Skayle 360You already paid for this training. Go collect it.
Every Massachusetts employer pays into the Workforce Training Fund through its unemployment contributions. The Express Grant is how you get that money back, and for most companies it covers 100% of SCALE UP: 50 hours of live training in strategy, team, marketing, lead generation and AI.
Check your eligibility →- ✓Up to $3,000 per course and $15,000 per company, per year
- ✓MA employers with 100 or fewer W-2 employees and a physical location in the state
- ✓We complete the application with you, live on Zoom
- ✓Approvals typically within 21 business days
- ✓Registered provider, Commonwealth Corporation Express Course Directory
Four things decide whether you qualify.
Most Massachusetts small businesses and nonprofits meet all four without realizing it.
Counted across the whole company, not per location.
An office, factory or warehouse in the state.
Up to date on state tax filings and unemployment insurance contributions.
Employees are paid their normal wage for the hours they are in class.
50 hours, built in sequence.
01
Strategic Planning
The Foundation · 10 hours · 7 sections
Your Why, values, USP, vision and plan, the layer every later module points back to.
- Crafting Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
- Mastering The Golden Circle Framework
- Defining Your Core Values with Clarity and Impact
- Building Out Detailed Customer Personas
- Developing a Compelling Company Vision
- Creating a Strategic Plan That Delivers Results
- Building Company Scorecards for Measurable Success
02
Building Your Team
The People · 10 hours · 6 sections
The people who carry the strategy, and the rhythms that keep your best ones.
- Building a Strong Company Culture That Lasts
- Developing a Retention Strategy for Your Team
- Strengthening Marketing Through the Lens of Leadership
- Overcoming the Growth Killer, Tackling Unproductivity
- Navigating The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team
- Leading By Example, Inspiring Through Action
03
Marketing Strategy
The Difference · 10 hours · 6 sections
What makes you different, said in the customer's words, inside a working plan.
- Developing Your Marketing Strategy for Maximum Impact
- Differentiating Your Brand in a Crowded Market
- Becoming Customer-Centric Across Every Touchpoint
- Mapping McKinsey's Customer Decision Journey
- Mastering the Paid, Owned & Earned Media Framework
- Building Out a Comprehensive Marketing Plan
04
Lead Generation
The Engine · 10 hours · 6 sections
The website hub and the few channels that put the plan in front of buyers.
- Website Tools & Fundamentals for Conversion-Ready Sites
- SEO & Paid Strategies That Get You Found
- Retargeting Strategies to Recapture Lost Leads
- Email Marketing Best Practices That Actually Convert
- Mastering Social Media for Lead Generation
- Sales Enablement, Aligning Marketing and Sales for Growth
05
AI for Growth
The Multiplier · 10 hours · 6 sections
The multiplier that strengthens all four, at a fraction of the old cost and time.
- Artificial Intelligence Introduction, What You Need to Know
- The Rise of AI Agents, Your New Business Partners
- The Power of the Prompt, Perfect Your AI Output
- Leveraging AI to Perfect Your Strategic Growth Plan
- Using AI to Strengthen Your Marketing Plan + Content Library
- Additional AI Tools to 10x Future Growth
Live virtual, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00 to 3:30 PM ET. Fifteen companies per cohort. Winter 2027 runs January 19 to April 1, 2027.
Four steps, fully guided by our team.
Confirm eligibility15 min
A four-question screen on a short call. If you do not qualify, we tell you on that call.
Gather documents1 to 3 days
Certificate of Good Standing from the DOR, Certificate of Compliance from the DUA, and a W-9. We help you get all three.
Apply together20 min
Our grant administrator completes the application with you, live on Zoom. No paperwork headaches.
Approval, then training~3 weeks
Commonwealth Corporation reviews and awards. You pay per course, then we submit the reimbursement request for you.
Plan backwards from the start date. Approval takes about three weeks, so the practical deadline is roughly four weeks before a cohort begins. For Winter 2027, that means applying by mid December.
Taught by someone who spent 25 years actually building businesses.
Chris spent 25+ years building and scaling small businesses. As founder of TribalVision, a Boston marketing agency, he grew it to a 14% compounded annual growth rate, a four-time Inc. 5000 honoree, and a five-time Best Places to Work winner, before exiting. SBA Small Businessperson of the Year. Yale MBA. He teaches every session personally.
SCALE UP is built around 25+ working templates instead of theory. You work through each one during the session, with your own numbers, and you keep it.
Real business owners, real results.
What Massachusetts employers ask about the grant.
How much is the Express Grant actually worth?
Up to $3,000 per organization, per course, capped at $15,000 per company per calendar year, with a limit of $300 per instructional hour. SCALE UP is built to fit inside those limits, which is why most companies see 100% of the training cost reimbursed.
How does reimbursement work?
You pay for each course as your employee completes it, then we submit the reimbursement request to Commonwealth Corporation on your behalf. Funds typically arrive four to five weeks after the request goes in. Once the grant agreement is signed and you hold up your end, the funds are contractually owed to you.
What paperwork do I need?
Three documents: a Certificate of Good Standing from the Department of Revenue, a Certificate of Compliance from the Department of Unemployment Assistance, and a Form W-9. Most companies gather all three in one to three days, and we walk you through where to request each one.
Can I send more than one leader through?
Yes, and most companies send two or three. The cap works per organization, per course, so the grant amount is the same whether you send one person or several. Sending more means the plans get built by the people who will actually run them.
Do employees need to be paid while they are in training?
Yes. Employees must receive their regular wages for the hours they spend in training. That is a condition of the grant, not a Skayle 360 policy.
What if my application is denied?
We screen eligibility before you apply, so denials are rare. If something does come back, we tell you why and what would need to change. We answer grant questions even for companies that end up training elsewhere.
See if your company qualifies.
Fifteen minutes with Chris. No cost, no obligation, and we will tell you plainly if you are not eligible.
Book a 15-minute call →