Mayor Dorinda Borer and the city’s Economic Development Commission presented the first forum of its kind for small-business owners at West Haven High School on Tuesday, June 11.
With more than 100 business owners in attendance, the forum consisted of speakers from local, state and federal agencies sharing the resources available for businesses to thrive.
As part of the program, Borer launched the city’s new ARPA Small Business Grant program. Small businesses that apply for a grant can receive up to $10,000 for facade improvements or HVAC and outdoor dining upgrades.
The grant program is funded by the American Rescue Plan Act.
Eleven speakers, including Borer, gave business owners “high-level information” on available grants, loans and technical support through PowerPoint presentations on a range of topics to support better economic outcomes for small businesses.
John McCarthy, who owns West Haven’s popular Rock House School of Music, said: “My wife, Cathy, and I were very impressed with the Small Business Forum. There are so many resources available that we had no idea about. As small-business owners of the Rock House School of Music and the nonprofit Teach Kids Music, we are going to take advantage of these resources to grow our business and help enrich our community. Thank you for holding this informative event!”
Speakers included West Haven Economic Development Director Stephen Fontana, Community Development Administration Manager Mark J. Bisaccia and grant writer Olivia Bissanti.
“This is an exciting time to be in West Haven, an exciting time to be in business,” Fontana said. “There’s a lot of resources out there to help people. Our goal is to try to help you navigate all that. If you need a place to start first, think of us.”
Also speaking were Moraima Gutierrez, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s deputy district director for Connecticut; Val Gomez, the Connecticut Small Business Development Center’s business adviser; Kenyetta Banks, the Women’s Business Development Council’s program manager; Larry Rush, the conservation and load management manager of residential for United Illuminating’s parent company, Avangrid; Sheila Hummel, the state Department of Economic and Community Development’s director of small business, community development and capital projects; Kobey Smith, the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce’s small business support specialist; and Steve Johnson, Workforce Alliance’s business services coordinator.
The forum concluded with an open discussion.
For information on West Haven’s ARPA Small Business Grant program, visit the city’s website at https://www.cityofwesthaven.com/1396/ARPA-Small-Business-Grant.