Minority- and Women-Owned Business Support Grants

The Challenge: Overcome Barriers Facing MWBEs Entering and Growing in the Clean Energy Sector

New and expanding Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBEs) are crucial to meeting the Commonwealth’s climate goals. These businesses put climate solutions into practice, foster environments that attract and support a diversified workforce, and pave the way to an equitable energy transition for environmental justice communities. Unfortunately, most MWBEs face barriers to entry and growth. Regardless of sector, MWBEs are denied access to capital at a much higher rate, face selection bias for projects, and often start with less personal wealth and social capital—all of which exacerbate the challenges that all businesses face during their start-up and early growth phases.

About MWBE Support Grants

MWBE Support Grants provide up to $1,000,000 across three years in grant funds and technical support to organizations that address the barriers faced by MWBEs in the clean energy sector and provide MWBEs with the skills and resources to thrive. Grantees develop or expand programs that provide support to existing MWBEs entering the clean energy sector and/or assist in the creation of new MWBEs in the sector. This funding is not intended to benefit a single MWBE. Successful applicants will propose projects that address barriers faced by MWBEs, tackle both supply and demand needs, provide comprehensive wraparound services for individuals participating in their programs, leverage existing support systems, and propose robust partnerships.

Status

Closed

Award Potential

$1,000,000

Application Deadline

TBA late 2023

Apply

Questions? Contact

Funding Schedule

MWBE Support Grants are released on an annual basis. Applicants not currently ready for implementation should consider applying for a Capacity and Planning Grant to prepare for the next round of MWBE Support funding.

The current round of MWBE Support Grants is now closed. The next round of applications will be announced in late 2023.

Round 2 Schedule (Now Closed)

Process Step	Timing
RFP Release	December 28, 2022
Questions Due to MassCEC via workforce@masscec.com	Rolling, through February 20, 2023
Questions with Answers Posted to MassCEC Website	Updated monthly on 2nd Tuesday through February 21, 2023
Pre-Application Webinar	Jan 12, 2023, at 1 pm See more and register
Pre-Application Office Hours	Jan 31, 2023, at 12 noon Feb 9, 2023 at 5:30 pm Feb 13, 2023 at 12 noon Feb 17, 2023 at 12 noon Feb 23, 2023 at 5:30 pm Feb 27, 2023 at 12 noon Feb 28, 2023 at 12 noon Join below
Proposals Due	March 10, 2023, by 11:59 pm
Interviews of Applicants (as needed)	TBD
Notification of Award	May 2023

Who's Eligible

Single organizations or partnerships are eligible to apply. If multiple parties apply jointly, one party should take on the role of Lead Applicant. The following entities are eligible to serve as a Lead Applicant:

Non-profit organizations including Chamber of Commerce organizations, trade associations, clean energy incubators/accelerators, environmental justice organizations, and organizations representing tribes
Academic institutions with a business support program
For-profit entities such as clean energy installers, energy efficiency, or home performance contractors, technical or workforce training organizations, financial institutions or other clean energy practitioners

Additional eligibility requirements:

Lead Applicant must have a Massachusetts office or staffing.
Applicants are not required to have experience in clean energy or climate-critical business fields.
This funding is not intended to benefit a single MWBE, but instead is intended to support an organization that can help several different MWBEs grow and excel in climate-critical business sectors.

Apply

Application Process

The current round is now closed. The following information is provided for reference only.

Review the Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise Support Grant Request For Proposals (RFP).
Review all RFP forms and attachments.
Attend MassCEC informational webinar and/or use other informational resources offered.
Contact MassCEC with questions or to discuss your ideas at workforce@masscec.com.
Complete all RFP forms and attachments according to instructions.
Submit all completed RFP forms and attachments by email to workforce@masscec.com by 11:59 pm on March 10, 2023, with "MWBE Support Grant Application" in the subject line.

For full Program details, please refer to the RFP.

Application Materials

The current round is now closed. The following materials are provided for reference only.

MWBE Support Grants - Request for Proposals (RFP)

Attachment 1 - Authorized Applicant's Signature & Acceptance Form

Attachment 2 - Application Form

Attachment 3 - Budget and Proposed Payment Schedule

Attachment 4 - Sample Grant Agreement

Send completed application to:

workforce@masscec.com

Pre-Application Office Hours

MassCEC will host office hours when we announce the next round of MWBE Support Grants in late 2023.

Pre-Application Webinar

MassCEC held a live webinar about the MWBE Grants, including eligibility, budget, and the application process, on January 12, 2023.

