Archives for August 2022

BALTIMORE, MD (August 24, 2022) – The Maryland Department of Commerce has been awarded a $930,155 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to launch a pilot program aimed at assisting small businesses in Maryland with targeted cybersecurity training and knowledge. The Small Business Cybersecurity Resilience in Maryland (SCRIM) program will provide assistance to up to 40 businesses to help them mitigate cyber attacks through training of their employees as well as installing advanced hardware and software up to $10,000 per business. 

“We are very pleased to be one of only three states to receive this grant from our partners at the SBA,” said Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill. “With cyber attacks on the rise locally and globally, it is more important than ever that we offer this kind of specialized training to help small businesses in Maryland better secure their networks.”

The SCRIM program will give all employees of selected businesses basic cybersecurity training, including password creation, data backups, physical security, phishing scams, and incident response, as well as a more intensive curriculum designed for specific industries. Eligible businesses include those in the retail, restaurant, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing industries that have been in business for no more than three years with 50 or fewer employees.  

Maryland Commerce worked closely with several local partners, including the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Cybersecurity Association of Maryland (CAMI) to develop this program. 

In January, the SBA announced the Cybersecurity for Small Business Pilot Program, with plans to provide grants to state governments to help emerging small businesses across America develop their cybersecurity infrastructure. In addition to Maryland, Arkansas and South Dakota received funding. 

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report, the cost of cybercrimes against the small business community reached $2.4 billion in 2021. An SBA survey reports that 88% of small business owners felt their business was vulnerable to a cyberattack. Yet many businesses can’t afford professional IT solutions, have limited time to devote to cybersecurity, or don’t know where to begin.

“Cybersecurity is increasingly critical for small businesses and startups as they face rising challenges and cyber risks that could disrupt their operations. As we seek to build a stronger and more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem, we must innovate and provide resources to meet the growing, evolving needs of our diverse small businesses. With this new funding opportunity, the SBA is leveraging the strengths across our state governments, territories, and tribal governments to provide services to help small businesses get cyber ready and, in the process, fortify our nation’s supply chains,” said SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman.

“Small businesses, like the more than 600,000 in the state of Maryland, are attractive targets because they have information that cybercriminals want, and typically lack the security infrastructure of larger businesses,” said SBA Baltimore District Director Steve Umberger. “We’re looking forward to capitalizing on our great relationship with the state Department of Commerce to ramp up our efforts to help small businesses protect themselves, their employees, and their customers.”

About Maryland Commerce

The Maryland Department of Commerce stimulates private investment and creates jobs by attracting new businesses, encouraging the expansion and retention of existing companies, and providing financial assistance to Maryland companies. The Department promotes the State’s many economic advantages and markets local products and services at home and abroad to spur economic development and international investment, trade and tourism. Because they are major economic generators, the Department also supports the arts, film production, sports and other special events. For more information, visit commerce.maryland.gov.

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, through Project Restore, is providing financial support to Maryland’s existing or new businesses to help incentivize commercial investment in vacant retail and commercial properties.​

Project Restore provides two grant opportunities for businesses, including nonprofits, that are expanding, moving to or opening in a property that was previously vacant for at least six months:

• Property Assistance Grant: Provides up to $30,000 for one year to support costs associated with rent, mortgage payment or property improvements as applicable.
• Business Operations Grant: For businesses that generate sales and use tax, provides up to $250,000 per calendar year to support capital (property improvements, equipment etc.) and operating (staff salaries, marketing, inventory etc.) costs associated with business operations in the vacant property.

Who Can Apply

Existing or new Maryland based businesses, including nonprofits, with 50 or fewer full time employees that are expanding, moving to or opening in a property that was previously vacant for at least six months.

• NOTE: Businesses that have the following as their principal purpose are NOT eligible to apply: (1) Adult bookstore, adult video shop, or other adult entertainment facility; (2) Check cashing facility;(3) Gambling facility; (4) Gun shop; (5) Liquor store; (6) Massage parlor; (7) Pawn shop; (8) Tanning salon; or (9) Tattoo parlor.

