The online application portal for the Customer and Employee Protection Grant (CEP) is now online. You may now create an account and complete the entire application process. PLEASE READ ALL OF THE CRITERIA AND CAREFULLY FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS BEFORE COMPLETING THE APPLICATION.
We expect a large number of applications. In the event your application does not follow instructions, there may be a delay in considering your request or in an extreme case, a denial if funds are no longer available.
The Small Business Customer and Employee Protection Grant Program is designed to assist local businesses purchase products and services needed for safe reopening in compliance with COVID-19 regulations. The program is supported with $ 5 million from the county's allotment of funding from the federal CARES Act and will be managed by the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation (AAEDC).
Through the program, a small business, particularly minority, women and veteran owned businesses, within the county or the City of Annapolis can apply for a grant of up to $10,000 to cover the cost of the following purchases:
- PPE for employees
- Protective shields/dividers
- Sanitation products and services such as:
- Disinfection UV lamps
- Biocide/mold bomb foggers
- Digital signage and floor/wall/window graphics
- Technology (hardware, software, applications, online platforms) for the purposes of:
- Wellness scans
- Virtual meetings
- Business website upgrades
- Customer communications and marketing
- E-commerce
- Delivery vehicles and equipment
- Professional consultation services such as legal and human resources experts to understand compliance regulations
- Workforce training to help employees understand and act on compliance best practices
The grant may be used as a reimbursement for eligible past purchases made after March 29, 2020. Businesses will be required to submit invoices to demonstrate proof of purchases.
To be eligible for the program, an entity must be an Anne Arundel County based business with 50 or less employees and must be in good standing with the State of Maryland.
Applicants will be required to submit a budget detailing purchases and vendors as well as financial documents such as business tax returns, Schedule C, or a profit and loss statement.
Preference for funds will be given to industries most directly affected by local/state/national quarantine rules.
Important Directions:
- The budget uploaded should match amount of grant request
- Budget should be detailed and include the following:
- List all vendors, amount of payment and products or services being purchased broken out per vendor.
- Vendor list should include product and/or services being purchased, vendor name, address, phone number, and website
- Past due bills for ongoing expenses such as rent, utilities, and inventory do not qualify
If you have questions, reach out to any one of us before submitting the application, or send an email to grants@aaedc.org.
Additional details such as application FAQs, industry safety guidelines and a list of local vendors where you can purchase improvements from are available on the grant program page below. We recommend you take a look at the documents before applying and keep the FAQ document open.
https://www.aaedc.org/business/financing-and-tax-credits/small-business-customer-employee-protection-grant/