The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development
The Pennsylvania State University
7 Armsby Building, University Park PA 16802-5602
814/863-4656(phone); 814/863-0586(fax)
Please send questions and comments to:
nercrd@psu.edu

Massachusetts

Land-Grant University Network

University of Massachusetts
- Cooperative Extension www.umass.edu/umext
  The University of Massachusetts Extension Service web site includes an up-to-date, easy-to-use, clickable calendar of extension-related events and deadlines; and information on extension programs in the areas of agroecology, 4-H youth and family development, nutrition education, and natural resources and environmental conservation. The site also includes a searchable directory of over 250 University of Massachusetts faculty and staff affiliated with extension programs, and a directory of program sites, accessible through a clickable map. Extension publications are available through a searchable, online catalog. Some publications also are available on the web site, in PDF format.
- Library System www.library.umass.edu/
- University Homepage www.umass.edu/
- New England Consortium www.umass.edu/umext/consortium/index.htm

Others

Alliance for Economic Development, Massachusetts www.massecon.com
The Massachusetts Alliance for Economic Development is a private, non-profit corporation for fostering economic growth in Massachusetts. It serves as a source of customized information to companies seeking to expand or relocate within the state. The MAED web site includes information about the alliance, its membership, and the state in general. It also includes a site finder service, an industrial park directory, and a resource directory. It includes links (accessible within pages) to member companies and other relevant sites.
Agriculture Online, Massachusetts www.massgrown.org
Sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, Massachusetts Agriculture Online provides information on the state's agriculture, horticulture, and food. The web site offers news and events, including an online newsletter. It includes information about and links to individual farms and producers of Massachusetts agricultural products. The site also offers information and links in areas of agriculture facts and organizations within the state.
Business Development, Massachusetts Office of www.magnet.state.ma.us/mobd
The function of the Office of Business Development is to assist businesses in creating and retaining jobs; attract new businesses by facilitating their relocation or expansion to Massachusetts; provide services, information and referrals to businesses; and operate regional business development offices in Boston, Springfield, Worcester, Lowell, and Dartmouth. The web site offers information on finance, location, technical assistance, small business assistance, assistance for minority- or women-owned ventures, workforce training, global ventures, industry-specific information, statistical data, information on starting a business, information on bidding on state contracts, and a legal guide.
The Cape Cod Commission www.vsa.cape.com/~cccom
The Cape Cod Commission is the regional planning authority for the Cape Cod region. It is department of Barnstable County made up of members representing each of the county's 15 towns (some rural) as well as the county commissioners, minorities, Native Americans, and a governor's appointee. The web site offers news and updates, information on commission programs, reference materials, and an extensive list of links to other sites, organized by subject.
Center for Rural Massachusetts http://www.umass.edu/ruralmass/
The Center for Rural Massachusetts was formed in response to rapid growth, major changes in rural economy, and concern for the welfare of rural residents in the state. The center's current programs focus on careful study of the nature of rural Massachusetts, how its population, economy, housing, services and other characteristics differ from those of urban Massachusetts, and the implications of those differences. The center also hosts the Massachusetts Rural Development Council. The web site includes information about the center; a variety of center and non-center publications available either online or from the center; a list of Massachusetts towns that can be considered rural, listed both by the center's standards and by MRDC's standards, and a gallery of images of rural Massachusetts. The site also has links to other sites, organized by subject.
City and Town Pages (Compiled by the Massachusetts Municipal Association) http://www.mma.org/links/city_town_websites.html
An alphabetical listing of web pages for cities and towns within Massachusetts.
Coastal Zone Management, Massachusetts www.state.ma.us/czm/czm.htm
Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management is an agency within the Executive Office of Environmental affairs, serving as the lead policy and technical assistance agency within that office. MCZM brings together technical specialists in marine sciences, policy, law, and public outreach, along with regional coordinators who serve as liaisons to communities and local organizations, with the goal of balancing economic interests with natural resource conservation along the Massachusetts coastline. The web site offers information on MCZM programs, as well as information on the regions served, including several rural communities. The site also has available some MCZM publications, and a calendar of events. Links to related sites are organized by subject area.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts Home Page www.magnet.state.ma.us/index.htm
Massachusetts' official web site includes information about the various departments, programs, and policies of the commonwealth, organized by subject; a large list of publications available on the site in PDF format, organized by subject; and information on the communities of Massachusetts, listed by name. The community information links are divided into the areas of external community web sites; information on the community or region from specific departments within the commonwealth web site; and other pages within the site which have information specific to that community.
Community Development Corporation, Franklin County http://mbs.valinet.com/~fccdc/
