Economic Development

Workforce Solutions for Employers:

A Free Workshop Covering Employer Resources in Massachusetts including grants & technical assistance.

Thursday, January 26, 2023 at 8:30am

Join this hybrid event and learn about the existing resources here in the Commonwealth of MA. No need to struggle alone on hiring and training. 

Register here for the event.  

Workforce Solutions January workshop

Acton Business Leader's Brunch:

First Annual Celebration of the Acton Business Community

Wednesday, December 14, 2022 10am

This year's theme was Longevity Milestones

Congratulations to all of our honorees!

Over 80 years of business:

  • Acton Monument Company
  • Baker-Whitney Oil
  • Bursaw Gas & Oil
  • Curcurbit Farm
  • Erikson Grain Mill
  • Gallant Insurance Company
  • Haartz Corporation
  • John Palmer Moving Company

Between 60-80 years of business:

  • Acton Co-Op School
  • Acton Funeral Home
  • Acton Medical Associates
  • Ace Hardware
  • Donelan's Fresh Market
  • Gould's Clothing
  • Joseph Perry Plumbing
  • Leo Cavelier Metal Working & Welding
  • Middlesex Savings Bank
  • Palmer Kennels
  • Siesta Sleepworks

Between 40-60 years of business:

  • AB United Way
  • As You Like It Hair Salon
  • Discovery Museum
  • Idylwilde Farms
  • Infant Toddler Children's Center
  • Pedal Power Bike & Ski
  • Powers Gallery
  • Sal's Auto & Truck Repair

Between 20-40 years of business:

  • Acton Food Pantry
  • Acton Pharmacy
  • Bagels Plus
  • Commonwealth Ballet Company
  • Generations Law Group
  • Hansen Autobody
  • Mt. Calvary Christian Pre-School
  • Scheier, Katin & Epstein
  • The Paper Store

Between 10-20 years of business:

  • ActonTV
  • Bee's KNees British Imports
  • Boston Bijoux Jewelers
  • Dunkin'
  • Enterprise Bank
  • Kitchen Outfitters
  • New Habitat Partners
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Small Business Saturday in Acton

Small Business Saturday is Saturday, November 26, 2022. 

What is Small Business Saturday? This is a national initiative that exists to encourage people to shop small and shop local that began in 2010.  Here in Acton, this is the first year that the Economic Development Office is celebrating it!

We are so proud of all the companies here in Acton!

To learn more, check out the Find the Deals Map, The Directory booklet or the listing below! Shop Small & Shop local this holiday season and everyday. Some retailers are extending their promotions beyond Small Business Saturday. Thank you!

Find the Deals Map 2022

Small Business Saturday 2022 Directory


SHOP LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY ACTON - yard sign 3

Alphabetical list of our participating retailers:

  1. 1 on 1 Self Indulgence Spa
  2. AB PIP STEM
  3. Acton Bowladrome
  4. Acton Fine Rugs
  5. Ace Hardware Acton
  6. Acton Pharmacy
  7. Acton Vacuum & Appliance
  8. Ames Art Studio & Gallery
  9. Anita's Shoe Boutique
  10. Anytime Fitness - Powdermill Road
  11. As You Like It Hair Salon
  12. Big Foot Moving & Storage
  13. Blush Tan Acton
  14. Boston Bijoux Jewelry
  15. Circle Furniture
  16. Colonial Spirits
  17. Commonwealth Ballet Company
  18. Densen Design
  19. DeVita Chiropractic
  20. Eve and Murray's Farm to Table
  21. Forest Vibe Photography
  22. Gift Boxes by Beth's Party Prep
  23. Gould's Fine Clothing
  24. Great Road Vintage
  25. Great Spaces
  26. Hammer and Stain (opening soon - stay tuned for their Grand Opening on December 1st!)
  27. Handworks Gallery
  28. Hit the Net Sports
  29. HOME by Stamm and Black
  30. Jazzercise Acton
  31. Jo Karen Fine Lingerie & Activewear
  32. John Palmer Moving & Storage
  33. King's Ink
  34. Kitchen Outfitters
  35. Learning Express Acton
  36. Live4PT
  37. Lyla Beauty Bar
  38. Magenta Dance Place
  39. Mood Chartreuse
  40. Optimal Health
  41. Pattern Review
  42. Pedal Power Bike & Ski
  43. Penguin Coding School
  44. Powdermill Crossfit
  45. Q Cleaner & Tailor
  46. Revolution Yoga
  47. RF's Workshop
  48. RH Adhesives
  49. Saplings Consulting
  50. Siesta Sleepworks
  51. Silver Unicorn Bookstore
  52. Smudge Ink
  53. SquashWest
  54. Stamm and Black Interior Design
  55. The Art Project (opening soon - stay tuned for their Grand Opening!) 
  56. The Bee's Knees British Imports
  57. The Fish Nook Pet Center
  58. The Paper Store
  59. The Sea and Me
  60. The UPS Store
  61. Unique Nails
  62. Village Cleaners
  63. Wish K&D

