FY25 Business to Business: Service Providers Grant

FY25 Business to Business: Service Providers Grant is sponsored by Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD). DSLBD offers grants to DC-based entities providing business development services to local businesses.

FY25 Business to Business: Service Providers Grant | dslbd FY25 Business to Business: Service Providers Grant Update regarding Business to Business: Service Providers Grant REGISTER HERE: Business to Business Grant: Question & Answer Information Sessions REGISTER HERE: FY25 B2B Grant - District Capitalized Hub Service Area Information Session The Department of Small and Local Business Development (“ DSLBD ”) is excited to announce that it will be soliciting applications for the FY25 Business to Business: Service Providers Grant.

The multiple grant recipients will provide services to support other local businesses by offering business development courses, cohort management, and program marketing across several DSLBD programs such as Aspire to Entrepreneurship, Dream Pitch, Food Waste Innovation, and Just Cannabusiness.

To be eligible for this grant opportunity, applicants must be DC-based entities (for-profit and non-profit) that are appropriately licensed and in compliance with the Office of Tax and Revenue’s “Clean Hands Certification. " They must also maintain and show proof of basic commercial insurance coverage.

The full eligibility requirements will be outlined in the official Request for Applications (“ RFA ”) posted on DSLBD’s website when the grant opportunity opens.

This Notice of Funding Availability (“ NOFA ”), in combination with the Request for Applications (“ RFA ”), which will be released when the grant opens, constitutes the full set of instructions to assist applicants with completing Eligibility and Competitive applications for the Fiscal Year (“ FY ”) 2025 Business-to-Business (“ B2B ”) Service Provider Grants.

Applicants are encouraged to read both documents in their entirety before applying . DSLBD intends to award around ten (10) to fifty (50) grants between $500 and $50,000, on a rolling basis per service area, from the $400,000 in total available programmatic funding for FY 2025. Applicants pursuing the grant opportunity will have until February 3, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET to complete Part One (i.e., the Eligibility Application).

They must submit all requested eligibility documentation and follow any additional directives for Part One, as outlined in the RFA. Only those applications, supporting documentation, and attestations submitted through the Alchemer application portal will be reviewed and considered.

Competitive Application Deadline Applicants deemed eligible for this grant opportunity will be invited to complete Part Two (i.e., the Competitive Application). Applicants will have until tentatively on or around February 28, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET to complete and submit Part Two. Only applications and supporting materials submitted through the Alchemer application portal will be reviewed and considered.

* *If Deemed eligible, DSLBD will notify the approved applicant via email, and the applicant will have two weeks from the eligibility email notification to submit Part Two. Applicants deemed eligible and who have submitted the required supporting documents will be invited to the application portal. The deadline will be approximately 3-4 weeks after eligible applicants are invited to the application portal.

Only applications submitted through the application portal will be considered. To be eligible for this grant opportunity, applicants must be a DC-based and DC-resident owned for-profit business or non-profit organization appropriately licensed under DC laws and regulations.

Applicant entities must also be compliant with the Office of Tax and Revenue (“ OTR ”), evidenced through an up-to-date Certificate of Clean Hands (“ CCH ”), have an active DC Business and/or Occupational and Professional License(s), hold a Federal Employee Identification Number (“ FEIN ”), and have an active Corporate Registration File Number and be in Good Standing with the District, as determined by Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (“ DLCP ”).

In addition, applicants must demonstrate the following prior to receiving grant funding: (1) the need for their proposed program or service; (2) proof of a business bank account for the receipt of funds; and (3) signature on all required attestations requested from the applicant. Full eligibility requirements will be further outlined in the RFA and posted on DSLBD’s website when the grant opportunity opens.

Applications that do not meet eligibility requirements and/or do not contain complete, truthful, and/or verifiable documents, information, and/or attestations will not be evaluated for further review. How can the Funds be Used?

Grant funds may be used to cover standard business expenses (e.g., appropriate payroll for training sessions, materials and software for proposed services, tangible assets purchased for DC-based entrepreneurs participating in the proposed program or service, etc.). All expenses funded by this grant must occur during the “Period of Performance,” which is the date of execution of the grant agreement through September 30, 2025.

Additional uses and restrictions will be outlined in the RFA. How Will Awardees Be Selected? Grant awardees will be selected through a competitive application process.

All applicants deemed eligible after Part One will be invited to complete one competitive application for a maximum of two (2) service areas. Complete competitive applications will be forwarded to and evaluated by an independent review panel. Preference will be given to CBEs.

A DSLBD program team will review the panel’s recommendations. The Director of DSLBD or her designee will make the final determination of grant awards. Grant awardees will be announced on a rolling basis per service area in March 2025.

Full guidance and instructions will be available in the RFA, to be released on or about January 17, 2025, via the DSLBD website ( https://dslbd. dc. gov ) under the current grant opportunities section: https://bit.

ly/dslbdgrantopportunities Applicants are encouraged to read the full RFA before completing the application. DSLBD will hold virtual information and question-and-answer sessions on the application process and grant awards. More details on these sessions will be provided in the RFA, including a registration link.

Any questions not asked during these sessions must be submitted in writing to DSLBD via email at [email protected] for an official response from the Department. DSLBD will not respond to questions over the phone. Applicants are highly encouraged to attend an information session.

DSLBD reserves the right to issue addenda, modifications, and/or amendments after this NOFA or the corresponding RFA issuance or to rescind the NOFA or RFA at any time. REQUEST FOR APPLICATION: FY25 BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS GRANT (Updated January 31, 2025) NOTICE OF AVAILABLE FUNDING: FY25 BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS GRANT