Vacant Property/Length of Vacancy

Property must have been vacant for at least six months.​​

• If Applicant Is Leasing the Vacant Property/Space: Date of the signed lease or Letter of Intent must not be older than April 1, 2022, therefore property must have been vacant as of October 1, 2021 or earlier.
  • NOTE: Applicants with a signed lease dated between July 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022, that meet grant requirements, may apply for the Business Operations Grant but NOT Property Assistance Grant.
• If Applicant Owns the Vacant Property/Space: Business applicants that are also the building owner(s) cannot have owned the property prior to July 1, 2021 and the property must have been vacant for at least six months prior to or during the period of ownership.​

How to Apply

​​Project Restore Application – Apply Now​​​ ​​
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​The Project Restore application is available online. Please be sure to read ALL instructions included in the application carefully to ensure you provide all requested information and documentation to submit a complete application.

Prior to submitting an application, you will be required to register with the Maryland OneStop Portal. OneStop is the central hub for Maryland State licenses, forms, certificates, permits, applications, and registrations and can be accessed at: https://onestop.md.gov/​

The application round opens Thursday, July 7, 2022​ at 12:00 p.m. The online application portal will close at 5:00 p.m. Thursday, September 8, 2022 at the latest. The portal may close earlier if or when grant requests exceed available funding.​

Sample Application: FY23 Project Restore

​NOTE: This application is only a sample (actual application may vary) to assist in providing information on the questions and information required when submitting the online application via OneStop. All applications and required documents must be submitted online to be considered for funding​.​

Required Documents

The following attachments will be required in the on-line application in order for the application to be considered complete:

• Online verification of registration from the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation for the applicant, landlord and property owner.
• Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation Real Property online verification of owner of vacant property
• Applicant’s signed and dated IRS W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification
• Signed and dated by both applicant and landlord a lease or letter of intent to lease and occupy the vacant space. ​NOTE: ​If awarded funds, the applicant must provide a signed lease​ agreement prior to executing a grant agreement and receiving any funds
• If applying for the Business Operations Grant, existing businesses must provide proof of sales and use tax paid in CY2021 and CY2022 to date; new businesses must provide information on anticipated sales and use tax to be paid beginning January 1, 2023.

Use of Funds/Term of Awarded Funds

Property Assistance Grant

Property Assistance Grant can be used within one year as follows:

• (a) if the business, including nonprofit, is leasing vacant space the funds can be used for rent and cover the 12 month period from the date rent payments begin per the lease,
• (b) if the business, including nonprofit, owns the building then funds can be used for mortgage payments and the 12 month period begins at the date the award agreement is executed or
• (c) if the business, including nonprofit, owns the building and there is no mortgage the funds can be used for property improvements. If the funds are used for property improvements,​ applicant must submit vendor cost estimates for improvements and improvements must be made within 12 months from the date the award agreement is executed.

Grant amounts may be reduced relative to requests, if demand exceeds available funding.

Business Operations Grant

Business Operations Grant award amounts will be based on ​estimated sales and use tax to be paid by the business in CY2023 and CY2024 if applicable. Awarded funds must be used for capital and/or operating costs associated with business operations in the vacant space.

Grant payments will be based on actual sales and use tax paid to the state beginning January 1, 2023 up to $250,000 for up to two calendar years, if applicable. Payments will be made to the business on a quarterly basis, after the Comptroller’s Office has received the sales and use tax submitted to them by the business.

For Business Operations Grant the award term of 1 year or 2 calendar years will be determined based on the location of the vacant retail or commercial property/space the business will occupy:

• Tier 1 Areas – 2 Years (Calendar Years 2023 and 2024)
  • Baltimore City, Allegany, Baltimore, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Garrett, Kent, Prince George’s, Somerset, Washington, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties.
  • Opportunity Zones and the State’s 33 designated Main Street Maryland communities located in any Maryland county.
• Tier 2 Areas – 1 Year (Calendar Year 2023)
  • All other counties not​ listed in Tier 1 Areas.

Grant amounts may be reduced relative to requests, if demand exceeds available funding.