Give Us Your Best Shot!

We are looking for the best photos of  the Hilltowns for the HilltownDirectory.com.  We want photos that show the sights, the people, and everything the Hilltowns have to offer.  Grab your camera or your smartphone and submit your best photos to be featured on the HilltownDirectory.com.

About the Contest

Capture and share your stunning images of the Hilltowns.  What’s unique to see in your Hilltown?  A great view, vista, or village center?

Top Prize $250 Grand Shutterbug
$100 Prime Paparazzo
$50 (two) Awesome Image Awards

“People’s Choice Award” from each town displayed on the town page on HILLTOWNDIRECTORY.COM

RULES

• Winning Photos and the “People’s choice photos” will be voted on by the public after all the photos are submitted.

• $5 donation per submitted photos.

• Photos must be submitted thru this site by Oct 7, 2020

• Voting will begin Oct 10, 2020 – Oct 24, 2020

• Winners will be announced on Friday, October 30th, 2020

• Photos must be your own or you must have permission to post photos for someone else.

• Proceeds will go to help the Hilltown CDC’s small business support program, which has helped Hilltown business owners since 1981. Thinking about starting a business? We can help make your dreams become reality. Contact Michele Kenney at MicheleK@hilltowncdc.org

Applications are now being accepted!

Hilltown CDC, on behalf of the Town of Chesterfield and with potential funding provided through both their CDBG FY19 grant and a CARES Act grant has established a Micro-enterprise Relief Program (MRP) to help businesses that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Program Summary

The Micro-enterprise Relief Program (MRP) is designed to assist businesses with 5 or less employees (including the owner) that have been negatively impacted due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The program will provide one-time grants for business owners who need financial assistance to support business operational costs in order to keep the business sustainable. Grant funds must be used within two months of award. Applications are now being accepted. Funding will be awarded based on a first come, first eligible, completed application basis, subject to the availability of funding. 

Grant amounts will range from a minimum of $1,000 to a maximum of $10,000 to cover business losses incurred after May 10, 2020. 

Eligible Towns for CARES Act funds: Ashfield, Blandford, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Plainfield, Williamsburg and Worthington.

Examples of potential allowable grant uses:

·         Operating costs – rent, mortgage, utilities, business insurance premiums

·         Inventory, materials or supplies

·         Small equipment/tools needed due to altering product or service to be provided

·         Personal protection equipment purchases or alterations to location to allow ease of reopening due to COVID-19

·         Payment for professional services needed to pivot business including but not limited to marketing related activities or website improvements

Examples of grant uses that are not allowable (not exhaustive):

·         Payment of outstanding debt incurred prior to COVID-19

·         Vehicle purchase / lease for business use 

·         Payment of any existing Tax liens

Your business may be eligible if:

-          You have been in business as of Jan 1, 2019

-          You have 5 or fewer employees (including yourself)

-          Your place of business has temporarily closed or has reduced hours due to COVID-19

-         You live and have a business in an eligible town (listed above).

-          The business owner’s family income falls within income guidelines (if more than 1 owner, each owners family income must be below 80% AMI) See application for income limits.

You are NOT eligible if:

-          You have a not-for profit business

-          Business owner’s family income is above 80% AMI income level

-          Business owner does not live within in an eligible town

-          You have received emergency funding through another source for the purposes for which you are applying

-          Assistance is for one of the following types of businesses: real estate rentals/sales, owned by a person under age 18, businesses that are chains, liquor stores, tobacco sales, pawn shops, weapons/firearms dealers, lobbyists or cannabis related businesses, adult entertainment or social clubs.

Please be sure to save your completed application and email it, along with required documentation to:

  Bea von Hagke at beavh@hilltowncdc.org

or mail to: Hilltown CDC, PO Box 17, Chesterfield, MA 0101

List of Required Documents 

This is a list of the anticipated documents applicants will need to submit in order to be considered for financial assistance.

