In partnership with SCORE of Western Massachusetts, Middletown, Connecticut-based Liberty Bank announced today it is launching its Academy for Small Business in Western Massachusetts on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

 Liberty Bank’s Academy for Small Business is a comprehensive, tuition-free 10-session training program providing new business start-ups and small business owners with guidance, resources and education to successfully start and grow their business. Among the many relevant topics covered through the Academy are available banking services, credit reporting, time management, financial management, record keeping and marketing, business planning and tax reporting.

 Upon successful completion of the program, participating small business owners will be eligible to apply for a $5,000 business line of credit with Liberty Bank.* Participants do not have to be existing Liberty Bank customers to participate, but they are encouraged to start a banking relationship with Liberty.

 Event:             Liberty Bank’s Academy for Small Business

When:             Tuesday, October 24

Time:               6:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Where:            10 Virtual Training Sessions

Those who are interested should apply online by Sunday, October 22.

For new business start-ups and small business owners who would like to enroll in the virtual sessions but are unable to participate in the next session beginning October 24, Liberty Bank will be offering the Academy for Small Business multiple times a year in Greater Springfield.

 “We are excited to offer this opportunity to new small business owners in and around the Springfield area as we continue to deepen our roots in Western Massachusetts,” said David W. Glidden, Liberty Bank President and CEO. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economies and the communities we serve. This is why the banking expertise and focused curriculum offered through our Academy for Small Business is so important. We will be guiding important stakeholders in Western Massachusetts down the path of success with the capital and banking resources they need to grow their business for years to come.”

 Liberty Bank expanded into Western Massachusetts in 2021 when it opened a Commercial Loan Production Office in East Longmeadow. Due to the team’s growth and reputation in the Western Mass market and their significant community involvement in the Greater Springfield region, the team relocated to newly renovated, first class office space at Monarch Place in Downtown Springfield. The Bank is also planning the opening of its first banking branch in Western Massachusetts later this year in East Longmeadow.

 About Liberty Bank

Established in 1825, Liberty Bank is the oldest and largest independent mutual bank in the country. With more than $7 billion in assets, Liberty has 56 banking offices across Connecticut and one in Massachusetts. As a full-service financial institution, Liberty offers consumer and commercial banking, cash management, home mortgages, business loans, insurance and investment services. Named ‘Top Workplace’ by the Hartford Courant every year since 2012 and designated a 2021, 2022 and 2023 Best-In-State Bank in Connecticut by Forbes Magazine, Liberty maintains a longstanding commitment to superior personal service and unparalleled community involvement.

Disclosure

*Business owners must commit to participate fully, attend 10 classes, and submit an application to qualify for a small business line of credit of $5,000. Must have or be eligible to open a Liberty Bank business checking account from which all interest and/or principal payments will be automatically debited. Must have a minimum Trans Union FICO score of 600. Must be in good standing with all federal, state and local taxes.  The business or any of its owners must not have filed for bankruptcy in the past five years and through the closing of the ASB loan. Neither the applicant nor any of its owners shall have been subject to indictment, criminal information, arraignment or other criminal situation, including being arrested in the past six months and through the closing of the ASB loan. Business owner must provide documented support for funding need.  Eligibility for the line of credit is valid up to 30 days after completion of the final class. Additional terms and conditions apply. Not a commitment to lend.