Town of Barnstable Initiatives to Support the Business Community
The Town of Barnstable has long recognized that a thriving local economy is essential to the quality of life enjoyed by its residents. Supporting businesses — from the independent shop owner navigating permitting for the first time to the established enterprise seeking to expand — is not incidental to the work of municipal government; it is central to it.
In response to a recent inquiry regarding the Town’s role in supporting local commerce, the Planning & Development Department is pleased to offer this overview of the many programs, partnerships, and initiatives through which the Town actively invests in the business community. It is our hope that this document provides a clear and complete picture of the Town’s commitment to local business — one that is broad and ongoing.
Directing Tourism Dollars: Strategic Partnerships with Business Organizations
One of the most significant ways the Town supports local commerce is through its strategic investment of tourism-generated revenues. The Town of Barnstable directs a portion of the local meals tax and other tourism-related dollars to partner organizations whose mission is to promote the region and support the business ecosystem.
Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District (BID)
The Town supports the Hyannis Main Street Business Improvement District, which works to improve and promote the downtown Hyannis commercial corridor — the economic heart of the Town. BID funding supports streetscape improvements, marketing, events, and the day-to-day management of a vibrant, walkable downtown that draws both residents and visitors. Since 2019, the Hyannis Main Street BID has received an annual allocation of $8,000.
The Town’s partnership with the BID extends beyond funding. Major community events such as the recent Hyannis Blooms event and the Fourth of July celebration are coordinated in close collaboration with the BID, combining the Town’s logistical and promotional resources with the BID’s on-the-ground knowledge of the business community. This coordination — encompassing joint marketing, shared programming, and tailored opportunities for business participation — draws residents and visitors from across the Cape, keeping people downtown longer and generating meaningful economic activity for local merchants. These events reinforce Hyannis as a vibrant destination and demonstrate what is possible when the Town and its business partners work in concert.
Greater Hyannis Chamber of Commerce
The Town maintains an active partnership with the Greater Hyannis Chamber of Commerce, directing tourism funding to support the Chamber’s work in promoting local businesses, hosting events, and serving as a first point of contact for visitors and new business owners alike. Since 2021, the Hyannis Chamber of Commerce has received an annual allocation of $48,000 (including $23,000 for the operation of the visitor center).
For signature events such as the Greater Hyannis Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Father’s Day Car Show, the Town has historically provided support services at low to no cost to the Chamber, representing thousands of dollars in direct support. The Car Show draws an estimated 60,000 attendees to Main Street each year, making it one of the largest one-day spectator events on Cape Cod and a significant driver of hotel, dining, and retail activity throughout downtown Hyannis. By reducing the financial burden on organizers, the Town helps ensure these economic engines remain viable year after year.
Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce
At the regional level, the Town participates in and supports the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, which markets Cape Cod as a destination and advocates for the broader business environment across the region. This regional partnership amplifies the reach of Barnstable’s own promotional efforts and ensures local businesses benefit from a coordinated, Peninsula-wide tourism strategy. Since 2019, the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce has received an annual allocation of $47,000.
These partnerships reflect a deliberate philosophy: rather than attempting to replicate the work of established business organizations, the Town acts as a strategic investor and collaborator, directing public resources to where they will have the greatest impact to generate additional tourism spending in our community.
BusinessBarnstable: A One-Stop Resource for Business
The Town maintains BusinessBarnstable (businessbarnstable.com), a dedicated online resource designed to help small business owners, entrepreneurs and investors understand the regulatory landscape, identify available resources, and access the Town’s services efficiently. The site includes information on permitting and zoning, grant opportunities, regional resources available to entrepreneurs starting a business, available commercial properties, demographic data, and links to partner organizations.
The Town also sends out a regular newsletter through this website to provide public information on economic development news or initiatives relevant to our business community. This newsletter currently has over 1,600 subscribers.
In-Office Permit Coordinator
Perhaps the most direct form of business support the Town provides is through direct customer service. The Planning & Development Department’s in-office Permit Coordinator, serves as a dedicated guide for businesses navigating the Town’s permitting and licensing processes. Whether a business owner is opening a new restaurant, relocating an existing operation, or renovating a commercial space, the Permitting Coordinator position helps them understand what permits are required, connect with the right departments, and move through the process as smoothly as possible.