The Franklin County Community Development Corporation is a private not-for-profit organization organized to stimulate a strong and resilient regional economy, to help maintain the area's rural character, and to expand economic opportunities for local people in need. FCCDC programs include investment, training, and technical assistance programs that blend public and private sector funds to support entrepreneurs and assist business retention and expansion, revitalizing downtown areas, and redeveloping old properties for new uses. The web site includes information on the corporation, its membership, and its programs, including practical information for businesses and communities seeking its assistance.
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture www.buylocalfood.com
Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture is a community organization for supporting sustainable agriculture by strengthening the relationships between farmers and consumers, and encouraging Western Massachusetts residents to buy locally grown food. The web site includes information about the organization and a farm products guide. It also includes lists of and, where available, links to farms, retailers, and other programs participating in its Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown Campaign. It also includes links to other sites about agriculture.
Cultural Council, Massachusetts www.massculturalcouncil.org
The Massachusetts Cultural Council is a state agency to promote excellence, access, education, and diversity in the arts, humanities, and interpretive sciences in order to improve the quality of life for residents and to contribute to the economic vitality of communities. It provides grants to not-for-profit cultural organizations, schools, communities, and working artists, for programs that use the arts, sciences, and humanities to build stronger, more diverse, more livable communities. Beneficiaries include students, at-risk youth, elders, people with disabilities, and citizens in each city and town across the state. The web site includes information on grants and programs; two online newsletters, MCConnections and Cultural Education Exchange; and contact information for council staff and board members.
Department of Economic Development, Massachusetts www.state.ma.us/econ/index.htm
The Massachusetts Department of Economic Development is the state agency responsible for job creation and economic development in the Commonwealth. It includes the offices of business development, travel and tourism, minority and woman business assistance, international trade and investment, and film and video. The web site includes an online strategic plan, economic data for the state and municipalities within the state, and information on and links to the offices that function within the department.
Department of Housing and Community Development, Massachusetts www.state.ma.us/dhcd
The Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development is a state agency concerned with local issues and community development. In this role, DHCD makes state and federal funds and technical assistance available to communities to help them plan new developments, encourage economic development, revitalize older areas, improve local government management, build and manage public housing, stimulate affordable housing through the private sector, and respond to the needs of low-income people. It also administers the state's public housing programs, coordinates its anti-poverty efforts, allocates federal community development programs and provides a variety of services to local government officials. The web site includes information about DHCD, its purpose, and its regulations. It also includes DHCD publications in either PDF or HTML formats, and a DHCD program book in PDF format. The site lists contact information for various offices within the department, and for other departments and bureaus. The site also contains a list of links to other sites on housing and community development.
Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts www.westernmassedc.com
The Economic Development Council of Western Massachusetts is a public-private partnership including local mayors, CEOs of the region's largest employers and institutions, and the heads of several area economic development organizations. Its mission is to improve the industrial, commercial and retail base of the region and to streamline economic development services and activities for both existing and prospective firms. The web site offers information on the area's workforce, its infrastructure, demographic data, and education and resources. It also offers links to more information in the areas of transportation and market access; business resources and organizations; area communities; educational facilities; health care; quality of life; Massachusetts state resources; real estate; technology; and labor and workforce development.
Hampshire County www.geocities.com/Heartland/8610
The Hampshire County site offers primarily genealogical information, but also includes some county records, information about the area, and links to towns and organizations within the county.
Minority and Women Business Assistance, State Office of www.magnet.state.ma.us/somwba
The Office of Minority and Women Business Assistance is a state agency to promote the development of minority- and women-owned business enterprises and non-profit organizations. Its web site offers information on state and federal certification of businesses for affirmative contracting, programs offered by the agency, and sources for more information. It maintains a list of links to other sites of use to minority- and women-owned businesses, both within Massachusetts and at the federal level.
Montachusetts Regional Planning Commission www.mrpc.org
The Montachusetts Regional Planning Commission provides services in economic development, transportation, geographic information systems, tourism, and environmental planning. It serves 22 communities (many rural) in northern Worcester County. The MRPC web site offers information on the commission and its programs, including detailed information on current projects. It also includes information on communities it serves, and list of links organized by subject.
