Restaurants and retail establishments in Montgomery County that have been particularly impacted during the COVID-19 health crisis may be eligible for grants up to $5,000 from the public-private “3R (Reopen, Relaunch and Reimagine) Initiative” of the Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC). Applications are now being accepted as the establishments prepare for the upcoming holiday season and winter months.
Eligible businesses can submit applications through Thursday, Nov. 5.
Although any locally owned restaurant or retailer with fewer than 100 employees can apply for a grant, 10 County target corridors will be given priority for funding. Those corridors are Aspen Hill, Burtonsville/Briggs Chaney, Damascus, Four Corners, Germantown, Montgomery Hills, Takoma-Langley, Twinbrook/White Flint, Wheaton/Glenmont and White Oak. The target corridors were selected with community input.
More information on the 3R Initiative and the application can be found at thinkmoco.com/3r-grant.
The grant program is an important component of MCEDC’s year-long 3R Initiative designed to address the devastating impacts of the health crisis on the County restaurant and retail industries.
The 3R Initiative will support needed technical assistance and new business expenses that may have been unanticipated prior to the pandemic, including e-commerce solutions, delivery service fees and auto insurance costs related to deliveries.
The grant program will supplement Montgomery County’s existing COVID-related funding programs for small businesses. MCEDC will work with 3R Initiative applicants to coordinate and facilitate potential reimbursements of an additional $5,000 available through the County’s Reopen Montgomery grant program. Reopen Montgomery reimbursement grants offset eligible business expenses related to meeting state and local public health requirements. Consequently, 3R Initiative grant recipients could receive up to a total of $10,000 in funding support from both programs.
“The pandemic is forcing small businesses to change operations just to survive. Restaurants and retail have been significantly affected,” said MCEDC President and CEO Benjamin H. Wu.
“Our local consumer survey underscored a greater need to emphasize on-line shopping, delivery and take-out that will continue until a vaccine is developed. The 3R Initiative can help these businesses cover some of their new expenses and complement other available COVID resources provided by the County.”
MCEDC introduced the $1 million 3R Initiative with public and private funding from Montgomery County and PEPCO earlier in summer. The 3R Initiative has received additional support from the Exelon Foundation and the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association.
