MD Purple Line Grants

The King County Community Reinvestment Small Business Grant provides King County small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs with workforce-focused grants ranging from $3,500 to $10,000 to support business startup, recovery, or growth. Funded by the Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) through Washington State's Community Reinvestment Program and administered locally by the Seattle Latino Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (SLMCC) and Tabor 100, the program offers three tiers tailored to a business's current stage: Tier 1 — Start Up ($3,500) for businesses just beginning or working toward their first hire, Tier 2 — Recovery ($6,500) for businesses with employees that have faced challenges and need to stabilize their workforce, and Tier 3 — Growth ($10,000) for established businesses ready to create new jobs, increase wages, or build advancement pathways. Approximately 28 grants are distributed across the tiers from a total pool of $200,000. Funds may be used for training, equipment, inventory, marketing, licensing, wages for new hires, software, and capital improvements, with all approved uses required to connect to workforce outcomes such as hiring, retention, wage improvement, or workforce capacity-building. Working capital, land or building acquisition, and debt repayment are not eligible uses. Eligible applicants must either be a small business with 50 employees or fewer holding an active business license in King County (nonprofits included), or an individual living in King County who plans to start a business there during the grant period. Funding is prioritized for businesses owned and operated by Black, Latine, Native American, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander individuals, as well as Economic Security for All (EcSA) participants and businesses that employ or plan to hire EcSA participants.

Aitkin County has two grant opportunities designed to support local businesses. The first opportunity is the Aitkin County Business Development & Recreation Grant Program, which supports projects that enhance tourism, recreation and small business development. Grants range from $100 to $2,000, with a required 1:1 local match and are available to businesses and nonprofit organizations located in or serving Aitkin County. Eligible projects include tourism and recreation events, business attraction efforts and initiatives that promote sustained visitor growth. The second opportunity, the Aitkin County Business Revitalization Grant Program, focuses on supporting for-profit businesses to improve the exterior appearance of their properties. Revitalization grants range from $1,000 to $5,000, also requiring a 1:1 match. Eligible improvements include exterior building upgrades, new or replacement signage and awnings and outdoor aesthetic enhancements. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis until funds are depleted, with projects evaluated on creativity, visual impact and community benefit.

The objective of the Façade Improvement Grant (FIG) program is to restore, sustain, and improve commercial properties located within the City of Newport News. The FIG program provides matching grant funds, up to a maximum of $20,000, to assist with eligible façade improvements on properties citywide that are used for commercial, industrial, office or mixed-use purposes.

Comcast RISE is supporting the growth of all small businesses and entrepreneurs committed to uplifting their local communities. This year, Comcast RISE will award a total of 500 recipients across five cities a grant package that includes business consultation services, educational resources, a monetary grant, creative production, a media schedule, and a technology makeover. To date, 14,000 small businesses were awarded with over $140 million in monetary, marketing, and technology grants.

The SBA Patriot Pitch Competition awards a $1 million cash prize pool to small businesses across the United States as part of the Freedom 250 celebration of 250 years of American free enterprise. Administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) with prize funding donated by Clover Network, Inc., the competition is a national pitch contest designed to spotlight small businesses driving innovation, job creation, and economic growth. Eligibility is limited to small businesses that have utilized qualifying SBA capital products (including 7(a) loans, PPP loans, 504 loans, microloans, and certain disaster loans), that meet the SBA's definition of a small business, and that have at least $100,000 of annual revenue. Individual applicants and team members must be U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age at the time of submission. Submissions are evaluated across four stages of judging panels that assess each business on factors such as innovation, demonstrated growth, job creation, and domestic production, with the top ten semifinalists narrowed down to five finalists who pitch live before judges and a national audience at a finals event in Washington, D.C. In addition to the cash prize, the finals feature a supplier matchmaking expo connecting small businesses with larger corporate buyers and government contracting opportunities, alongside networking with investors, industry leaders, and policymakers. Finalists are responsible for their own travel costs to the live competition.