ABUW holiday graphic

Youth Manufacturing Day 2022

Special thank you to our event sponsor, Associated Environmental Systems, our participating organizations and media partner, ActonTV.

Thank you to AES, Haartz, NAA, Spark Photonics, Insulet, AB Pip Stem and ActonTV!

Youth Manufacturing Day Flyer with Participating Orgs final.2 

****THANK YOU! What a fun and successful event!****

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THANK YOU 

to all the Kelley’s Corner Block Party Sponsors & Supporters!

At this fun, free community event we had a live band, magician, bubble party, face painting, henna, crafts, raffle, photographer, games, bike safety & e-bike clinic, drones over Kelley's Corner, and a food drive to support the Community pantry bin inside Roche Bros & support Acton Food Pantry. 

View the event program here. 

Sponsor logos for Kelley's Corner Block Party

Want to see the plans for Kelley's Corner? Click here.

Tips to Green Your Biz

Hear from Acton's Sustainability Director, Andrea Becerra, Acton's Economic Development Director, Julie Pierce Onos and Acton's Transportation and Mobility Fellow, Degen Larkin as they talk about ways Acton's businesses can become more green. Click below:

Sustainability Director Opens in new window

Grants & Technical Assistance Awarded for the Acton, MA Business Community and Visual Artists

Icon for the Acton Public Art program

Public Art in Acton, MA– Boosting the Creative Economy

The Creative Economy is an important part of our economic and social well-being and we want to both support working artists in our community and add more public art to our streetscapes for all to enjoy. We are proud of the working artists and artisans in the Acton community. For this specific call for art we commissioned murals and benches. Commissioned mural artists are: Meg Nichols, Elizabeth Bejar-Benz, Elizabeth Ames & Shara Osgood. Commissioned bench artists are: Yin Peet, Pam Tobbler & Sunanda Sahay.  

Read the press release here. 

The first community mural is going into Kelley's Corner on Main Street! Check out the progress and let us know what you think!

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Acton Business Incubator

We are proud of the Acton business community and our goal is to help the businesses who are here to stay and thrive while also attracting new businesses. The business community provides products and services to our Town and a livelihood for the business owners and their employees. This year we started our inaugural Acton, MA Business Incubator where the business owners receive micro-grants and technical information. 

Business Awardees in alphabetical order are: 

  • Abode to Adore LLC 
  • Acanthi
  • Ames Art Studio & Gallery
  • Anita's Shoe Boutique
  • Charlie Media
  • Cooperative Elder Services
  • Eve & Murray’s Farm to Home 
  • Green Home Solutions 
  • Handworks Gallery
  • Live 4 Physical Therapy & Wellness Advising 
  • Penguin Coding School
  • Q Cleaner & Tailor
  • RF’s Workshop LLC 
  • Sal’s Auto
  • SquashWest Sports & Fitness
  • TensorDock
  • Wicked Good Henna

The entire business community was invited to attend a three-part webinar series, free of charge, regardless of if they were selected for a grant award or not where they learned about the best practices in communication for reaching customers, networking with peers and securing funding. 