 -         Completed Application

-         Copy of most recent tax returns

-         Current Profit and Loss statement

These additional documents may be needed due to individual circumstances.

 -         6 months recent bank statements

-         Pay stubs for household members over the age of 18

-         Investment income documentation

-         Child support received, if applicable

 All questions should be directed to: Bea von Hagke at beavh@hilltowncdc.org

The HUD Income Limits have just been released for FY20, with an increase over last year’s income limits. These brackets are used to determine eligibility for several of our programs including Housing Rehab, Childcare Subsidy, and the HEN Program. If you or someone you know previously applied for one of these program and were not eligible, we encourage you to apply again! This is a great opportunity to access services that may make a significant difference in your life or the lives of your neighbors. Call us today to make an appointment! 413-296-4536

Hilltown Mobile Market Farm Shares are available now for our 2020 Season! Fresh Hilltown-grown produce to fit every budget. Eat safe, local food this summer. Limited Shares are available!

July 23-October 9, 2020 in Blandford, Cummington, Huntington & Worthington

The Hilltown Mobile Market is coming back this summer with more farms, new locations, a longer season, and double the number of farm shares!  Your support during our pilot season last year resulted in increased grant funding to purchase a market vehicle and broaden our reach to more communities.  Starting in July, we will bring "pop-up" markets to Blandford, Cummington, Huntington, and Worthington each week for twelve weeks, stocked with the freshest Hilltown-grown produce.  Stop by and shop with cash, credit, debit, SNAP, WIC, or Senior FMNP Coupons, or sign up online now for a Hilltown Mobile Market Farm Share to support our farms and guarantee your pick of each week's harvest.   The Farm Share is an affordable option with a sliding scale between $5-20 per week and is also eligible for HIP (Healthy Incentives Program) reimbursements!  The market is supported by Healthy Hampshire, Hilltown Community Development and the Hilltown Community Health Center.  For more information or to sign-up for a farm share visit hilltownmobilemarket.info or call or email Caitlin Marquis at 413-588-5562 or cmarquis@collaborative.org.

It is anticipated that CARES (Corona Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act funds will be available to our region soon. We at Hilltown CDC are trying to determine the best use of these funds in order to most effectively help Hilltown residents. Specific details of this Act have not yet been released by HUD. Thus far we have heard that the following types of assistance are eligible: interim assistance (rental/mortgage payment, utilities etc), micro enterprise assistance (less than 5 employees), and Public Social Services.

Please help us determine the needs in our area. Please also share the survey with others in the hilltowns who could provide input.

>>TAKE THE SURVEY<<

Thank you for providing your feedback!

Economic Fall Out from Pandemic Requires Large Scale and Equitable Response

Investments Needed for Small Business, Housing and Nonprofit Sectors

A statewide association of Community Development Corporations is calling upon state leaders to take immediate action to address growing and urgent needs for small businesses, tenants, homeowners and nonprofit organizations impacted by the COVID-19 public health crisis.

The Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations (MACDC) represents 88 community-based nonprofits across the state that work to advance economic opportunity, affordable housing and thriving neighborhoods across the state. MACDC is calling for the following actions:

• $150 million investment in loans, grants, and technical assistance to help small businesses survive and recover from this economic crisis, especially those businesses owned by people of color, immigrants, women, and low- or moderate-income people;

• Creation of a Massachusetts COVID-19 Small Business Response Task Force to guide the on-going response to this crisis and consider other initiatives to help small businesses through this crisis;

• Expanded unemployment insurance criteria to cover currently ineligible business owners, such as sole proprietors, independent contractors and micro businesses;

• Short-term eviction moratorium to keep people housed during this public health crisis;

• At least $25 million in emergency funding to help tenants impacted by the COVID-19 crisis pay their rent;

• Special initiatives to help nonprofit organizations, including community-based cultural organizations, youth programs, CDCs, and other critical local organizations.

