As construction for the Purple Line drags on, Montgomery County has issued a call for small businesses to apply for construction impact grants.
This is the third phase of funding support offered by the county for independently owned and operated businesses with 20 or fewer employees. Eligible businesses can start submitting applications on Aug. 15.
The County’s Business Center will host informational webinars on the program on Aug. 29, 30 and 31 in English, Spanish and Amharic languages at 8070 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring.
Qualified applicants in the construction corridor can receive $5,000 from the county’s Business Center. The money comes from an $815,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Commerce.
“Our small businesses in the Purple Line Light Rail construction corridor have been hit hard due to the ongoing project,” said Executive Marc Elrich.
“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,” Elrich said in a news release.
Applications for Phase III grants will be accepted through Sept. 30.
Eligible businesses must be:
- Registered and in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessment & Taxation (SDAT)
- Have suffered revenue loss due to the construction
- Have a physical location adjacent to the construction of the Purple Line Light Rail project
- Have 20 or fewer employees
- Are independently owned and operated
- Did not receive a prior Purple Line grant during Phase I or Phase II
- Are not a subsidiary of another business
- Are not dominant in their field of operations
The Business Center staff will assist businesses throughout the process.
