Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC) announced the launch of a new Digital Services Grant (DSG) to help small brick-and-mortar businesses and nonprofits in Anne Arundel County do business in an increasingly digital economy. Funded with $500,000 in federal American Recovery Act funds designated by the Maryland Department of Commerce, the program will begin taking applications for up to $10,000 on Monday, September 20 at 9:00 a.m.
“These grants will help our small businesses and nonprofits acquire the tools they need to recover from a devastating 18 months,” Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman said.
Eligible businesses and nonprofit organizations will be able to use the grants for the new purchase of, or subscription to, digital platforms and services including email and mobile marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), customer rewards/loyalty, e-commerce (online ordering/sales), and website and social media advertising.
“While many programs have provided much-needed direct relief to help small businesses and nonprofits survive the pandemic, the Digital Services Grant is an especially powerful one because it’s focused on strengthening them for the future,” said AAEDC CEO Ben Birge. “It will not only help brick-and-mortar businesses and nonprofits engage with their past and present customers and stakeholders as the economy continues to reopen, but will also allow them to reach new audiences and improve their ability to do business in the digital world.”
Qualifying applicants include businesses or nonprofit organizations with one to 20 employees that were established and operating prior to March 9, 2020. An applicant must be in good standing with the State of Maryland and Anne Arundel County and have a brick-and-mortar location in Anne Arundel County. In addition, each applicant must operate in one of the following sectors and submit a copy of the appropriate accompanying certificate or license:
- Retail (Traders License)
- Beauty and health personal services (Health License)
- Adult and children’s activity centers such as gyms, dance, yoga and martial arts studios, arts and crafts businesses (Certificate of Use)
- nonprofit organization (A 2019 IRS 990 form)
An applicant will also be required to submit:
- a completed and signed W-9 form
- a budget outlining the for proposed use of the grant
For more information on the program and how to apply, visit the Digital Services Relief Grant Program page. Applications will go live on Monday, Sept. 20 at 9 a.m. All applications must be submitted via an online portal by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 1.
For additional information, inquiries can be sent to [email protected].