Read MACDC's full Initial Policy Recommendations in Response to the Public Health and Economic Crisis

"The economic fallout from the COVID-19 public health emergency is likely to hurt just about everyone, but it will have a particularly significant impact on lower-income communities, communities of color, Gateway Cities, and distressed rural areas," said Joseph Kriesberg, President of MACDC. "We need the state to step up immediately with significant and equitable investments to help our small businesses survive and recover from this unprecedented crisis."

"We know this pandemic will have a particularly significant impact on the most vulnerable among us. It will reveal and exacerbate the persistent racial and economic inequities in our society," noted Kriesberg. "That is why we need a strategy based on equity that targets resources to the businesses, families and communities that most need assistance".

MACDC recommends that much of the small business development assistance be deployed through the highly effective network of community-based organizations already working with the state through the Small Business Technical Assistance program. These organizations are working with over 3,000 small businesses across the state, with 88% of the clients coming from underserved communities such as people of color, immigrants, or lower-income communities. Additional support can be deployed by Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) with a proven record of leveraging federal and private funding to deliver capital to small businesses. MACDC is also urging an expansion of the Mass Growth Capital Corporation's Small Business Recovery Loan fund which is already oversubscribed. Given the scale of this crisis, we recommend that businesses be able to access both loans and/or grants to ensure their long-term survival and to avoid new debt obligations that will burden their recovery.

MACDC's policy statement calls on the legislature and the Governor to use the state's Rainy Day Fund and General Obligation Bonds to help cover the costs of these emergency investments.

Read MACDC's full Initial Policy Recommendations in Response to the Public Health and Economic Crisis

SBA Offers Statewide Disaster Assistance to Massachusetts Small Businesses Economically Impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Boston – The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to Massachusetts small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza announced today. SBA acted under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, to declare a disaster following a request received from Gov. Charles D. Baker on March 17, 2020.

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Massachusetts; and the contiguous counties of Hartford, Litchfield, Tolland and Windham in Connecticut; Cheshire, Hillsborough and Rockingham in New Hampshire; Columbia, Dutchess and Rensselaer in New York; Bristol, Newport and Providence in Rhode Island; and Bennington and Windham in Vermont.

“SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist Massachusetts small businesses with federal disaster loans. We will be swift in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial impacts of the Coronavirus (COVID-19),” said Administrator Carranza.

SBA Customer Service Representatives will be available to answer questions about SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program and explain the application process.

“Small businesses, private non-profit organizations of any size, small agricultural cooperatives and small aquaculture enterprises that have been financially impacted as a direct result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) since Jan. 31, 2020, may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred,” said Carranza.

“These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing,” Carranza added.

Eligibility for Economic Injury Disaster Loans is based on the financial impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The interest rate is 3.75 percent for small businesses. The interest rate for private non-profit organizations is 2.75 percent. SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years and are available to entities without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship.

“The SBA Massachusetts District Office and our partners are available to assist small businesses with applying for disaster assistance and providing recovery technical assistance.  We are committed to providing the latest guidance to our lending and community partners”, said Massachusetts District Director Bob Nelson. “We encourage all to sign up for email updates from us by visiting www.sba.gov/MA and by following us on Twitter at @SBA_MA.”

For more information about Coronavirus, please visit: Coronavirus.gov.

For more information about available SBA resources and services, please visit: SBA.gov/coronavirus. 

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

There is an official Department of Transitional Assistance Kiosk at the Hilltown CDC, 387 Main Road, Chesterfield, MA with access to the DTA Connect mobile application and website.  At the Kiosk you can fill out Apply for Benefits, get your SNAP Interim Report form and your SNAP Recertification form.  

• View and manage your case status,

• Check your EBT card balance,

• Find out when your benefits will next be issued,

• Upload and submit a document,

• Find out if documents you’ve sent to DTA have been processed,

• Get alerts for upcoming appointments,

• Get alerts for important deadlines or actions,

• Update your contact information,

• Read Recent Notices sent by DTA

• Request to have a letter mailed to you showing the amount of benefits you receive

• See local contact information for DTA. 