Read the press release here. 

Acton Business Incubator Icon 2

Sign up for Acton's Business Boost!

Sign up to receive the Acton MA Business Boost: An Economic Development Newsletter. Each issue will spotlight new happenings with local businesses and organizations as well as resources and events that may be of interest. Connect with us and stay up to date! Sign up here. 

Acton Business Boost screenshot

Check out the Business Boost Archives!

Overview

The Town of Acton is business-friendly and our economic development initiatives are designed to create and stimulate an environment in which businesses succeed.  We are here to serve as a conduit for this work.  Thinking of starting a business or have ideas to maintain or grown your existing company? Call or send a message today!

Acton Community Movie

The Town of Acton supports our local business community in creative and innovative ways.  The Town collaborated with CGI Communications to help businesses market themselves and reach potential customers while also showcasing all the great things about our community.  Check out the video shorts here.

Acton Movie screen shot

Economic Development Initiatives

In 2021, the Town of Acton released a report about how the town can be part of the Commonwealth's Local Rapid Recovery Planning initiatives. View the Great Road Corridor Revitalization Local Rapid Recovery Plan Report here to view a wealth of information including data and presentations shared during the public hearing phase of developing the plan, diagnostic key findings and recommendations.  The Commonwealth's Recovery Program was developed to help individual towns develop project-based recovery plans by providing technical support and guidance from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Plan Facilitators to assist in the development of customized plans. It also provided a research-based diagnostic framework to assist all stakeholders in understanding the unique economic challenges within their own municipalities covering four major areas: the customer base, the physical environment, the business environment and the administrative capacity that exists.

As a result of study and analysis in Acton, eleven projects were recommended that range from way finding signage, expansion of the municipal sewer system, shared marketing and collaborations among business owners, and improved pedestrian and bicycle access along the Great Road Corridor in Acton.  All proposed projects are targeted towards improving consumers' ease of access, improving visitors' experience, and increasing businesses' capacity to reach and interact with their clients. 

The key takeaway of the report is that in Acton, a "full recovery will depend on a mix of private and public realm projects." The proposed projects involve sufficient public-private partnerships and room for feedback from residents, consumers and business owners so that by following the key performance indicators and timeframes, the completed projects improve the economic sustainability of our Town.

Happening Around Town

If you have any programs or events related to building collaboration among business owners, residents and the Town, please feel free to share.  Our Town has a number of ways to collaborate and interact with others. Additionally there are some upcoming changes in our Town that may be of interest to businesses and residents as well.  A few programs and associations are highlighted here:

Acton Supports It's Local Businesses!

Acton is a business-friendly community, with a recent history of approving tax incentives for companies moving into Town. Associated Environmental Systems was granted a Special Tax Assessment to relocate from Ayer to Acton, doubling its workforce in the process.  Acton taxpayers granted a generous Tax Increment Financing deal to Insulet Corporation, enabling the medical device company to build a global headquarters and manufacturing facility for its Omnipod insulin delivery device. These companies, along with Haartz Corporation, are working with the Town and MassHire to create the Middlesex County Manufacturing Collaborative to match job seekers with the training necessary to become valuable manufacturing employees. Acton is a leader in the region.

In September 2020, Acton voters approved funding for a small business grant program for those negatively impacted by COVID-19.  The grant program was supposed to be funded by CARES Act funding, but the MA Department of Revenue prevented this.  Acton voters stepped up to use more than $165,000 in free cash to fund the small business grant program. This program helped over 40 businesses which was significantly impactful to keeping these businesses afloat. 

Small Biz Grant Video


Trying is Believing Business Showcase

Westside
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Energy Incentives

Sustainability Tips

https://www.abode.energy/acton/

http://ngrid.com/smallbusiness

http://public.dep.state.ma.us/Doer/mesa/#/home

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Program