Purple Line Small Business Grants: Up to $50,000, Apply by July 31

The Maryland Department of Transportation is accepting Round 2 applications for the Purple Line Small Business Grant Program. Eligible small businesses along the Purple Line corridor can request direct grants of up to $50,000 to help offset construction-related business impacts.

What the Grant Can Pay For

Grant funds are intended for business-related costs tied to operating through Purple Line construction impacts. Eligible uses may include:

• Payroll, healthcare benefits, and contract labor
• Working capital and critical operating expenses
• Business rent or mortgage payments for business property
• Supplier payments, machinery, equipment, and utilities
• Marketing or other support for businesses along the corridor

Who Can Apply

A business must be active and in good standing with Maryland, open to customers, and located within one-quarter mile of existing or future Purple Line tracks. The business must have operated at its current Purple Line location before July 1, 2023.

The program defines a small business as one with 50 or fewer employees and annual gross sales that did not exceed $2 million in its most recently completed five fiscal years.

Important Dates

• Round 2 opened: June 29, 2026
• Round 2 deadline: July 31, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern
• Round 2 awards announced: September 1, 2026
• Program period: The program is expected to run through 2028, with up to three rounds per year.

How to Apply

• Create or log in to a Maryland OneStop account.
• Complete the Purple Line Small Business Grant application.
• Upload SDAT good-standing documentation and a completed IRS Form W-9.
• Apply through the Maryland OneStop application page.

Source: Maryland OneStop and the Purple Line Small Business Grants page.