LAWRENCE – Merrimack Valley Credit Union, one of the 10 largest credit unions in Massachusetts, has pledged $50,000 to support EforAll, an organization that seeks to accelerate economic and social impact through entrepreneurship in mid-sized cities. For the next five years, Merrimack Valley Credit Union will provide $10,000 each year to the organization’s South Coast region, which focuses on Fall River and New Bedford.
EforAll offered its first program in the South Coast in 2015, dedicating itself to helping both Fall River and New Bedford recover from economic decline as manufacturing jobs moved overseas. Partnering with the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, the organization offers several programs to help community members start and grow businesses, including its Business Accelerator program, a free, one-year program that provides a unique combination of immersive business training, mentorship and access to an extended professional network, and pitch contests to help early-stage entrepreneurs gain valuable exposure and feedback on a business idea.