Our Mission

The purpose of the corporation is to stimulate a more vital rural economy, to maximize community control over our future economic destiny, and to expand opportunities for low and moderate income residents.

Who We Are

Headquartered in Greenfield, Massachusetts, the Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC) is an economic development non profit organization providing comprehensive business development education, access to capital, commercial office and manufacturing space plus home of the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center.

The FCCDC was formed in 1979 to maximize community control over our future economic destiny. At that time, a number of manufacturing companies in the area were closing and moving elsewhere. The FCCDC has changed over the years as the needs of the community have changed. Yet our programs and activities are still geared toward stimulating a robust economy that closely fits our sense of place – our hills and valleys, and our towns and villages.

What We Do

The Franklin County Community Development Corporation assists small business owners with business development in business planning, lending, and commercial space. Our goal is to help entrepreneurs who live or work in Western Massachusetts and the North Quabbin to minimize their risks by connecting them to resources and information to maximize their success.

The Western MA Food Processing Center (Food Center) helps guide specialty food entrepreneurs from throughout the New England region along the path to launch and manufacture food products.

The FCCDC’s commercial properties provide a space for new entrepreneurs in their early years. Since 1989 the Venture Center has been incubating and growing businesses by offering commercial space. Today there are 8 current businesses with one anchor tenant.

The FCCDC team consists of experienced staff, industry expert consultants and dedicated volunteers. The Franklin County CDC is funded by program fees (rental income, loan payments and tuition), state and federal grants and private contributors.

The FCCDC can:

• assist with business planning for pre-venture and existing business owners.
• connect business owners with information and referrals
• provide financial support for working capital, new equipment, general business needs.
• provide commercial space for office or light manufacturing businesses
• arrange for commercial kitchen space for value added food production

Keep in touch!