Watch Webinar Recording

View Webinar Slides

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Questions and Answers posted March 6, 2023.

Contact workforce@masscec.com for additional questions not included in the FAQs.

1. If our organization is not ready to implement a MWBE support program, can we apply for a Planning Grant?

MassCEC may elect to award a portion of the MWBE Support Grant funds requested as a Planning Grant if the applicant’s proposed project contains sufficient detail to justify a Planning Grant but does not have sufficient scope to justify the entire amount of the award requested for implementation. Alternatively, applicants are advised to consider applying directly to MassCEC’s Equity Workforce Capacity and Planning Grants to fund planning prior to applying to future rounds of MWBE Support Grants for implementation funds.

2. If our organization has received prior funding from MassCEC via the MWBE Support Grants program or other RFP opportunities, are we eligible to apply to this opportunity?

Yes, applicants may apply for additional funds from MassCEC, so long as the proposed project is separate and distinct from the projects funded via prior support. Proposals suggesting upskilling or expanding an existing project, either in content or geographic/target population reach, that was funded previously by MassCEC may be viewed as separate and distinct. Proposals suggesting running additional cohorts of an existing project that received prior funding from MassCEC will not be viewed as separate and distinct.

3. Does the proposed budget have to be similar for each year?

Program costs may vary from year to year. Some examples include adding additional staff in year one or program plans that project to grow training cohort capacity across the grant years. These variations and others are acceptable and, in many cases, strategic. Applicants should detail the rationale and strategy in their proposal and budget narrative to ensure reviewers have clarity about their plans.

4. If I am looking to develop a workforce development aspect to my MWBE, how would I go about doing that given the available grants at MassCEC?

If your MWBE is planning to set up a job training pipeline for individuals from EJ Neighborhoods and other underserved populations to enter the clean energy sector, you may consider applying to the Equity Workforce Training Implementation RFP that is currently open. If the MWBE is interested in developing their own organizational capacity, the MWBE can apply for MassCEC’s Equity Workforce Capacity Grants, which are funding opportunities directed towards supporting individual MWBEs. The Equity Workforce Capacity Grants will be released in early 2023. The MWBE Implementation Support Grant currently open is NOT intended fund an individual MWBE.

5. How much of the funds from the grant should be allocated towards partnerships vs. Individual enterprises?

Funding for partnerships will be more favorable during the scoring process as this grant is designed to stand up a support program for multiple MWBEs or creation of MWBEs in climate critical fields. Applicants must submit a budget that includes funds allocated per MWBE supported through the program. This grant is not intended to support an individual MWBE’s operations or growth. MassCEC will be releasing MWBE Capacity Grants that can support an individual MWBE’s operations or growth in early 2023.

6. How many grants does MassCEC anticipate awarding?

The grant has $4,000,000 in funding available. The award potential is up to $1,000,000. We anticipate awarding four (4) to seven (7) MWBE Support Implementation grants of $250,000 to $1,000,000. 

7. Can the application form support graphs/ charts?

The application form does support the inclusion of graphs and charts. Applicants should turn diagrams into a picture and embed them in relevant sections of the application form. Applicants should be mindful of word count limits and deduct the estimated number of words in a diagram from the affected word limit. Please note that supplementary attachment materials will not be considered during review.

8. Does the application have to be completed in Word?

Applicants must submit the application form in Word or PDF. The application form was created in Word, but applicants can certainly work in another program and save the final product as a PDF. The uploaded PDF should reflect the general format and word limits, but MassCEC doesn’t have any restrictions about how to produce the PDF. If applicants have technical difficulties, please contact worforce@masscec.com for troubleshooting.

9. How do I access the list of organizations interested in partnerships?

MassCEC is compiling a list of potential applicants interested in networking and partnerships for the open Workforce Equity grants. View the list here. Sign up to the partnership list by sending your contact name, contact info, type of organization, and focus sector to workforce@masscec.com.

10. Who should be the Lead Applicant on the grant when working with partners?

The Lead Applicant should be able to handle the administration of the contract if awarded by MassCEC. The Lead Applicant must meet all the eligibility requirements of the RFP.

Other Resources

MassCEC will look favorably on applications that propose data-driven approaches and leverage pre-existing resources from the robust workforce development and clean energy sectors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Applicants are advised to use the following and additional resources to inform their applications:

Networking

MassCEC is compiling a list of potential applicants interested in networking and partnerships for the open Workforce Equity grants. View the list here.

