Much of the help a small business needs is free and run by public agencies. The hard part is knowing which office handles what. This list groups them by purpose: advice and money first, then the accounts you will file through, then the local paperwork.
What made the list
- Official or nonprofit. Government agencies, public programs and nonprofit chambers — nothing selling a service.
- Useful to a small business near Easton. Statewide programs, plus the regional and town offices that cover Easton.
The resources
1.Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network
Best for: Free, confidential one-on-one business advising
No-cost advising, technical assistance and training for new and existing businesses. Its Southeast regional office covers Bristol and Plymouth counties.
Visit Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network’s website →2.SCORE SE Massachusetts
Best for: Free mentoring from experienced business owners
Volunteer mentors for entrepreneurs in the southeast of the state, including Brockton and the surrounding towns.
Visit SCORE SE Massachusetts’s website →3.SBA Massachusetts District Office
Best for: SBA-backed loans, contracting certifications and disaster help
Help with SBA funding programs, counseling, federal contracting certifications and disaster recovery.
Visit SBA Massachusetts District Office’s website →4.MassDevelopment Growth Capital Division
Best for: Small-business loans and technical assistance grants
Formerly the Massachusetts Growth Capital Corporation, which merged into MassDevelopment in February 2025. Its programs for small businesses continue under MassDevelopment.
Visit MassDevelopment Growth Capital Division’s website →5.Massachusetts Office of Business Development
Best for: Businesses expanding or relocating in the state
Helps businesses relocating or expanding in Massachusetts, with a focus on job creation and capital investment.
Visit Massachusetts Office of Business Development’s website →6.MassTaxConnect
Best for: Filing and paying Massachusetts taxes online
The Department of Revenue's system for filing and paying state taxes, including withholding, sales tax, estimated payments and PFML contributions.
Visit MassTaxConnect’s website →7.Department of Family and Medical Leave
Best for: Employers' Paid Family and Medical Leave obligations
Runs the state's PFML program. Employers file contributions quarterly; self-employed people can opt in.
Visit Department of Family and Medical Leave’s website →8.Department of Unemployment Assistance — employers
Best for: Registering for and paying unemployment insurance
How to register your business, manage your employer account and pay unemployment contributions.
Visit Department of Unemployment Assistance — employers’s website →9.Corporations Division, Secretary of the Commonwealth
Best for: LLC and corporation filings and annual reports
Where LLCs and corporations are formed and file their annual reports. Missing an annual report can affect the entity's standing.
Visit Corporations Division, Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website →10.IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center
Best for: Federal forms, publications and guidance
The IRS's hub for small-business tax forms, publications and online learning.
Visit IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center’s website →11.EFTPS
Best for: Paying federal taxes electronically
The Treasury's free system for federal tax payments, including payroll deposits and estimated taxes.
Visit EFTPS’s website →12.Easton Town Clerk — business certificates
Best for: Sole proprietors operating under a trade name in Easton
A business certificate (often called a DBA) is filed with the town clerk to operate under a name other than your own. Easton lists the fee as $60, valid for four years. The town notes it does not protect or reserve the name.
Visit Easton Town Clerk — business certificates’s website →
Local networking
The Metro South Chamber of Commerce, based in Brockton, is a nonprofit business association serving communities south of Boston, including Easton. Chambers are a practical way to find referrals, vendors and other owners facing the same questions.
General information, not advice for your specific situation. Tax rules, prices and product features change, and firms change what they offer — check with the provider before relying on anything here, and talk to us or another qualified professional before acting on it.
