An Act to provide direct investment for job creation and business expansion in rural communities

This bill creates a new rural development initiative to help rural areas in Massachusetts create jobs and grow businesses. The Secretary of Housing and Economic Development will work with the Rural Policy Advisory Commission to set up this program, which will be managed by the executive office and funded through the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency. The initiative provides technical assistance to help communities identify investment strategies, form partnerships across different sectors, involve local residents in planning, and launch local economic projects. It directly affects rural communities in the Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Hampshire counties by offering them resources to spur direct investment and business expansion. The bill focuses on establishing a structured process for delivering support rather than specifying exact funding amounts or guaranteed outcomes.