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Small Business Development Committee
Mission
The Small Business Development Committee will study and recommend methods (including funding requests and sources) to the Select Board to incubate, launch, recruit, and sustain small businesses in Brookline. Special attention will be paid to minority, women, veteran, service-disabled veteran, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and disability-owned businesses.
The committee will explore potential solutions to rising rents, regulatory restrictions, parking access, commercial displacement, and other headwinds facing small businesses.
The committee will consider the viability and recommend potential tools including business improvement districts, small business incubators, pop-up shops, co-working spaces, parklets, outdoor seating, galleries, public markets, and other options, as well as the role of the arts and special events in contributing to thriving businesses and communities.
The committee shall have no more than 15 members appointed to staggered 3-year terms and shall include residents, a representative of the Chamber of Commerce and/or local business associations, small business owners, commercial property owners, and members with expertise in public art programming and small business assistance. The Committee will be staffed by the Economic Development & Long-Term Planning Division.
The Small Business Development Committee meets on the second Tuesday of the month from 9-10:30am unless otherwise noted:
- January 9, 2024* (in-person)
- February 13, 2024
- March 12, 2024
- April 9, 2024
- May 14, 2024
- June 11, 2024
- July 9, 2024
- August 13, 2024
- September 10, 2024
- October 8, 2024
- November 12, 2024
- December 10, 2024
SBDC Subcommittees
| Subcommittee Focus Area | Subcommittee Members | Upcoming Meetings [See Town Calendar for Meeting Details] |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory | Jenn Mason, Chair Anne Meyers Tracy Chen | The SBDC Regulatory Subcommittee meets on the first Tuesday of the month from 9-9:30am unless otherwise noted. |
Coming soon!
Reference Materials
Small Business Development Committee members will be sharing any important reference materials (reports, articles, etc.) that they come across in their exploration of issues and challenges facing Brookline’s small business community, as well as potential tools and solutions to address those problems, here:
Town of Brookline Documents:
- Town Meeting Handbook
- Perspectives and Opportunities for Brookline’s Commercial Areas prepared by Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) - March 2018
- Coolidge Corner Intercept Survey (2014)
- 2018 Storefront Survey - July 2019 Presentation to Select Board
- 2019 Storefront Survey
- 2020 Storefront Survey and COVID-era Business Support Initiatives (December 2020)
Town of Brookline Programs and Resources:
Documents from other municipalities:
2023 Meetings:
- October 10, 2023 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- September 12, 2023 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- July 18, 2023 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- May 9, 2023 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- *Public Health Virtual Info Session for Businesses (hosted by SBDC) May 3, 2023
- April 11, 2023 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- March 14, 2023 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- February 14, 2023 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- January 10, 2023 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
2022 Meetings:
- December 13, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- October 11, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- September 13, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- August 9, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- June 14, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- March 8, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- February 8, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- January 11, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting - PART 1
- January 11, 2022 Small Business Development Committee Meeting - PART 2
2021 Meetings:
- December 14, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- November 9, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- October 27, 2021 Joint SBDC-EDAB Rapid Recovery Plan Capstone Public Hearing
- October 19, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- September 14, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- July 13, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- June 22, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- May 11, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- April 13, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- March 9, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting
- January 26, 2021 Small Business Development Committee Meeting