This year marks my 25th anniversary with the Franklin County Community Development Corporation (FCCDC), and as I look back, I’m struck by how much we’ve accomplished together, and by how much our work continues to matter.

Economic development is rarely a quick process. It’s slow, steady, and often invisible in the moment. But over time, small steps build momentum, and partnerships become progress. Looking back now, I see the impact of thousands of people — entrepreneurs, farmers, collaborators, staff, board members, and community donors and investors — who have made Franklin County stronger, more resilient, and more hopeful.

One of our earliest achievements was creating the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center, which has helped hundreds of small food businesses grow from kitchen-table ideas into viable enterprises. We worked closely with legislators to secure funding, with Board members to shape the vision, and with local farmers whose insights made it practical and grounded. Many others have helped turn that vision into a reality that still thrives today.

Another highlight was stabilizing the historic First National Bank Building in downtown Greenfield. Working with the Selectboard, the Historic Commission, and a passionate network of residents, we prevented the structure from falling into disrepair. That effort sparked new investment, and entrepreneurs came forward to redevelop seven nearby buildings, transforming the area into a hub of activity and creativity.

Another unique and innovative venture is the PVGrows Investment Fund, where community members have invested $2.5 million, capital that has revolved three times, to support local farm and food enterprises. It’s a remarkable example of what can happen when people put their money where their values are. Local partner organizations helped design the fund, and a few Foundations took the initial risks needed to make it real.

Over the years, the FCCDC has served as a fiscal sponsor for initiatives that continue to shape the regional food system.

  • Farm to Institution New England (FINE) has become a leader in the farm-to-school movement
  • The Massachusetts Food System Collaborative is driving policy change to advance food access and equity
  • Just Roots has become a vibrant model for community-based farming.

These organizations demonstrate that small beginnings, when nurtured locally, can have far-reaching effects.

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned in this work, it’s that opportunity matters. Not every project succeeds; not every business thrives. But everyone deserves the chance to try.

Many of the people we serve don’t have access to wealth, family connections, or formal business education. What they have is determination, creativity, and a willingness to work hard. The FCCDC exists to meet them where they are — offering business assistance, space and equipment, capital, counseling, and, often, simple encouragement.

My path to this work began as an undergraduate at UMass when I read E.F. Schumacher’s “Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered.” That phrase has stayed with me ever since. Later, while serving in the Peace Corps, I learned about the Grameen Bank and Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s conviction that access to credit is a human right. Those ideas, combined with the example of my parents, both educators deeply engaged in their community, set me on this course.

After a decade working with entrepreneurs overseas and several years helping refugees start businesses in Brooklyn, I returned to western Massachusetts and found the perfect home in the FCCDC. Here, “economics as if people matter” isn’t just a philosophy, it’s a daily practice. Small businesses form the backbone of our regional economy. When we work, buy, and invest locally, we strengthen our shared future. Even small investments – like $500 in the PVGrows Fund — can produce tangible results you can see, and often taste, in your own community.

At times, national decisions can feel beyond our control. But at the local level, we can shape our economic destiny — together.

I remain deeply grateful to the Board of Directors who hired me back in 2000, in particular, Michael Davey, Dick Haas, Molly Wood, Vinny Natale, and Mike Bosworth. I hope they still feel they made a good decision.

I am grateful to every staff member, board member, collaborator, volunteer, community partner and donor who has joined in this work over the past quarter century. For 25 years, I’ve woken up each day excited for what’s ahead — because every day brings new challenges, new ideas, and new successes.

Here’s to the next chapter of building an economy that truly reflects who we are: connected, creative, and committed to the belief that people, and communities, matter most.

Please come to the FCCDC Annual Meeting/Celebration at Hawks & Reed on Thursday,
Nov. 13 , 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

John Waite can be reached at johnw@fccdc.org. He lives in Gill and has been the executive director of the Franklin County CDC since 2000. For more information go to www.fccdc.org.