Small-biz grants benefit women, immigrants

Boston’s small-business grants landed most in Dorchester, East Boston and the Back Bay, with nearly half going to women and immigrants.

The zip codes with the most businesses receiving grants were in East Boston and the Back Bay, each with 38 grants. Establishments with Jamaica Plain’s zip codes received 35, and Brighton’s and the South End’s 33 each. The four zip codes that are largely in Dorchester, which is by far the physically largest neighborhood, have a total of 112 businesses.

In total, 539 businesses received grants, according to a city breakdown released Tuesday. Of those, 42% are owned by white people, 23% by Asians and 15% each by black and Hispanic people. The city as a whole is about 44% white, 24% black, 20% Hispanic and 9% Asian.

About 79% of the grants went to businesses with five or fewer employees, and 68% to businesses with $250,000 or less in revenue.

Businesses with fewer than five employees received $2,500; $5,000 to each one with 5 to 15 workers; and $10,000 to businesses with 16 to 35 employees.

At the start of April, Mayor

Martin Walsh announced $2 million to fund a first round of grants and last week said $5.5 million in private dollars will pay for future grants for small businesses.

The city said 48% of the grants went to businesses owned by women or people who don’t identify as male or female, and 44% to immigrants.

Boston residents received 57% of the grants.

Restaurants and other food services received the most of any industry, accounting for 137 of the grant recipients, with “personal care” businesses second with 118.