Community Development Block Grant
A Program for Small Businesses in Falmouth
The Town of Falmouth, working in partnership with the Falmouth EDIC, received $173,840 in grant funding from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program.
The Falmouth EDIC was responsible to develop the on-line grant application, market the program, and facilitate and assist applicants through the process. These grants for up to $25,000 were to support low to moderate income business owners in Falmouth that were negatively and significantly impacted by COVID-19 business disruptions. The Falmouth CDBG grant program officially opened and began accepting applications on March 1, 2021.
Working in conjunction with the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce, Cape Cod SCORE, and the Town of Falmouth Planning Department, by December 2021 our team awarded all of the $173,840 in CDBG assistance grants to 13 businesses in Falmouth.
There were many emails sent to the Falmouth EDIC from grant recipients expressing just how meaningful the grants have been to their operations. Diane Edelberg owner of Funtastic Getaways in Falmouth, a tour company with three employees offering senior tours to over 8,000 Cape residents, wrote “I spent 2020 cancelling trips as each month dragged on….The funds from the grant allowed us to be able to print and mail brochures and keep the business going until we were allowed to run tours again. I can’t thank you enough for the grant. It was a life saver that came at exactly the right time.”
Other Falmouth small businesses receiving grants were Artisan Salon, Byway Barber, Collaborative Therapies, D. Hazelton Inc., Falmouth Auto Center, Stone’s Barber Shop, Tanorama Day Spa, The Art of Beauty, Woods Hole Passage Inn, Courtney’s Floral Creations, People Training for Good Dogs, and the Healing Arts Center.
Interest in the program was strong but unfortunately many impacted businesses were not eligible to be awarded due to the stringent State grant guidelines. Never the less, the Falmouth EDIC was very pleased to be able to award 100% of the grant funds to many Falmouth small businesses that experienced substantial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most businesses used the grant funds to pay past due rent, utilities and sometimes even payroll as well as to purchase needed businesses supplies, and to invest in marketing and equipment to support and expand their small business.
The Falmouth EDIC hopes that the Federal and State governments will continue to support the many and important small businesses within our community with additional funding and assistance programs that will ensure that they continue to thrive and contribute to the economic vitality in Falmouth.
Review Committee
Mike DiGiano – Falmouth EDIC
Lynne Broderick – Falmouth EDIC
Michael Galasso – Falmouth EDIC
Michael Kasparian – Falmouth Chamber of Commerce
Mark Lowenstein – SCORE
Grant Program Overview
Start Date: December 2020
Completion Date: May 2022
Total EDIC Hours Expended: 598 Hours
Mike DiGiano – 220 Hours (11 full time weeks)
Lynne Broderick – 378 Hours (19 full time weeks)
Does not include non-paid volunteer hours by other committee members
EDIC Payroll Expense: $23,814
Awarded Businesses
Funtastic Getaways – $18,000.00
Falmouth Auto Center – $16,000.00
Artisan Salon /Oasis Spa & Wellness Co. – $16,000.00
Woods Hole Passage Inn – $15,300.00
D. Hazleton Inc. – $14,000.00
Otter Paws DBA Collaborative Therapies – $14,000.00
Byway Barber & Massage Co. – $13,000.00
Tanorama Day Spa – $13,000.00
Courtney’s Floral Creations – $12,270.00
Stones Barber Shop – $12,270.00
Art of Beauty Mary Neuben Electrolysis – $10,000.00
Healing Arts Center – $10,000.00
People Training for Good Dogs – $10,000.00
Total Funds Awarded: $173,840.00
Demographics – Business Types
Demographics – Business Owners
Remarks from the Recipients
“To be faced with a mandatory closure of my business and no income coming in, with rent and utilities remaining due, the Falmouth EDIC was a pleasure to work with …to help sustain my cash flow and relieve the stress of keeping my business afloat. They made the process as easy as possible – with quick responses and offering clarity…. The funds aided me in keeping current with my bills as well as allowed me to enhance and implement new practices to keep myself, my coworkers and clients safe during this pandemic. I am very grateful for their assistance and generosity.”
Francine Meriot, Owner
Byway Barber & Massage, 49 North Main Street, Falmouth
“I am very grateful and very thankful to the Town of Falmouth for the grant that helped to allow my business, The Healing Arts Center, to stay open and to continue de-stressing the planet, one body at a time. Especially when times where tough after the election, when folks just wanted to get a break from the politics. I am very happy to make it through that disruptive episode.”
Melinda Grace, Owner
Healing Arts Center, 634 North Falmouth Highway, Falmouth
“Beauty salons are a close contact, personal service industry, strongly challenged in the pandemic. As a result of this grant we went from being completely shut down to being safely open… we were able to pay rent, salaries, advertise…in order to keep the business going… and to continue to care for our long-time dedicated salon guests. The EDIC support team was beyond excellent… we always felt they were on our side. Artisan Salon is a grateful and blessed recipient of the CDBG grant from the Town of Falmouth.”
Morgan (Sally) Blanton, Owner
Artisan Salon, 17 Walker Street, Falmouth
“We were very grateful to receive an EDIC Covid grant last year. Though the selection process with SCORE mentors there was a focus on using the funds as much as possible towards expenditures that were likely to grow and sustain the business beyond the pandemic. All in all, this grant and its partnership with SCORE assisted our business greatly during a challenging time, but is also spurred us to grow our business and maintain an eye on future growth and goals.”
Liza Fox, Owner
Woods Hole Passage Inn, 186 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole