Business to Business: Service Providers Grant Program

The multiple grant recipients will provide services to support other local businesses by offering business development courses, cohort management, and program marketing across several DSLBD programs such as Aspire to Entrepreneurship, Dream Pitch, Food Waste Innovation, and Just Cannabusiness.

Funding Information

• DSLBD intends to award around ten (10) to fifty (50) grants between $500 and $50,000, on a rolling basis per service area, from the $400,000 in total available programmatic funding for FY 2025.

Uses of the Funds

• Grant funds may be used to cover standard business expenses (e.g., appropriate payroll for training sessions, materials and software for proposed services, tangible assets purchased for DC-based entrepreneurs participating in the proposed program or service, etc.).

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for this grant opportunity, applicants must be a DC-based and DC-resident owned for-profit business or non-profit organization appropriately licensed under DC laws and regulations. Applicant entities must also be compliant with the Office of Tax and Revenue (“OTR”), evidenced through an up-to-date Certificate of Clean Hands (“CCH”), have an active DC Business and/or Occupational and Professional License(s), hold a Federal Employee Identification Number (“FEIN”), and have an active Corporate Registration File Number and be in Good Standing with the District, as determined by Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (“DLCP”).
• In addition, applicants must demonstrate the following prior to receiving grant funding: (1) the need for their proposed program or service; (2) proof of a business bank account for the receipt of funds; and (3) signature on all required attestations requested from the applicant. Full eligibility requirements will be further outlined in the RFA and posted on DSLBD’s website when the grant opportunity opens.
• Applications that do not meet eligibility requirements and/or do not contain complete, truthful, and/or verifiable documents, information, and/or attestations will not be evaluated for further review.

Selection Process

• Grant awardees will be selected through a competitive application process. All applicants deemed eligible after Part One will be invited to complete one competitive application for a maximum of two (2) service areas. Complete competitive applications will be forwarded to and evaluated by an independent review panel. Preference will be given to CBEs.
• A DSLBD program team will review the panel’s recommendations. The Director of DSLBD or her designee will make the final determination of grant awards. Grant awardees will be announced on a rolling basis per service area in March 2025.

For more information, visit DSLBD.