VCEDA Telehealth Fund

The Cannabis Business Assistance Loan/Grant Fund (CBAF) is a financing resource operated by the Maryland Department of Commerce (Commerce), to provide grants and loans for small businesses, including small, minority-owned and small women-owned businesses entering the adult-use cannabis industry. CBAF may also provide grants to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for cannabis-related programs and to business development organizations, including incubators, to train and assist small businesses, including minority and women business owners and entrepreneurs, seeking to become licensed to participate in the adult-use cannabis industry.

The BGV Pitch program flips the traditional pitch experience on its head: we coach entrepreneurs, host a live crowdfunded pitch competition, and connect you to community and professionals to support you on your journey. We democratize funding by allowing the audience to vote with their dollars using our Raisify platform for the founders whose pitch they favor. Each founder has 3 minutes to pitch, followed by a 2-minute Q&A with the audience. Winners will receive cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, access to the BGV Connect Incubator, and a network of business owners and investors.

The Office of Nuclear Energy’s (NE) mission is to advance nuclear energy science and technology to meet U.S. energy, environmental, and economic needs. NE has identified the following goals to address challenges in the nuclear energy sector, help realize the potential of advanced technology, and leverage the unique role of the government in spurring innovation: - Keep existing U.S. nuclear reactors operating; - Deploy new nuclear reactors; - Secure and sustain our nuclear fuel cycle - Expand international nuclear energy cooperation. NE conducts crosscutting nuclear energy research and development (R&D) and associated infrastructure support activities to develop innovative technologies that offer the promise of dramatically improved performance for its mission needs as stated above, while maximizing the impact of NE resources. NE strives to promote integrated and collaborative research conducted by national laboratory, university, industry, and international partners under the direction of NE’s programs; deploy innovative nuclear energy technologies to the market; and optimize the benefits of nuclear energy.

The Maryland Manufacturing 4.0 grant program provides grants to small and mid-sized Maryland manufacturers to invest in Industry 4.0-related technologies, machinery and robotics, and digital business practices in order to remain competitive and drive growth. 20% of the funds will be reserved for small manufacturers with 3-50 employees.

The City of Chicago helps support business and neighborhood vitality through Community Development Grant (CDG) awards. CDGs use proceeds from the 2024 Housing and Development Bond and other funding sources to support a variety of eligible, business-related investments in construction and real estate development. Small grants up to $250,000 are intended to support eligible commercial, mixed-use and light manufacturing projects. Grants provide funding for up to 75% of total eligible project costs involving new construction, rehabilitation or both. Priority is given to projects with strong local impacts that leverage local talents, capacities and institutions and contribute to community vitality. Private and non-profit developers, property owners and businesses are eligible to apply.