The kiosk can be accessed Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm, excluding holidays

HCDC is looking for a Housing Services Coordinator. S/he will work directly with the Housing Director, and the Property Specialist and will provide support and case management services to tenants in affordable residential properties which house low- and moderate-income.  Services will include case management, communication with tenants, coordinating meetings, and other administrative responsibilities.  S/he will assist applicants for housing with applications and required paperwork and will be HCDC’s primary contact with tenants’ and general inquiries about rental housing.  S/he will perform related administrative duties and assist in the marketing process for vacant apartments.

Position is open until filled. See the full job description here.

The newest issue of On The Ground, our quarterly publication of current projects and news from Hilltown CDC, is here! Check out all the latest, including exciting news about the Community Investment Tax Credit program, our 2019 Hilltown Hero award recipients, Worthington Senior Center updates, a pancake breakfast, and more!

Our newsletter comes straight to your inbox! Not on our mailing list? Sign-up below!

Can you take a quick survey? We want to know what programs and services are important to you for our 2020 Community Development Block Grant application. Our application will be stronger with more community input. This funding supports many of our vital programs including the Hilltown Elder Network (HEN), Hilltown Food Pantry, Housing Rehab Program, and supports It Takes a Village. If you have used any of these services or believe that they are important to our community, please let us know!

Create your own user feedback survey

Notice of Public Hearing - CDBG FY2020

Tuesday, January 21st, 2020 6:00 PM

PUBLIC HEARING for the planning of the FY20 CDBG Grant

Participating communities: Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Peru, Plainfield, Williamsburg and Worthington

Where: Town of Chesterfield Selectboard Meeting Room

When: Tuesday, January 21st 2020, 6:00 pm

Come Share your input on potential projects:

·       Housing Rehabilitation

·       Architectural Design for Worthington Senior Center

·       Social Services which last year included:

·       Hilltown Elder Network

·       Health Outreach Program for Elders

·       It Takes a Village

·       Hilltown Food Pantry

·       Or other programs of interest to you

______________________________________________________________________________                                                               

Contact:        

Bea von Hagke – CDBG Grants Manager

413-296-4536 ext 115 (phone)

413-296-4020 (fax)

Hilltown CDC, P.O. Box 17

Chesterfield, MA 01012

beavh@hilltowncdc.org

This year, Hilltown CDC has teamed up with AARP to become a certified AARP Foundation Tax-Aide site. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide offers free tax-filing help to those who need it most. We’re looking for compassionate and friendly individuals to join our team of local volunteers for the upcoming tax season. You’ll receive training and continued support in a welcoming environment. And, as our current volunteers tell us, you’ll not only learn new skills, but also get a great feeling from helping someone else.

If you’re interested in making a difference in your community, we’ve got a role for you!

To sign-up as a volunteer, please contact Michele Kenney at 413-296-4536 x 100 or email michelek@hilltowncdc.org

FAQs

Who will you help as a volunteer?

We offer free tax preparation help to anyone, with special attention to older, low-income taxpayers. We understand that many individuals may miss out on credits and deductions they’ve earned because they can’t afford to pay for professional tax preparation.

Who volunteers?

Neighbors like you. And there's a role for everyone.

Good with the fine print? Be a volunteer tax preparer.

You'll work with taxpayers directly; filling out tax returns and helping them seek a refund. Experience isn't necessary — we'll provide training and IRS certification.

Love working with people? Be a client facilitator.

You'll welcome taxpayers, help organize their paperwork and manage the overall flow of service.

Skilled in all things digital? Be a technology coordinator.

You'll manage computer equipment, ensure taxpayer data security and provide technical assistance to volunteers at multiple sites.

