Please make sure you keep scrolling until you reach bottom… In this Issue: Re-play our last webinar featuring
Chief Procurement Officers; Find
local money for your businesses; Define and locate
CDFI's, check-out current
Business Opportunities, and
browse stories about our award-winning
Corporate Members, and more…
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Looking for The Money:
Regional Grants & CDFI’s
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Regional Grants
BY
SONYA BIGELOW-SMITH
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Congress passed stimulus packages to help the nation deal with the economic impact of COVID-19. These included the Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan programs (EIDL). Unfortunately, many small and minority businesses have had trouble getting their fair share of the loans and grants made available under these programs. As a result many of your local county and government agencies have created grants and additional funding for those businesses that operate in their respective jurisdictions. Below we’ve captured support and resources by County. We hope that this information is helpful to you as explore what may be available to you across the DMV.
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Baltimore City
The Baltimore City Department of Public Works (DPW) invites you to learn more about its Small Business Development (SBD) Growth by Design Training Program being held on Thursday, June 4th from 5:30p-6:30p. Participants will learn about upcoming projects in DPW’s 2020-2021 forecast.
Please register at:
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Baltimore County
The Baltimore County COVID-19 Small Business Emergency Relief Grants Program went live on Monday, May 11. If your business is interested in applying for this grant, it’s time to start preparing your application! To help you prepare, the updated website now outlines exactly what documents and information you need to submit your application.
The $10 million grant will be awarded up to $15,000 for each applicant. The grant is on a first-come, first-served basis so we encourage people to have their information ready to submit on Monday. A program goal is to award at least 25% of grant funding to minority and women-owned businesses. Again, funding is limited so we encourage businesses to have the required documents ready for submission.
Deadline: First Come, First Serve
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District of Columbia (DC)
Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF). WACIF’s mission is to increase equity and economic opportunity in underserved communities in the Washington, DC area by investing knowledge, social and financial capital in low- and moderate-income communities in Washington, DC. There are small and micro business loans that have been funded with $25 million from DC Government to combat the hardships imposed by COVID-19.
Deadline: Varies.
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Fairfax County
Fairfax County creates $25m grant program for small businesses, nonprofits
The Fairfax County
Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to create the $25 million
Fairfax Relief Initiative to Support Employers (Fairfax RISE) grant program to assist small businesses and nonprofits affected by the economic downturn created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, the first of its kind in the county, will be funded using federal CARES Act funds provided to the county government.
Click here to fill out a county form to be notified when the grant application is available in June.
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Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC)
Montgomery County’s $250,000 Telework Assistance Program Fund was approved by Montgomery County Council to reimburse County businesses and non-profit organizations for expenses incurred implementing a telework policy due to the COVID-19 health crisis. MCEDC will administer grants of up to $2,500 to eligible County businesses and non-profits for verified teleworking equipment and software purchased in response to the pandemic, until the funds are exhausted.
Deadline: Future lotteries are dependent on available funds.
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Prince Georges Economic Development Corporation
County Executive Angela Alsobrooks has announced the Prince George’s County Business Relief Fund for County businesses. This $15M fund was established to provide financial assistance to businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The Relief fund can be used to support cash operating expenses including payroll, suppliers, rent, fixed debt payments, and other business critical cash operating costs.
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Prince Georges County Office of Central Services
What is VRS Lockbox?
The Mid-Atlantic Purchasing Team VRS Lockbox (LOCKBOX) is a free web-based procurement system which allows suppliers to self-register to receive email notifications of procurement opportunities from all member agencies, download PGC bid documents, receive addenda, and submit bid responses electronically.
Why Do I Need To Register for VRS Lockbox?
The COVID-19 pandemic required the closure of County Government buildings to the public. However, there continued to be a requirement for the procurement of goods and services. The physical submission and receipt of bids and proposal were adversely impacted and any bids/proposals submitted via email did not have the assurance of being handled securely, timely and properly. In the interim and until a permanent solution is implemented, VRS Lockbox was tested and adopted to securely receive responses to all solicitations issued by the Prince George’s County Government, Office of Central Services.
How Do I Register?
To utilize the LOCKBOX service, bidder must be registered on the Mid-Atlantic Purchasing Team Vendor Registration System (“VRS”) portal at
www.mwcog.net. If bidder is not registered, please do this before accessing the LOCKBOX.
Where Can I View Current Procurement Opportunities?
The County may post solicitations on either the County's website and/or the MAPT website. Vendors are encouraged to check the County's website and to register with the LOCKBOX.
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It’s Not Too Late to Get the Money. Try a CDFI!!
