal steps to becoming established, and marketing considerations. This workshop will cover choosing a business name, knowing your market, your niche, and your mission. It will dive into beginner steps of getting your business out there via website and social media and becoming legitimate. Q&A at end.
To register: email cara@wecancenter.org or call 508-430-8111.
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Town of Orleans Small Business Survey
The Town of Orleans has launched a business survey, available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, to gather feedback from local business owners, including year-round, seasonal, storefront, and home-based enterprises. The results will help the Town better understand the needs of our business community and inform future programs, investments, and policies that support a strong local economy.
If you own or operate a business in Orleans, please take a few minutes to complete the survey by June 30th and help spread the word by sharing it with other local business owners.
Take the survey here.
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Mass Food Trust Healthy Food Financing
Families want to buy fresh, healthy, affordable food. But it is not easy to find in many communities across the state. The Massachusetts Food Trust Program was created in 2018 to support food retailers who want to fill these gaps.
The Mass Food Trust provides low-cost loans up to $300,000, small grants of up to $25,000, and business assistance to help grocery and corner stores, food coops, ethnic markets, farmers markets, farm stands, and mobile markets purchase real estate, renovate their facilities, buy new equipment, and plan for growth.
Learn more about Mass Food Trust Financing here.
| | Your Rights and Responsibilities as an Employer | | Additional Business Resources | | First Time Homebuyers Workshop begins June 3rd | | CDP Annual Report is Here | | |
See the Difference You Make:
the CDP’s Annual Report Is Here
We’re proud to share our 2024 Annual Report, highlighting a year of progress, partnerships, and impact across the Lower and Outer Cape.
From supporting small businesses and affordable housing to empowering artists and year-round residents, your support made it all possible. Read the stories, numbers, and milestones that defined our year — and get a glimpse of what’s ahead.
Thank you for supporting our efforts to help year-round residents live, work, and thrive.
Read the CDP Annual Report here.
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| Thank you to our partners for their incredible support of our programs. | | |
Cape Air
Cape Cod Five Charitable Foundation Trust
MassDevelopment Growth Capital Division
Rockland Trust
Santander Bank
Seamen’s Bank
TD Charitable Foundation
USDA Rural Development
Workshop Sponsor
| | The CDP is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. | | | | |
