MDOT Small Business Grant is a grant from the Maryland Department of Transportation that provides direct financial support of up to $50,000 to small businesses along the Purple Line corridor that have been impacted by construction. The program recognizes that ongoing construction has created financial and operational hardships for businesses along the corridor over many years.

Grant funds must be used for business-related expenses, including payroll, healthcare benefits, contract labor, working capital, and operational costs. Eligible applicants are small businesses with a physical location along the Purple Line corridor in Maryland. This is a highly competitive program and not all eligible applicants will receive grants.

Businesses must submit a new application for each grant round and are encouraged to clearly describe specific financial and operational impacts they are experiencing. The application deadline for the current round was May 3, 2026.

MDOT Purple Line Small Business Grant Program Grant Application | Maryland OneStop last revised 03/02/26 at 9:24 am MDOT Purple Line Small Business Grant Program Grant Application Purple Line Small Business Grant Program The Purple Line Small Business Grant Program is operated by the Maryland Department of Transportation to provide support to small businesses located along the Purple Line corridor that are impacted by construction.

We recognize that construction is impactful in many different ways and has been underway for many years. This program is focused on current construction impacts only. This is a highly competitive grant program and not all eligible applicants will receive grants.

We encourage you to clearly describe the financial and operational impacts you are experiencing. Businesses are required to submit a new application for each grant round to be considered for award. Businesses are highly encouraged to apply through the OneStop application portal .

PDF applications are also accepted and may be requested from [email protected] . The Program will primarily take the form of direct grants up to $50,000 to eligible small businesses to help offset the impact that construction closures or detours may have on business operations. Program activities and funding may also include marketing funding for businesses along the corridor and other business support.

Grant funds must be used for business-related expenses, including payroll/healthcare benefits, contract labor, working capital, business rent or mortgage payments for business property, supplier payments, machinery and equipment, critical operating expenses, and utility payments for business locations. Note that grant payments are considered taxable income.

To be eligible for a grant, a business must meet all of the following requirements: Be an existing business in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation. Documentation that the business is Active and in Good Standing with the State can be obtained from the Maryland Business Express website . A screenshot of the results will suffice, a formal certificate of good standing is not required.

The business must also be in good standing with all federal and State taxing and licensing authorities. Grant payments are subject to interception by the IRS and/or Maryland Comptroller if outstanding debts are owed to the federal or State government. The business must have been open and operational at its current location along the Purple Line alignment prior to July 1, 2023.

The business must currently be open to customers. The business must interact directly with customers primarily onsite at a business location that is within one-quarter mile of the existing or future Purple Line Light Rail tracks. Businesses at residential locations are not eligible.

Must be a small business, defined as one of the following: An entity with 50 or fewer employees in the most recently completed fiscal year; AND An entity whose annual gross sales did not exceed $2,000,000 in its most recently completed five fiscal years. This is a highly competitive grant program and not all eligible applicants will receive grants.

Grant awards to eligible businesses will be prioritized based on the location of the business and its proximity to the most significant construction impacts in the previous six months or anticipated for the next six months. Grant amounts will vary based on business size and location. All grant award decisions are final.

Eligible businesses may receive grants of up to $50,000 per award. Grant payments will generally be made within thirty days of notice of grant award. There are no fees or costs to apply for a grant.

However, please note that grants are taxable. Businesses ineligible to receive grant awards include cannabis-, tobacco-, and alcohol-based businesses; pawn shops; gun shops; massage parlors; adult video/book shops; adult entertainment facilities; tanning salons; gambling facilities; and tattoo parlors. The Program launched in 2025 and will end in 2028.

It will be funded at $1 million per year, with funding allocated between Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. Each year, there will be three rounds of grant applications and awards. The dates for each round of applications and awards will be announced at the beginning of each year.

The Program launched in 2025 and will end in 2028. It will be funded at $1 million per year, with funding allocated between Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. Each year, there will be up to three rounds of grant applications and awards.

The dates for each round of applications and awards will be announced at the beginning of each year. For 2026, the following schedule will apply: Funding support is provided by Purple Line Transit Partners, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s private sector partner in the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Purple Line Light Rail.

The program is a successor to the Purple Line Construction Zone Grant Program, which provided grants in 2023 and 2024 from the State of Maryland administered by Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. Open from Mar 02, 2026 at 12:00 am EST to Apr 03, 2026 at 11:59 pm EDT This application is closed. Please contact the administrator if you have questions.

Review the steps - read carefully Create or Login to OneStop Account Register for OneStop or login using your credentials Complete all required questions and file uploads. Provide SDAT Documentation Your business must be active and in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) to receive a grant.

Required support documentation in the form of a copy of the results of a Business Entity Search for your business from the SDAT website is required https://egov. maryland. gov/BusinessExpress/EntitySearch .

If your business is not in good standing, you will be ineligible to receive funds. If you need assistance with getting your business back into good standing, directions can be found at the link below and on the attached checklist. https://businessexpress.

maryland. gov/manage/maintain-good-standing-status . Your business must provide a completed IRS Tax Form W-9 to be eligible for grant payment.

The form is available at: About Form W-9, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification | Internal Revenue Service . Grant funds may be reported as taxable income to the business. IRS 1099 Forms will be issued to each grant recipient.

Good to know - Find helpful information Purple Line Small Business Grant Program Website What Happens After Submission Applications will be reviewed for completeness as they are received; however, no funding decisions will be made until after the application period closes. Funding decisions are based on eligibility, business location, construction impacts, and business size.

Approximately six weeks after the application period closes, grant awards will be announced. All applicants will receive an email notifying them if they have been awarded a grant. All grant award decisions are final.

Grant payments will be made approximately 30 days after grant announcement. You may be contacted for additional information as the payment is processed. Payments are subject to reduction if the business owes money to the State of Maryland.

Grants are considered taxable income. Maryland Department of Transportation purplelinemd. com/small-business-grants Address: 7201 Corporate Center Drive, Hanover, MD 21076 Check "Claim Records" page later.

A record can be a license, permit, certification, or registration, etc.