Want to help get the word out? Be a communications coordinator.

You'll promote AARP Foundation Tax-Aide and recruit volunteers in your community.

Have a knack for running things? Be a leadership or administrative volunteer.

Manage volunteers, make sure program operations run smoothly, track volunteer assignments and site activities, and maintain quality control.

Speak a second language? You're urgently needed!

We have a big demand for bilingual speakers in all roles. We also have a need for dedicated interpreters who can assist other volunteers.

Get that great feeling from helping your neighbors in need by joining our volunteer team today!

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide is offered in conjunction with the IRS.

Join Over 300 hilltown businesses in the Hilltown Business Directory!
What will 15,000 hilltown households buy from you?

Now is the time to get your business listing and advertisement in the 2020 Hilltown Business Directory. The directory will be mailed to every household in the Hilltowns early next year. We are also redesigning our online searchable directory, available at www.hilltowncdc.com

The Hilltown Business Directory can include any business located in the Towns of Ashfield, Becket, Blandford, Chester, Chesterfield, Cummington, Dalton, Goshen, Granville, Haydenville, Hinsdale, Huntington, Middlefield, Montgomery, Peru, Plainfield, Russell, Washington, Westhampton, Williamsburg, Windsor and Worthington, or any business whose owner resides in these towns.

To register your business using our online form, visit https://hilltowndirectory.com/

For additional questions or to request a paper application, please contact Michele Kenney at michelek@hilltowncdc.org or 413-354-1055

Notice of Public Hearing - CDBG FY19

December 9, 2019 4:45 PM

The Chesterfield Selectboard will hold a Public Hearing regarding the Mass. Community Development Block Grant FY19 budget amendment on Nov. 25, ‘19 at 4:45 PM in the Selectboard meeting room in the Town Office Building, 422 Main Road. The building is accessible to persons with disabilities.  Any persons needing special accommodations should contact HCDC (296-4536, ext. 115) at least one week prior to the meeting.  All persons or organizations wishing to be heard will be afforded the opportunity.

Public comment is invited on: 

• A budget amendment is being requested to utilize Program Income in the Housing Rehab Program.

 The general public and representatives of participating towns and organizations with ideas or comments regarding this item should attend to present their views. The Town of Chesterfield, through its Selectboard, is the recipient of funds for this program.  HCDC is the grant administrator responsible for oversight and implementation.  For additional information or if you cannot attend the hearing, but have comments you would like to make, write Hilltown CDC, P.O. Box 17, Chesterfield, MA 01012, or email beavh@hilltowncdc.org

______________________________________________________________________________                                                               

Contact:        

Bea von Hagke – CDBG Grants Manager

413-296-4536 ext 115 (phone)

413-296-4020 (fax)

Hilltown CDC, P.O. Box 17

Chesterfield, MA 01012

beavh@hilltowncdc.org

LEARNING TO WALK THE RACIAL EQUITY TALK

Re-posted from MACDC The Notebook on October 30, 2019 by Vanessa Calderón-Rosado and Dave Christopolis

Ever since the civil rights movement gave birth to the community development movement in the 1960s, racial justice has been at the core of our work. At times, this commitment to racial fairness and equality has been front and center in our work; other times it has receded as practitioners have focused on getting deals done, securing contracts, implementing programs and managing the day to day business of implementing community development efforts. And throughout our 50+ year history as a field, we have struggled to recruit and retain professional staff that reflect the communities in which we operate.

In recent years, MACDC has undertaken a variety of efforts to address these shortcomings – from making racial equity an explicit core value of the organization, to requiring all staff to attend anti-racism training, to sponsoring a variety of initiatives designed to help people of color enter, advance and lead the community development field, and pursuing policies and programs that seek to address long-standing racial inequities in housing, employment, business and elsewhere.

