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On March 24, 2020, in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office announced the details of a $25 million grant fund for small businesses located in the District of Columbia.   The funds are available for small, local businesses, independent contractors, self-employed individuals and nonprofits. 

The deadline for applying for the grants is 6 pm on Tuesday, March 31^st. 

The grants will be administered by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and the funding is separate from and in addition to funding provided by the federal government through SBA loans.  

Below are details about the grant terms and eligibility, as well as links to apply and obtain further details.

Grant Terms

• Grants up to $25,000
• Eligible uses: The grants are designed to meet short term financial needs and can be used for employee wages and benefits (including fringe benefits associated with employment, such as health insurance), accounts payable, fixed costs, inventory, rent and utilities

Eligibility

Businesses:

• Principal office in DC
• Not a franchise
• More than 50% of owners, employees or gross receipts based in the District
• Meet SBA definition of small business

Independent contractors, self-employed individuals:

• Washington DC resident operating a business in the District as a sole proprietor
• Pay self-employment taxes
• Not eligible to receive unemployment insurance through a full-time employer

Non-profits:

• Main office in the District
• Registered as a not-for-profit organization in DC
• Not a national or global organization (services do not generally extend beyond the DMV)

Applying for the Grant

• Click here for the For-profit application link. 
• Click here for the Non-profit application link.

Click here for more information about DC Small Business Recovery Grants. 

MORE INFORMATION

The contents of this Alert are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. If you have any questions about this Alert, please contact the Shulman Rogers attorney with whom you regularly work or a member of the Shulman Rogers Business and Financial Services Department.