FCCDC Staff

Main #: 413-774-7204

	John Waite, Executive Director	John Waite has been Executive Director of the Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC) since March 2000. John oversees all programs and finances of the organization. He has helped expand the Business Assistance Program, the Small Business Lending program, and construct and operate the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center. Most recently he has helped expand the FCCDC’s work in Food Systems and Racial Equity and is leading the Strategic Planning process during the organization’s 40th Anniversary year. John has a Business degree from University of Massachusetts and a Masters degree from Columbia University. He has over 35 years of community economic development experience, including Peace Corps in Burkina Faso and Uzbekistan, CARE/UNDP in Uganda, Community Organization in Brooklyn working with Refugee entrepreneurs. He is on many boards and committees at the local, regional and national organizations.	413-774-7204, X102
	Amy Shapiro, Business Development Director	Amy Shapiro has been the Business Assistance Director at the FCCDC since 2001. Amy has an MBA and owned and operated a family business for many years. She is a seasoned business owner, business consultant and instructor skilled in entrepreneurial training, business management, advising and strategic planning. She has experience working with businesses, communities, non-profit organizations, arts & culture, trade associations and young people to promote programs, conduct outreach and provide classroom and one-on-one training. Strengths include client recruitment, counseling, teaching and course design. She has strong knowledge of local and national business trends, and the ability to collaborate with a diverse blend of professionals, business leaders, instructors and students.	413-774-7204, X107
	Alan Singer, Lending Program Director	Alan Singer has been the Business Lending Director at the FCCDC since 2003. Alan has both an undergraduate degree in Economics and an MBA with an accounting concentration. He is also formally credit trained by a major commercial bank and has worked in the private sector in various capacities both managing and underwriting commercial loans to businesses both large and small. Alan manages all aspects of the FCCDC $3.5Million lending program. Alan works closely with all clients seeking financing. He focuses on assisting clients with their financials to prepare for a bank loan or a financing from a non-traditional lender like the FCCDC.	413-774-7204, X105
	Vinny Natale, Finance Director	Vinny Natale has been the Finance Director of the FCCDC since October 2008. Prior he had been a member of the FCCDC board of directors (and its clerk /treasurer) from 1994 to 2000. During that time he was the chair of the search committee which hired present FCCDC Executive Director, John Waite. Vinny has BBA and MSBA degrees (both in accounting) from the University of Massachusetts and has been doing accounting / financial work for over 45 years. He became a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) in 1988. For other organizations he produced business plans for companies and assisted them with securing financing -- about $12 million. This included an initial public offering (IPO) that grossed $4.6 million for a Greenfield, MA company of which he was its CFO. He enjoys softball / baseball, basketball, taking pictures, music, national politics, reading.	413-774-7204, X106
	Liz Buxton, Food Processing Center Operations Director	Liz Buxton has been the Director of Operations of the Western MA Food Processing Center (WMFPC) since August of 2013. Liz has over 30 years of management experience in food service, food production and food safety. She has held positions in many facets of food production such as restaurants, business and industry food service, college food service, and K-12 food service. Liz holds certificates in Better Process Control School, HACCP Plan development, Juice HACCP, FSPCA Preventative Controls for Human Food , Serv-Safe and OSHA 10 and 30(anticipated July 2020) .She works directly with food entrepreneurs to scale up and make their processes commercial ready and with local farms to develop value added products from their crops.	413-774-7204, X110
	Kate Venne, Food Business Coordinator	Kate Venne is the Food Business Coordinator for the Western MA Food Processing Center (FPC). Kate has worked across many sectors of the local food system, including on farms, in restaurants and most recently, as the Farm to School Program Manager for a southern Vermont non-profit organization and food hub. At the FPC, Kate is the first point of contact for clients hoping to make a specialty food product in the facility. In addition, she coordinates product sourcing and sales for the Valley Vegetables program, a line of frozen local veggies sold to schools and institutions. Kate holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health and strives to apply this lens to her work at the FPC in order to build a more resilient food system that is accessible to all.	413-774-7204, X104
	Rebecca Busansky, PV Grows Investment Fund Manager	Rebecca Busansky is the Program Manager for the PVGrows Investment Fund (PVGIF). PVGIF provides financing and technical assistance to farm and food entrepreneurs located primarily in western Massachusetts through community investments. She has worked for PVGrows since 2013, and joined the FCCDC team in 2015 to launch the PVGrows Investment Fund, with a focus on developing and maintaining relationships with local food system borrowers and community investors. She has an undergraduate degree from Brown University and has worked in community economic development for more than 25 years.	413-774-7204, X112
	Judy Scherer, Operations Director	Judy Scherer, the Director of Operations at the FCCDC, has been here since 2005. She is responsible for IT and maintenance of efficient office operations for the FCCDC and Venture Center. She brings many years of varied work experiences to the job. She also brings Amelio, our feline receptionist, to provide his warm welcome to visitors. Judy coordinates training activities, manages data collection and reporting for programs.	413-774-7204, X111
	Jackie Spooner, Business Development Assistant	Jackie Spooner has worked at the Franklin County CDC since 2010 when she was first hired as an intern. She now holds the title of Business Development Assistant which entails a myriad of responsibilities including data entry, QuickBooks accounting, collecting receivables along with other front office duties. Jackie received a business degree from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst before most of you were born! She has worked in some aspect of business her whole life except when she was a stay at home mom raising her two children. In her spare time, she likes to read, go boating, watch sports and spend time with her grandchildren.	413-774-7204, X100
	Helen Perham, Communications Coordinator	Helen Perham is the Communications Coordinator at the FCCDC. Helen has led marketing and communications projects at organizations of various sizes across the state of Massachusetts. At the FCCDC Helen focuses primarily on marketing, communications and fundraising. Helen is the main contact for the organization’s story-telling, information sharing and brainstorming! Helen holds BA/MA Degrees in International Development and Social Change and a BA in Studio Art. In her free time, Helen enjoys making art, reading good novels and spending time with her family and friends.	413-774-7204 X114
	Arthur Hasselkorn, Credit Analyst	Arthur Haselkorn is the Credit Analyst reporting to Alan Singer, Business Lending Director. In that capacity supporting all aspects of lending from initial interview to collection and analysis of data and ultimate decision making. Then following with loan structure, documentation and monitoring of ongoing relationships. Background includes both Bachelor’s and Masters degrees in business along with extensive experience in all aspects of lending both on behalf of banks and commercial finance lenders. Working at FCCDC to help grow and strengthen the employment base of Franklin County.	413-774-7204, X115
	Amelio, Feline Receptionist

FCCDC Board of Directors

The Franklin County CDC is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected annually at our Annual Meeting. Board members represent the members of the CDC from throughout Franklin County. Board members appreciate hearing from CDC members. To speak with any Board member, please contact the CDC office and we will be glad to put you touch with the appropriate person.  If you are interested in becoming a board member, please contact John Waite.

