Monadnock Art X Tech (MAxT) in Peterborough was awarded $100,000 in the U.S. Small Business Administration Makerspace Training, Collaboration and Hiring (MaTCH) Pilot Competition. Makerspaces help innovate training for the workforces of today and tomorrow, and spur economic development across the country. These spaces are open to people focused on obtaining new skills, including current and aspiring entrepreneurs.
“I am excited to announce that two New England Makerspaces have been selected as winners of this competition,” said Wendell Davis, administrator for the SBA New England Regional Office. “These organizations will be able to directly support vocational education, job placement and provide and economic boost in their communities.”
The SBA’s MaTCH Pilot Competition awarded grants according to the following tiers:
- Seed: up to $25,000 will be awarded to seed small workforce development programs.
- Proof of Principle: up to $100,000 will be awarded to grow programs with a proven history of training and/or workforce development.
- Scale: up to $200,000 will be awarded for capacity building of successful existing programs with a strong history of training and/or workforce development. This winner would also have graduated participants in at least two training cycles.
MAxT is a “Proof of Principle” winner that developed a partnership with a local steel contractor, Guillou Construction in Milford, with the objective of helping to address the growing need for qualified welders in construction and industry. MAxT will use the award from SBA’s MaTCH competition to invest in capacity building improvements and to graduate more certified participants who will be trained to immediately enter into employment opportunities.
Current Issue - April 2024