DO YOU OWN A CONSTRUCTION-RELATED BUSINESS?
JPNDC can help it grow!
How Can You Benefit?
Apply for our Small Contractor Equity Loan
Build your skill in submitting competitive bids.
Learn best practices for successfully executing work on a contract.
Formalize your bookkeeping and accounting systems.
Join a network of contractors, loan officers, service providers and more.
Hone your leadership and management practices as well as other critical life skills..
What Will JPNDC Provide?
Free, individualized technical assistance sessions with experts in business planning, start-up, stabilization and expansion.
Free, hands-on training in business planning, accounting and marketing. Workshops are bilingual (English/Spanish) and tailored for busy professionals like yourself.
Free, one-on-one sessions with mentors—experienced General Contractors matched with you based on your needs and goals.
Free financial coaching to help you raise your credit score.
Access to specialized consulting, at discounted rates, on M/WBE (Minority/Women-owned Business Enterprises) certification, payment requisitions, AIA documents, vendor certification and more.
Networking events with industry players including GCs, loan officers and other contractors.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Business located in Greater Boston/I-495 perimeter
- Annual revenue between $50,000 and $1 million
- At least two years in operation
- Between 1 and 5 full-time employees
- Value of largest completed job less than $1 million
- Businesses owned by women and people of color will be prioritized. All are welcome.
COST
- Courses, workshops, mentoring and the first five hours of technical assistance are FREE.
- If you choose to pursue specialized technical assistance in QuickBooks set-up, tax filing, MBE or WBE certification or marketing, JPNDC will subsidize 25% of the cost.
To apply or learn more, click on the button!
OUR PARTNERS
- Successful minority-owned firms including Crosswinds Enterprises (read our blog interview with Arnold Johnson here!) and CS2C/NE
- Massachusetts Minority Contractors Association
- Mass. Housing Investment Corporation
- NEI General Contracting
- The Boston Foundation
Testimonials
NHK Electrical Contracting
‘Although my husband and I have run our electrical contracting business for more than 10 years, it was hard to get to the ‘next level’— a large contract that would really allow us to grow and hire more people.
“JPNDC and the mentor they connected me with, Marc Marcelli from NEI, really care and it’s not just talk.
“Marc recognized how committed we were and how hard we were working with JPNDC to formalize our accounting and operations, and he guided us through the process of submitting a large bid.
“We got the contract and have been able to double our staff!”
Marquita Kelley, co-owner of NHK Electrical Contractors
Botero Weng Construction
“My husband, Andrés Botero, was an engineer in Colombia and his father is an experienced builder. Between us we speak five languages – English, Spanish and three Chinese languages.
“We have a passion for design, and also for helping people. We also realized that a lot of people don’t have a good experience with home improvement. So we though starting our business made sense.
“As young people we feel we can be responsive to younger, first-time homebuyers as well as to the older ones who appreciate being able to speak their own language.
“JPNDC has been very committed to helping us. They helped us improve our accounting system, reduce expenses and create a three year plan. They stay in touch even when we’re too busy to reach out. They keep us accountable!”
Yanyi Weng, co-owner of Botero Weng Construction
New Chapter Home Improvement
“My mother owned properties, and I would watch when the contractors come out to handle repairs. I would ask them all kinds of questions about what they were doing and why.
“So as an entrepreneur I had lots of ideas. But I still didn’t have the experience of actually running a business. I went to every class I could. But there wasn’t a lot of action. I was struggling.
“In only four months with JPNDC I’ve already been placed with a General Contractor. I had been trying for over a year I was trying! 9 out of 10 times it’s being in front of the right person. That’s what you guys have showed.
“You guys have given me inspiration and hope that this could work.”
Vicki Gray, owner of New Chapter Home Improvement
Why It Matters
Boston is in a development boom. Yet within this promising environment, small family-owned contractors—especially those owned by people of color and women—often struggle. Although Black- or Latino-owned construction firms make up 27% of contractors in Boston, their sales and receipts add up to only 2% of those of White-owned firms.
The informal business practices common to small contractors (e.g. not using accounting software, blending business and family finances, lack of clarity around their real financial position) keep these firms from achieving financial sustainability and success.
Many owners need to repair their credit before accessing financing that could help them build their businesses.
Small firms usually lack access to critical networks such as the lists of approved vendors maintained by Boston’s largest property management companies.
Discrimination against minority & women-owned business enterprises in all major procurement categories has been documented by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
We can help small business owners address most of these challenges!