Sign up to the partnership list by sending your contact name, contact info, type of organization, and focus sector to workforce@masscec.com.

Recent MWBE Support Grant Projects

Round 2, Capacity Grant

Activate Global, Inc.

Activate Global is exploring how to enhance the existing Activate Fellowship program to better serve MWBEs through a Diversity Needs Assessment and Program Audit

Round 2, Planning Grant

Beacon Climate Innovations

Beacon Climate Innovations is developing a plan to provide MWBEs upskilling, procurement and bid preparation experience, and contract opportunities through the development of Community Clean Energy Resilience Hubs. 

Round 1, Planning Grant; Round 2, Implementation Grant

Black Economic Council of Massachusetts

Round 1: Black Economic Council of Massachusetts (BECMA) is expanding their Electric Vehicle (EV) Kickstarter program to areas outside of Boston, helping MWBEs identify business opportunities in EV space as retailers, owner-operators, installers, and maintenance providers.

Round 2: BECMA is expanding its state-wide Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) initiatives to guide more Black-owned businesses into the EV space and offer support through its Back Office Support Services (BOSS) and Vendor Advisory Council (VAC) programs.

Round 2, Capacity Grant

Boston Center for Community Ownership

Boston Center for Community Ownership (BCCO) is developing a plan to adapt existing support programs for worker cooperatives to assist MWBEs seeking increased opportunities in the high-performance building sector.

Round 1, Implementation Grant

Browning the Green Space

Browning the Green Space will create more MWBEs by expanding the Accelerating Contractors of Color in Energy for Sustainable Success (ACCESS) program. ACCESS is an 8-week contractor boot camp for aspiring energy efficiency and renewable energy business owners that provides curated consulting, coaching, connections, mentorship, and access to capital.

Round 1, Planning Grant; Round 2, Implementation Grant

Center for Women and Enterprise

Round 1: Center for Women and Enterprise is providing educational materials, professional development support, and back-office services necessary for early MWBEs to thrive in the climate-critical building sector.

Round 2: CWE is developing the Clean Energy Business Support Center, expanding on their proven suite of MWBE programs to assist MWBEs entering the high-performance building sector through certification.

Round 1, Planning Grant

The Compost Co-operative

The Compost Co-operative is expanding their employee ownership to a spin-off business model targeting BIPOC/female returning citizens as a template for other women returning from prison. They are also exploring connecting with other state programs to allow more formerly incarcerated women to use and participate in this business model.

Round 1, Implementation Grant

Emerald Cities Collaborative

Emerald Cities Collaborative will recruit MWBE contractors in the Pioneer Valley, train on decarbonization work, connect to pipelines of work, provide networking opportunities, and facilitate connections to working and equity capital.

Round 2, Implementation Grant

Entrepreneurial & Business Collaborative

Entrepreneurial & Business Collaborative (EBC) is providing comprehensive support to MWBEs in Western Massachusetts through two distinct programs - an 8-week Consolidated Accelerator Program and a 12-month Comprehensive and Inclusive Support Program.

Round 1, Implementation Grant

Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council

Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council (GNEMSDC) will help MWBEs become aware of opportunities to obtain contracts in climate critical areas, build their financial and intellectual capital and provide MWBE certifications, leveraging grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Round 1, Implementation Grant

Greentown Labs

Greentown Labs will operate the accelerator program, Advancing Climatetech and Clean Energy Leaders (ACCEL) to accelerate high-growth, tech innovation–based MWBE startups towards investment, partnerships, and customers.

Round 1, Planning Grant; Round 2, Implementation Grant

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association

Round 1: Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) is exploring how to provide MWBEs with access to the NESEA Green Building community through the expansion of their BuildingEnergy Bottom Lines, a business development program which operates as a peer coaching network with professional facilitation

Round 2: NESEA is launching BuildingEnergy Access, expanding on its existing BuildingEnergy Bottom Lines program, a unique network of business owners in the high-performance building sector dedicated to sustainability in the built environment.

Round 1, Planning Grant; Round 2, Implementation Grant

SRGE

Round 1: SRGE, a construction equity accelerator, is supporting the expansion of larger BIPOC construction, electrical, and mechanical contractors through the Construction Incubator program for EV charging station installation, high-performing mechanical systems, and energy retrofit building projects.

Round 2: SRGE is guiding emerging BIPOCQ+ led construction companies in the clean energy sector through the typical eighteen month bid process in the high-performance building sector to obtain contracts and to enable participating MWBEs to build capacity within their companies, access capital, and network in the clean energy sector.