Matt Allen

Greenfield

Community Action!

A.J. Bresciano
, Treasurer
Greenfield

Greenfield Savings Bank

Barbara CampbellNorthfield
Greenfield Cooperative Bank

Claire Chang
, Vice Chairperson
Gill

Solar Store of Greenfield

Margaret Christie, Clerk

Whately

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture

Cheryl L. Dukes
Buckland
UMASS College of Nursing

Tom Ewing
Leverett

Ewing Controls (former owner)

Darren Gale

Orange

Innovative Design Concepts

Andrea Nathanson
, Chairperson
Easthampton

Baystate Franklin Medical Center

Rachel Stoler

Montague
Franklin Regional Council of Governments

FCCDC Annual Reports:

To request additional Annual Reports please call 413-774-7204. Note that files are in PDF format linked below.

Annual Report 2019

Annual Report 2018

Annual Report 2017

Annual Report 2016

Annual Report 2015

Contact the Franklin County Community Development Corporation

Directions

FROM EAST — VIA ROUTE 2
— Route 2 West to Greenfield
— Exit at Route 5 & 10 (this is the exit before Rt. 91)
— Take a left at end of ramp onto Rt. 5 & 10 South
— Fourth right (at first lights) onto Silver Street
— Go about 1 mile, and just after going across a bridge take a left on Wells Steet. The FCCDC is located in the Venture Center about a ¼ mile down Wells St. on the right. Driveway entrance is just after Rays Cycle Shop.

FROM EAST — VIA THE MASS PIKE
— Mass Turnpike (Rt. 90) west from Boston to Springfield
— In Springfield take Rt. 91 North to Greenfield
— Take Exit 26 — Rt. 2A, Greenfield Center
— Take 2A East toward center about 1 mile
— Take left on Wells St. (Wells St. is the street after Conway St.). The FCCDC is located in the Venture Center about 1 mile up on Wells St. on the left. Driveway entrance is just before Rays Cycle Shop.

FROM WEST — VIA ROUTE 2
— Route 2 East to Greenfield
— At the rotary pass under Rt. 91 and take first right onto Rt. 2A to Greenfield Center
— Take 2A East toward center, about 1 mile
— Take left on Wells St. (Wells St. is the street after Conway St.). The FCCDC is located in the Venture Center about 1 mile up on Wells St. on the left. Driveway entrance is just before Rays Cycle Shop.

FROM WEST — VIA THE MASS PIKE
— Mass Turnpike (Rt. 90) east to Springfield
— In Springfield take Rt. 91 North to Greenfield
— Take Exit 26 — Rt. 2A, Greenfield Center
— Take 2A East toward center about 1 mile
— Take left on Wells St. (Wells St. is the street after Conway St.). The FCCDC is located in the Venture Center about 1 mile up on Wells St. on the left. Driveway entrance is just before Rays Cycle Shop.

FROM SOUTH — VIA Rt. 91
— Take Rt. 91 North to Greenfield
— Exit 26 – Rt. 2A, Greenfield Center
— Take 2A East toward center about 1 mile
— Take left on Wells St. (Wells St. is the street after Conway St.). The FCCDC is located in the Venture Center about 1 mile up on Wells St. on the left. Driveway entrance is just before Rays Cycle Shop.

FROM SOUTH — VIA Rt. 5 & 10
— Take Rt. 5 & 10 North to Greenfield Center
— After taking a right under the railroad bridge, go up Bank Row to the lights at Main St. in Greenfield Center
— Take a left at the lights, on to Main St. (also Rt. 2A)
— Go West about 4 blocks
— Take a right on Wells St. (Wells St. is the street after Chapman St.). The FCCDC is located in the Venture Center about 1 mile up on Wells St. on the left. Driveway entrance is just before Rays Cycle Shop.

FROM NORTH—VIA ROUTE 91
— Route 91 South to Exit 27 (on left)
— Merge onto MA-2 E/Mohawk Trail toward Boston
— Slight right onto US 5/MA-10 ramp
— Turn right onto MA-10
— Turn right at light onto Silver Street
— Go about 1 mile, just after going across a bridge take a left onto Silver Place and follow road as it curves and becomes Wells Street. FCCDC is on your right just after the Yamaha sign.