However, as part of our strategic planning process, it became clear that we were not doing enough and more important we were not making adequate progress. We heard repeatedly from internal and external stakeholders that diversity, equity and inclusion had to be a core priority for our organization and our field. As a result, our new strategic plan, adopted in 2018, identifies racial equity as one of our core priorities for the next five years. We see this work as infusing every aspect of our organization including our staff, our board, our membership and all four major program areas where MACDC is active: member services, the Mel King Institute for Community Building; policy and advocacy; and research and innovation.

This special edition of the Notebook contains several articles by MACDC staff members about how we are working to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the community development field and how we are attacking the deep and persistent racial inequities that pervade our society.

As the current and future board chairs of MACDC, we wanted to share a bit about how the Board of Directors is looking in the mirror and seeking to apply a racial equity framework to how we operate. In 2017 and 2018, the MACDC Board participated in the NeighborWorks America Excellence in Governance program as way to strengthen our overall board governance. We identified diversity, equity and inclusion as one of the areas where we needed to improve. We worked with our NeighborWorks coach to develop a specific action plan to improve the diversity of our board and to change our board culture in ways that would make it possible for everyone to fully and authentically participate. We also committed ourselves to developing a deeper leadership pipeline to provide more opportunities for emerging leaders of color to demonstrate their talents. 

One of the first things we did as a group was to participate in the YWCA Racial Equity Dialogue Series. This program involves five, two hour sessions with the board and staff where we learned about each other, gained a shared analysis and language for discussing racial equity and covered important topics like micro aggressions, implicit bias, and historic/structural racism. The sessions uncovered important areas for us to focus and brought us closer together as a group and as colleagues.

We were able to immediately put these sessions to work on April 25 when we met with Governor Charlie Baker as part of our annual lobby day at the State House. We had given the Governor the book “The Color of Law” at the MACDC Convention in October 2018 and he had expressed a desire to discuss the book with us at a future meeting. Sure enough, we had a terrific conversation with the Governor about the book, housing segregation and discrimination and what we need to do. Board members were able to speak from the heart and really challenge the Governor to take action. We believe this was made possible by the trust we had in each other, thanks to the YWCA sessions. As you’ll read about later in this notebook, the Governor has taken some important steps since our meeting to close the racial homeownership gap in Massachusetts.

As a woman of color from Boston and a white male from rural Western Massachusetts, we share a deep commitment to this work. We enjoy a certain level of privilege as professionals and community leaders. The success of our efforts will always be measured by our moral compass. It is imperative that whenever we are able to speak truth to power that we remind our privileged leaders of their responsibility to ensure equity for all Americans. 

We believe racial equity is relevant to community and economic development work, and we are united in our commitment to make sure that MACDC lives up to its aspirations and founding values. It is time for us to address racial inequality and put in place the policies and incentives needed to transform our communities to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

We encourage you to read the articles in this newsletter, to share with us your reactions, thoughts and suggestions, to work with us when you can and to challenge us when we fall short. Thank you!  

Our 2019 Annual Report can now be viewed online. Find out about all the great work Hilltown CDC has accomplished in the past year and where we are headed in 2020!

Hilltown Community Development is joining Healthy Hampshire and Grow Food Northampton to co-convene a regional two-day retreat to bring together all past, present, and future mobile market partners in Hampshire County and the Hilltowns to:

• Grow and strengthen relationships across the county,

• Determine objectives for a county-wide mobile market implementation plan,

• Prepare for future funding opportunities,

• Understand how our work relates to social justice and equity; and

• Identify opportunities for regional collaboration.

The Hampshire County Mobile Market Retreat will be packed with opportunities to learn, share ideas, and plan for the future, including:

• A Featured Speaker: Jessica del Rosario, Director of Community Initiatives, Bureau of Community Health and Prevention, MA Department of Public Health

• Updates on the successes and learnings of past mobile market seasons from operators and customers

• Breakout sessions facilitated by key partners in Hampshire County mobile market work

• Opportunities to give input on our mobile market values and vision going forward