East Somerville Main Streets has announced that it has received a $10,000 grant from the Boston Foundation to support its small business technical assistance program, through the Foundation’s Open Door Grants program.

“This grant will allow us to reach more businesses with our small business support program to help ensure our small businesses stay in East Somerville, Director Jen Atwood said today.  “Additionally East Somerville Main Streets plans to grow and improve upon its public programming for the community by increasing the number and quality of free public events for the community to provide more opportunities for people to come together and celebrate our unique cultural identity as a neighborhood.”

East Somerville Main Streets was founded in 2009 and today serves the community of East Somerville with small business support, public events and creative placemaking activities.

“East Somerville Main Streets works to demonstrate something at the core of the Boston Foundation’s ethos – the power of community,” said Orlando Watkins, Vice President for Programs at the Boston Foundation. “By giving business owners a forum for connecting and a network for self-advocacy, it plays a crucial role in building vibrancy and pride in a diverse community. We are pleased to give them support.”

Open Door Grants are competitive, one-year grants designed for organizations whose proposal is focused on Greater Boston and whose values align with those of the Boston Foundation. Grants are awarded biannually, and are selected by staff through an inclusive evaluation process. Funds for this grant come from the Boston Foundation’s Permanent Fund for Boston, Greater Boston’s only endowed fund focusing on the pressing needs of Greater Boston. The Permanent Fund has been made possible by more than a century of gifts from those who seek to support innovative solutions to the region’s most pressing problems since 1915.