Announcement! Maryland COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant Fund for 501(c)6 Nonprofits
Maryland Department of Commerce recently announced a new grant fund, the Maryland COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant Fund for 501(c)(6) Nonprofits.
These organizations may have been excluded from previous funding opportunities that more specifically targeted 501(c)3 organizations. Please see below for further information. Applications will open on Monday, August 17!
Overview
To support Maryland’s nonprofit 501(c)(6) organizations facing financial impacts from the novel coronavirus, the Maryland Department of Commerce in conjunction with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) have established the Maryland COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant Fund for 501(c)(6) Nonprofits with $1 million of federal CARES Act funding.
The grant will provide financing to organizations experiencing economic stresses in order to mitigate potential layoffs or organizational closures due to COVID-19. Eligible organizations may apply for funding up to $10,000.
NOTE — The application wondow is short: The Maryland Department of Commerce will accept applications starting August 17 through August 24.
Terms and Conditions
Eligible applicants must be a Maryland based organization that represent businesses in the region they serve, which may include employer consortiums comprised of businesses who collectively meet the above qualifications, such as: Non-profit or community-based organizations; Industry Associations; Business Leagues; Destination Marketing Organizations; and Local or Regional Economic Development Entities.
- Must have less than 50 employees.
- Must have and provide proof of at least one W-2 employee or a valid employer unemployment insurance number issued from the Maryland Department of Labor.
- Must have under $5 million in annual revenue.
- Must be registered and in good standing with SDAT.
- Must be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(6).
- Must be established prior to March 9, 2020.
- Must not have already received a grant from any Maryland state government agencies for COVID-19 relief.
Application
To apply, an organization must complete the application provided on the OneStop portal. At minimum, a completed application must provide:
- A valid Maryland unemployment insurance number or other proof of W2 employees;
- A narrative and evidence of negative impact from COVID-19;
- A narrative of what the organization is doing to support their members to mitigate the impact of COVID-19;
- If there is no loss of income because membership dues were already paid, the applicant must provide evidence of support/increased expenses directly related to COVID-19;
- 2019 Federal Tax Return or 2019 Profit and Loss/Income Statement prepared in house or by a CPA AND most recent Profit and Loss/Income Statement (January – June 2020);
- Certificate of Good Standing with SDAT; and
- Letter from the IRS confirming 501(c)(6) status.
Lastly, as part of the application, you will be asked to provide a list of specific expense items such as rent, fixed debt payments (p+i), payroll expenses, other taxes and fees, utilities, equipment repairs, supplies, and other cash expenses.
Contact
For more information about this COVID-19 grant fund, please send an email to the Commerce COVID-19 Assistance Team at [email protected].