All services are offered in English and Spanish.

1. To get started, please read all of the FAQs to ensure you are eligible for our program.
2. Next, complete this intake survey and a JPNDC staff member will contact you within 48 hours.
3. JPNDC staff will contact you to schedule time to meet and start working to help you work towards your goals.

All services are offered in English and Spanish.

Once you complete the intake survey, we will partner with you in at least one of the below paths:

• 1-on-1 Technical Assistance (Coaching): work individually with JPNDC staff to address challenges specific to your business
• Content Workshops: offered in-person and digitally to further your knowledge and skills in topics including business planning, accounting, and marketing
• Crisis Support to assist you with urgent financing, legal, landlord, tax, or other critical issues
• If needed, we will connect you with additional external resources and programs in order to help you reach your goals.

We partner with business owners in any industry. We work with people who are committed to formalizing their business and those who have been in business a long time.

However, we are unable to serve the below types of businesses. Check out the “Resources” section to learn more.

• Nonprofit organizations
• Ride-hailing operations (ex: Uber, Lyft)
• Multi-level marketing sales operations (ex: you sell Herbalife products)
• Businesses that are hobbies or not formally operating

Below are our eligibility requirements:

1. You are the business owner. You are committed to working hard with us and dedicating time and energy to improving your business.
2. Your business is operational. (If your business is not operational, you must complete JPNDC’s financial coaching services and/or a business incubation program in order to enroll. More details under “Resources for Prospective Business Owners”.)
3. Your business is a for-profit business.
4. Your business has fewer than 20 employees and your average annual revenue is below $500,000 (for contractors, below $800,000).
5. Your business will generate more than 50% of the total income of the business owner within one year.
6. Your income falls within HUD guidelines for low-income households (up to 80% Area Median Income).
7. Priority will be given to businesses that are operating or will operate within the city of Boston. Exceptions will be made depending on availability.

If you have a prospective business idea and are not yet formally operating, we require you to complete financial coaching services at JPNDC and/or a business incubation program in order to enroll in our services.

*Exception: If you have been implementing a business idea informally for more than 6 months, you can enroll in our program. For example, you have been selling food from your home for more than 6 months, and now you want to formalize your business as a food truck.

Read more details in the “Resources” section of this page.

Workshops, coaching and crisis support are offered free of charge.

Occasionally, there is a fee for more detailed technical support such as completing a multi-year business plan. However, all fees are determined on a sliding scale basis, meaning the fee will be determined based on your income.

Send us an email to [email protected] or call us at 617-522-2424.

Great, first we need to learn more about you and your business! Please complete this intake survey and a JPNDC staff member will contact you within 48 hours to get started.

January 2023: We’re happy to roll out our new Small Contractor Equity Loan.

See info here!

If you have a prospective business idea and are not yet formally operating, we require you to complete financial coaching services at JPNDC and/or a business incubation program in order to enroll in our services.

*Exception: If you have been implementing a business idea informally for more than 6 months, you can enroll in our program. For example, you have been selling food from your home for more than 6 months, and now you want to formalize your business as a food truck.

To complete financial coaching services at JPNDC, you will partner with a JPNDC staff member in order to:

• Develop a plan to reduce debt and increase income
• Have a FICO score of 650 or more
• Have a personal debt to income ratio of 20%
• Have savings equal to 6 months of household expenses
• Have savings equal to 30% or more of the cost to start the business
• Develop a Uses & Sources table to calculate the cost of starting her/his business.

If interested in enrolling in Financial Coaching Services, email Paola at [email protected] for more information.

To complete a business incubation program, you must search and apply for the incubation program that best fits your needs. We recommend looking into the following programs:

• Center for Women and Enterprise
• E for All
• Fairmount Innovation Lab
  
• Commonwealth Kitchen

We know this is an extremely hard time for small businesses. We offer support for navigating the pandemic, just click on the “Get Started” button below.

Below are external and internal resources for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic:

• Small Business Administration (SBA): Guidance and Loan Resources
• How to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Unfortunately, we only provide support to for-profit businesses. If you are looking for support for your nonprofit, please try the resources below:

• Third Sector New England
• The Lawyers Clearinghouse

We recommend that you search and apply for the incubation program that best fits your needs. We recommend the following programs:

• Center for Women and Enterprise
• E for All
• Fairmount Innovation Lab
  
• Commonwealth Kitchen

Check out the below resources to get started. We are here to help walk you through the grants/loans process, just click on the Get Started button below.

• Small Business Administration (federal)
• Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (local)
• Kiva (online)

Even though JPNDC does not offer legal services, we encourage you to explore the resources below:

• Lawyer’s for Civil Rights: BizGrow
  • Online Weekly Clinics, Boston Public Library
    
  • Online Office Hours, Fridays, 11am to 12pm: Zoom Link
    
  • Workshops
    
  • Contacts: Priya Lane [email protected], Silvana Gómez [email protected]
    
• Suffolk Law, Carlos Teuscher: [email protected]
• Northeastern Law, Jared Nicholson: [email protected]
• Christina Simpson ESQ.: [email protected]
• Gabriela Mendoza ESQ: [email protected]

We offer accounting workshops and support, but we do not offer accounting services. Please contact the resources below:

• Myra Vargas, Accountant (bilingual): [email protected]
• Ann Taylor CPA: [email protected]
• Susan J. McCarthy CPA, MST, CSEP: [email protected]
• LCW Accountants
• Rick Borstein CPA: [email protected]

• JPNDC Brewery: Commercial Property Manager, Michelle Diaz: [email protected]
• List of Realtors & Connectors (2019)
• Boston Craigslist