Frederick County will offer Jump Start Business Grants designed to provide financial assistance to Frederick County for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations, 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.
The grant application process will be open starting 7:00 a.m. on May 28, 2020 and will close 11:59 p.m. on June 5, 2020. Currently, the three grant opportunities total $5 million to be awarded.
- Full-Time Farmer Grants: $6,000 to qualifying full-time farmers. Full-time farmers who have earned the majority of their gross income (51% or greater) from farming over the past 2 years qualify.
- Small Business Grants: $10,000 for businesses with physical commercial space and with 10-50 employees, full or part-time. Businesses can be for-profit or nonprofit.
- Micro Business Grants: $3,300 for businesses with 1-9 employees, including business owner. 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.
From the press release:
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.
