New Grant Program Available to Frederick County Small Businesses and Farmers
Friday, May 22, 2020 – Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner yesterday announced the launch of a new grant program to support local small businesses and farmers. She earmarked $5 million to award through the new Jump Start Grants Program.
Designed to provide financial assistance to Frederick County for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations, the grant application period opens Thursday, May 28, 2020, at 7:00 am. Full-time farmers and sole proprietors (with commercial space) that have experienced significant financial loss caused directly or indirectly by the COVID-19 public health emergency are eligible. The county’s Office of Economic Development will administer the program.
The Frederick County Jump Start Grants Program offers three grant opportunities:
- Full-time Farmer Grants – $6,000 in one-time funds to qualifying full-time farmers. Full-time farmers qualify if they earned the majority of their gross income (51% or greater) from farming over the past two years.
- Small Business Grants – $10,000 in one-time funds for businesses with physical commercial space and 10 to 50 employees (full or part-time). Businesses can be for-profit or nonprofit.
- Micro Business Grants – $3,300 in one-time funds for businesses with up to nine employees. Employees can be W-2 or 1099 employees of a for-profit or nonprofit business, including sole proprietors. Micro businesses must have physical commercial space to qualify.
Applications will be accepted from 7:00 am, Thursday, May 28, 2020, until 11:59 pm., Friday, June 5, 2020.
Businesses must be located in Frederick County, or have more than 50% of employees or gross sales at their Frederick County location; employ 50 or fewer full-time-equivalent employees; and have incurred financial losses as a result of the public emergency.
Applications for the Jump Start Grants must be made online at FrederickCountyMD.gov/JumpStart. The website also provides eligibility requirements, application instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Please note that while financial information will be kept confidential, the names of businesses receiving grants and the amount they receive are public information. Questions about eligibility criteria or required documentation can be sent to Frederick County’s Office of Economic Development at info@discoverfrederickmd.com.