Montgomery County officials announced Phase III of its grants program that would provide funding support for small businesses affected by the construction of the Purple Line.
Applications will be accepted beginning on August 15 for eligible businesses.
On Aug. 29, 30, and 31, the county’s Business Center will host webinars in English, Spanish, and Amharic languages at the Silver Spring Innovation Center, located at 8070 Georgia Ave. in downtown Silver Spring. In this third round of grants, the Business Center is offering $5,000 to small businesses located in the construction corridor that qualify.
The Maryland Department of Commerce has provided a grant of $815,000 to support this grant program.
“Our small businesses in the Purple Line Light Rail construction corridor have been hit hard due to the ongoing project,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich in a press release. “We have worked very closely with them to mitigate the challenges they are facing through support such as these grants. Our new Business Center staff will be proactively reaching out and making sure every eligible business in this corridor is aware of this grant opportunity. I appreciate the work of our Business Center as well as the efforts of the Moore Administration and County’s State Delegation to advocate for these businesses and provide this grant funding.”
A business may be eligible for grants through the program if it:
- Is registered and in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessment & Taxation (SDAT).
- Has suffered revenue loss due to the construction of the Purple Line Light Rail project.
- Has a physical location adjacent to the construction of the Purple Line Light Rail project.
- Has 20 or fewer employees.
- Is independently owned and operated.
- Did not receive a prior Purple Line grant during Phase I or Phase II of the grant program.
- Is not a subsidiary of another business.
- Is not dominant in its field of operations.
Applicants will be required to submit the following documents with their application:
- A government-issued ID (e.g., Driver’s license or passport) of the business owner.
- A completed business W-9. If you do not have a W-9 form, there will be a link to download the template on the application portal.
- Proof of good standing from Maryland Business Express, which you can check at https://egov.Maryland.gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch/Search.
- The business must register in the County’s Central Vendor Registration System at www.mcipcc.net.
Even if they do not have all this information readily available, businesses are encouraged to apply. The county’s Business Center staff will assist all eligible businesses throughout the process.
Funds are being provided by the Maryland Department of Commerce to assist businesses affected by the prolonged construction process of the Purple Line, which is now slated to open in 2027.
“Maryland Commerce is pleased to work with our partners in Montgomery County to offer these grants, which will provide some relief to the many small businesses in the County impacted by the Purple Line construction,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kevin A. Anderson. “Small businesses are the foundation of Maryland’s economy, and we want to ensure they have the support they need, particularly as they address these challenges.”
Applications for Phase III grants will be accepted online through Sept. 30.
MTA Photo