The last day for Montgomery County small businesses that have been impacted by Purple Line construction to apply for the initial traunch of funding to assist them is Friday, Dec. 10. The Purple Line Light Rail Grant Program, announced last week by Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and Montgomery County Council Vice President Evan Glass, has $231,000 appropriated to the County by the Maryland Department of Commerce to assist small businesses that have lost revenue due to the Purple Line construction.
Eligible businesses must submit applications by 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 10, to apply for up to $5,000 in grant funding.
“This is much needed funding to assist small businesses that have been impacted by this construction,” said County Executive Elrich. “I encourage businesses that have been affected to see if they are eligible for these grants. I also want to thank County Councilmember Glass for his partnership as the lead Council sponsor for this appropriation and Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins for her advocacy and leadership to secure this important funding—as well as the rest of our delegation. We are grateful also for our delegation’s support of House Bill 114, the veto of which was overridden during the special session of the General Assembly earlier this week. This will provide additional funding to assist even more businesses in Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024.”
“The holiday shopping season reminds us of the importance of buying local—and the need to support small businesses every day of the year," said Council Vice President Glass. "The delays in the Purple Line construction, compounded by the pandemic, have made it even more difficult for businesses along the route to survive. I want businesses in Long Branch, Lyttonsville, Takoma Park, and Bethesda to know that relief is on the way—and this funding is just the beginning.”
The Maryland Department of Commerce appropriated the $231,000 in funding to Montgomery County that will assist local businesses with grants of up to $5,000 each.
"Maryland Commerce is very pleased to work with our partners in Montgomery County to get funding into the hands of businesses that have lost customers and revenue due to the Purple Line construction," said Maryland Commerce Secretary Kelly M. Schulz. "Our small businesses are the foundation of our economy in Maryland, and we are committed to providing the support and resources needed so they can grow and flourish."
The County has partnered with the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) to administer the application process for the grants. LEDC has been advocating for a construction impact mitigation grant program since 2018 for businesses adversely affected by the Purple Line construction project. The establishment of the Purple Line Light Rail Grant Program is a step in the right direction, set to benefit close to 40 businesses. LEDC will continue to offer its robust programming so existing small businesses are well-positioned to leverage the economic opportunities that await with the completion of the project.
To apply for the grants, and for more information about the program, go to https://www.ledcmetro.org/purple_line_grant.
Information on grants to help businesses also is available on the Montgomery County small business website at https://montgomerycountymd.gov/biz-resources/covid19/.