This role reflects an understanding that the regulatory process — however necessary — can be daunting, particularly for small business owners who are simultaneously managing dozens of other demands of starting or running a business. Having a knowledgeable, approachable point of contact in Town Hall makes a tangible difference.
Grant Programs: Investing Directly in Business and Placemaking
The Town of Barnstable administers and supports several grant programs that provide direct financial investment in the business community and the public environments in which businesses operate.
TDI Façade Grant Program In partnership with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Transformative Development Initiative (TDI), the Town recently supported a multi-year façade improvement grant program that helped property and business owners improve the physical appearance of their buildings in the downtown Hyannis area. These investments are visible, lasting, and contribute directly to the attractiveness of the commercial corridor for both customers and future tenants. Over the course of three years from 2023-2025, a total of $300,000 in state grant funding was awarded to 43 different local businesses. Through requiring private matching funds for each project, a total of roughly $750,000 was invested in downtown Hyannis during this time.
Tourism Mini Grants The Town offers an annual Tourism Mini-Grant Program to support local civic associations and non-profits that produce events and initiatives that draw visitors to Barnstable and generate economic activity for local businesses. On average the Town awards roughly $10,000 in annual funding for this program to support everything from small cultural events to large community festivals that take place in Barnstable. For the year 2026, funding was secured to allow for $19,000 in mini grant funding that promoted events related to the semi quincentennial or the 250th anniversary of our nation.
The Snack Shack at Hyannis Harbor Overlook: Helping New Food Businesses Get Started
One of the Town’s most unique programs is the Snack Shack at the Hyannis Harbor Overlook, located next to the HyArts Artist Shanties at 51 Ocean Street. This small seasonal food stand gives new food entrepreneurs an affordable way to start and grow their business.
The Snack Shack is available for food vendors to rent from June through November. It comes with built-in kitchen equipment, and the Town helps vendors through the permitting process. There is no rental fee — vendors only pay a refundable $150 security deposit and the cost of a temporary food service permit. Barnstable residents with less than three years of business experience may also qualify for small grants to help cover expenses such as equipment, staffing, and advertising.
The program supports both new and established businesses. Some vendors use the Snack Shack as their first opportunity to sell to the public, while others use it to test a new menu item or location before investing in a permanent storefront. In either case, the program gives business owners valuable hands-on experience in a busy waterfront area without the high costs and risks of opening a full restaurant.
The Snack Shack was created through a $45,000 TDI Challenge Grant awarded to the Town by MassDevelopment in 2022, highlighting the benefits of the Town’s TDI partnership. The program is managed by the Town’s Planning & Development Department, with inquiries handled by Community & Economic Development Planner Peter Bertling.
District Improvement Financing (DIF) and the TDI Partnership
Among the Town’s most significant and forward-looking economic development tools is District Improvement Financing (DIF) — a mechanism that captures a portion of the incremental growth in property tax revenues within a defined district and reinvests those revenues into improvements within that same district. In simple terms: as the district grows and becomes more valuable, it helps finance the very investments that make it more valuable. It is a self-reinforcing engine for revitalization.
The Downtown Hyannis District Improvement Financing Program was approved by Town Council on October 24, 2024. This 25-year program will capture 50% of the new growth generated in the area in the first 10 years, followed by 25% of the new growth generated in the remaining 15 years.
This program will fund projects in the following categories:
- Public infrastructure improvements (sidewalks, water infrastructure, broadband, etc.)
- Placemaking/beautification projects (upgrades to public spaces, streetlights, etc.)
- Storefront improvement grants for existing small businesses
- Arts and culture projects
Furthermore, a priority for the Hyannis DIF program will be to leverage these funds to obtain grant funding from state and federal programs to support projects in the area.
For more information, please contact: Kyle Pedicini, Assistant Director, Planning & Development Department or Peter Bertling, Community & Economic Development Planner
This information is accurate as of June 2026
