The Commonwealth has announced a new $67.4 million round of COVID-19 Small Business Grants, and 16 Natick businesses are among the mainly minority- and women-owned recipients. Among them are Oga’s Japanese Cuisine, management consulting firm ESS Analysis, and marketing and data analytics firm WebReply. Health care, professional service, and construction firms were also among recipients.

These awards follow an initial round of $49 million in grants, also for businesses hit by the pandemic, that included 11 Natick outfits.
The awards this time around go to 1,366 businesses, and for Natick companies, the grants range from $10,000 to $75,000 for a total of $785,000.
The grants are administered via the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, which is also now accepting applications for a new Sector-Specific Small Business Relief Grant Program that will give preference to industries such as bars and restaurants, gyms, personal services, and more. The grants are to be used for payroll, rent, and other expenses.
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