Municipal Association, Massachusetts www.mma.org
The Massachusetts Municipal Association is a nonprofit organization that provides advocacy, training, publications, research and other services to Massachusetts cities and towns, both rural and urban. Its web site offers information about the MMA, and a listing of weekly news in local governing. It also provides information in the areas of economics, education, legislative and state budget news, local finance, local government, innovation, MMA items of interest, and municipal government. Items of interest listed include news of related meetings or events, announcements of recently released reports, data, and statistics, and other association announcements. The site also offers an extensive list of related links, organized by subject area, and a list of Massachusetts cities and towns on the internet.
Planning and Economic Development District, Southeastern Regional www.srpedd.org
The Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District serves 27 cities and towns in southeastern Massachusetts. SRPEDD does planning for transportation, economic development, environmental protection and land use and runs the Southeastern Massachusetts Geographic Information System and Data Centers. The web site includes information on SRPEDD and its programs, as well as data on the Southeastern region of Massachusetts, including statistics on general area characteristics, housing characteristics, population, transportation, utilities, labor force, employment, and financial information. It also includes information on economic development, planning and zoning, and environmental issues. The site includes detailed information on its member communities, and links to community sites. It also contains a list of links to other related sites, organized by subject.
Planning Commission, Merrimack Valley www.mvpc.org
The Merrimack Valley Planning Commission is the regional planning agency serving fifteen communities (some rural) in northeastern Massachusetts. The commission's web site includes information on MVPC services in regional data, transportation, environmental development, economic and community development, geographic information systems, and the revolving loan fund. It also has information on industrial sites in the region, organized by location, and general information on the area.
Planning Council, Old Colony www.ocpcrpa.org
The Old Colony Planning Council is the regional planning agency serving fifteen member communities (some rural) in southeastern Massachusetts. The council's web site includes information on the council and its programs, the area agency on aging, the economic development district, the metropolitan planning organization, comprehensive planning and community development, and council news. It also offers data publications which can be ordered from the council. The site maintains a list of links for the communities it serves, organized by source; links to other regional planning agencies; and Massachusetts state links.
Planning Commission, Pioneer Valley www.pvpc.org
The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission is a consortium of local governments which have joined together to solve problems and realize opportunities by facilitating collaboration among all levels of government and business. PVPC provides research and analysis to member communities and private business groups in planning areas including community development, economic development, environment and land use, mapping and graphics, historic preservation, and transportation. The web site offers information about the commission and its areas of planning programs. It also includes information on the region, regional data, information about communities within the area, and commercial location information. The site also provides links to various other sites, organized by subject.
Plymouth County www.plymouth-1620.com
The Plymouth County Web site offers information about county tourism and information for county residents as well as economic development information, including county facts and figures, population data, employment data, economic data, information on individual cities and towns, and information and links to local chambers of commerce.
Rural Development Council, Massachusetts .(MRDC) www.mrdc.org
The Massachusetts Rural Development Council, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation serving as a partnership between the national government, state government, municipalities, and private sectors to provide development opportunities for rural Massachusetts residents. Its mission is to improve the quality of life in rural Massachusetts while preserving the unique characteristics of rural communities. The web site contains information on MRDC, its members and operations, and current projects. MRDC Newsletters are available on the web site in PDF format. Other past publications are also available. The site includes a list of links to both rural development sites and to other sites of interest, both within Massachusetts and the northeast and nationwide.
Small Business Development Center, Massachusettshttp://web.meganet.net/sbdc/
The Massachusetts Small Business Development Center, affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's College of Business and Industry, is intended to assist small businesses in the Southeastern part of Massachusetts by combining the resources of state and federal governments, academic institutions, and the private sector. It provides programs and training in business and financial plan development, marketing and sales counseling, financial analysis, business retention and international trade assistance. The web site includes information on the center, its staff, and programs, as well as information on the region covered. It also has a list of links to relevant sites.
Townboard.Org www.townboard.org
Townboard.org is an online calendar designed to assist volunteer land-use board members in Massachusetts (planning boards, conservation commissions, boards of health, sewer commissions and water commissions). It includes information and training events of use to land-use planners on a clickable monthly calendar. The site also offers a list of associated land-use organizations and links to related sites within Massachusetts and New England.