The Maine Department of Economic & Community Development (DECD) in partnership with the Maine Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) will provide grants of up to $5,000 for businesses with five or fewer employees, with an owner whose income is in the low to moderate range as defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

How to Apply?

Funds are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Business owners must meet with a Maine SBDC business advisor to determine eligibility and submit an application. Connect with a business advisor here.

How can the loan be used?

Businesses may use the grant money for working capital which includes fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that can’t be paid due to the disaster’s impact.

How much can I apply for?

Businesses can apply for grants up to $5,000. You must demonstrate revenue loss as a direct consequence of COVID-19. Funds cannot duplicate those received from other federal, state, or local programs (including other CDBG programs).

Where is the funding from these grants coming from?

These funds are made possible as part of the $11 million Maine received from the federal CARES Act for its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. Approximately $2 million of the allocation is being made available through the Micro-Enterprise Grant Program in partnership with the Maine Small Business Development Center. The funds for the program are being distributed through Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments (AVCOG), Coastal Enterprises, Inc. (CEI), Northern Maine Development Commission (NMDC), and Southern Maine Planning & Development Commission (SMPDC).

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