BY
KENNETH CLARK
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Larger businesses had existing client relationships with the larger banks and the larger banks were servicing their existing clients first and, in some cases, not serving anyone else at all. This was not what many in Congress had intended. Therefore, in the third round of funding, Congress wanted to make sure that more of the money was available to small and minority businesses.
Congress legislated that $60 Billion dollars would go to
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs)
whose clientele included this business segment.
WHAT ARE CDFIs? Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are specialized community based financial institutions with a primary mission to promote economic development by providing financial products and services to people and communities underserved by traditional financial institutions. CDFIs include community development banks and credit unions, and non-regulated institutions such as non-profit loan funds or venture capital funds. CDFIs strive to foster economic opportunity and revitalize neighborhoods.
And, No, it’s not too late to apply. Recent reports indicate that nearly $100 Million is still available for loans, some of which may be forgivable under the right conditions – if 75% is used for payroll, rent, and related expenses to keep your employees or bring them back to work.
There over 1,000 CDFIs throughout the US. Check the list of CDFIs below for one that might be a fit for you and your business.
CDFIs in MARYLAND:
- Baltimore Community Lending, Inc., Baltimore
- Harbor Bank of Maryland, Baltimore
- Harbor Bankshares Corporation, Baltimore
- Healthy Neighborhoods, Inc., Baltimore
- MECU of Baltimore Inc., Baltimore
- Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, Inc., Baltimore
- Security Plus Federal Credit Union, Baltimore
- Calvert Social Investment Foundation, Bethesda
- Charter Schools Development Corporation, Columbia
- Enterprise Community Loan Fund, Inc., Columbia
- The OpenDoor Housing Fund, Hyattsville
- Prince George's Financial Services Corporation, Largo
- All Credit Considered Mortgage, Inc., Rockville
- Maryland Capital Enterprises, Inc., Salisbury
- NeighborWorks Capital, Silver Spring
CDFIs in THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA:
- Anacostia Economic Development Corporation, Washington
- Building Hope…A Charter School Facilities Fund, Washington
- CFBanc Corporation, Washington
- City First Bank of D.C., N.A., Washington
- City First Enterprises, Washington
- Community Development Transportation Lending Services, Washington
- Cornerstone, Inc., Washington
- District Government Employees Federal Credit Union, Washington,
- Government Printing Office Federal Credit Union, Washington
- Housing Assistance Council, Washington
- Industrial Bank, Washington
- Institute for Community Economics, Washington
- Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), Washington
- National Community Reinvestment Coalition, Washington
- National housing Trust Community Development Fund, Washington
- Partners for the Common Good, Washington
- Washington Area Community Investment Fund, Washington
CDFIs in NORTHERN VIRGINIA:
- Capital Impact Partners, Arlington
- DuPont Community Credit Union, Waynesboro
- ECDC Enterprise Development Group, Arlington
- Fairfax County Federal Credit Union, Fairfax
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Emergent BioSolutions Signs Agreement to be U.S. Manufacturing Partner for Johnson & Johnson’s Lead Vaccine Candidate for COVID-19
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Emergent will provide contract development and manufacturing services to support Johnson & Johnson's commitment of one billion doses of vaccine for worldwide emergency pandemic use.
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Washington Gas Donations Support DC-Area COVID-19 Response
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Washington Gas announced it is donating $150,000 in a first round of ongoing funding that will be distributed among eight local non-profit organizations to support their efforts in providing essential services to those in need during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The contributions are part of a $1 million commitment by AltaGas, the parent company of Washington Gas, to support community partners across its operating regions in North America.
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Here are some of the latest MBE Opportunities compiled by
GovPurchase.
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541511 – Customer Computer Programming
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National Aeronautics And Space Administration – Veritrek Software License
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Department Of Defense – Dept Of The Navy – ANC, HNO, Tribal 8(a) SET ASIDE IT, Supply Chain, Logistics Support Services
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541513 – Computer Facilities Management Services
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Department Of Defense – Dept Of The Air Force – Hill Air Force Base Information Technology Consolidated Contract (ITCC)
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Department Of Defense – Dept Of The Navy – MSCOE G6 IT/AV Service Support
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541611 – Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
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Dept Of Defense Defense Logistics Agency (Dla) Continuous Process Improvement/Lean Six Sigma
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Department Of Transportation – Office Of The Secretary Audit Project and Methodology Consultant
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541990 – All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
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Department Of Defense – Defense – Health Agency (Dha) – Information Management and Information Technology
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National Aeronautics And Space Administration Maxmar Digital Footprint
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Use our newsletter to market.
What products/services have you provided during this pandemic? OR, do you have products/services you’d like us to share? Email
covid19@crmsdc.org
or call 301.593.5860.
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