Investing in Innovative & Disruptive Models that Increase the Economic Mobility
and/or the Community Wealth of DC’s Most Marginalized Populations & Communities

Achieving health equity requires more than improving individual health outcomes and expanding access to services. A vision for health equity demands that we directly engage the social determinants of health —societal factors that have been shaped by centuries of laws, public policies, behaviors, and practices that have worked together to produce the disparate outcomes we see today.

The Health Equity Fund will offer grant opportunities for demonstration projects that provide proof of concept and determine potential for scalability. The projects must consist of two or more partner organizations working collaboratively in a new and targeted way to implement economic mobility models that increase strategic economic participation and build community wealth for people and communities with the greatest economic and health disparities.

Grants will be awarded to select partner organizations that meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

• At least two partner organizations must work together to execute the proposed project.

• All members of the partnership (defined as the organizations that will receive a grant agreement and funds, if awarded) must have current status as a 501(c)(3) public charity designation. Organizations that have not yet received a 501(c)(3) designation must have a fiscal sponsor (an entity will need to have an EIN or the EIN of their fiscal sponsor in order to access the application in the online portal). The fiscal sponsor must meet all eligibility requirements at the time of submission. For profit entities such as LLCs and sole proprietorships are not eligible to apply for funding.

• Each partner organization must not be listed on the Office of Foreign Assets Control Specially Designated Nationals or the Southern Poverty Law Center Hate Group lists.

• Each partner organization must be both based in and primarily implementing in the District of Columbia.

• Each partner organization should approach their work through a racial equity lens.

• Each partner organization’s staff and board leadership should reflect the communities served by the organization and have a demonstrated track record of community engagement as demonstrated by the existence of community advisory boards, community listening sessions, community representation on the board of directors, or other measures defined by the organization.

• If previous funding has been received from The Community Foundation, each partner organization must be current in reporting to The Community Foundation as specified in the grant agreement. 

Organizations who have previously received a Health Equity Fund grant cannot submit an LOI in the same year an initial award was made.

Qualified respondents are invited to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) until March 2026 (or until funds have been exhausted). All respondents are strongly encouraged to watch the recording of the FAQ webinar held on October 10, 2023.

For additional information, please review the LOI Guidelines below, as well as the Health Equity Fund webpage.

The Greater Washington Community Foundation is offering this Request for Proposals (RFP) to support the growth and sustainability of small businesses in Prince George’s County (para español, lea abajo). In collaboration with PNC, this program will support existing small businesses and position them to harness the economic benefits of development happening along the Purple Line and Blue Line corridors. Small businesses along the Purple Line and Blue Line corridors in Prince George’s County face significant challenges while these transformational infrastructure projects are under development. Due to disruptions caused by construction as well as the ongoing effects of the pandemic, businesses require increased access to resources and support for operational costs, technical upgrades, and other assistance to retain and grow their customer base and workforce.

This program will provide immediate support in the form of grants and technical assistance, with the overall goals of fostering economic mobility among entrepreneurs and enhancing access to services and jobs for residents. By supporting the growth and sustainability of small businesses as employers, economic drivers, and neighborhood anchors, this effort continues The Community Foundation’s commitment to closing our region’s racial wealth gap.

The Community Foundation will award grants of up to $20,000 to up to 20 small businesses in the county. The funding can be used to help participants cover operational costs, technical assistance, technology, or capital improvements. Total grant funds available through this RFP is $350,000.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants will meet the following requirements:

• Has a physical location within the target corridors in Prince George’s County specifically within the following neighborhoods or zip codes:

  • Langley Park - 20783, 20903, 20912

  • Chillum - 20782, 20783, 20912, 20712

  • Adelphi - 20783, 20782, 20903

  • Seat Pleasant - 20743, 20785

  • Largo - 20721, 20774

  • Suitland - 20746, 20747, 20748

  • Glenarden - 20706

  • District Heights - 20747

  • Capitol Heights - 20743

• Has 10 or fewer total employees

• Under $5 million in annual gross revenue during the most recently concluded tax year

• Currently in operation and have been in operation for a minimum of 3 years prior to application

• Organized as a for-profit entity with one of the following entity types: sole proprietorship, LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, partnership

• Must be a legally registered entity in good standing with all necessary county and state licenses and permits

• Must demonstrate a commitment to community impact

Programa de apoyo a las pequeñas empresas del condado de Prince George

Greater Washington Community Foundation ofrece esta Solicitud de Propuestas (RFP) para apoyar el crecimiento y la sostenibilidad de las pequeñas empresas del condado de Prince George. En colaboración con PNC, este programa apoyará a las pequeñas empresas existentes y las posicionará para aprovechar los beneficios económicos del desarrollo que se está produciendo a lo largo de los corredores de la Purple Line y la Blue Line. Las pequeñas empresas situadas a lo largo de los corredores de la Purple Line y la Blue Line en el condado de Prince George's se enfrentan a importantes retos mientras se desarrollan estos proyectos de infraestructuras transformadoras. Debido a las interrupciones causadas por la construcción, así como a los efectos continuos de la pandemia, las empresas necesitan un mayor acceso a los recursos y al apoyo para los costos operativos, las actualizaciones técnicas y otras ayudas para retener y hacer crecer su base de clientes y su mano de obra.

Este programa proporcionará apoyo inmediato en forma de subvenciones y asistencia técnica, con el objetivo general de fomentar la movilidad económica entre los empresarios BIPOC y mejorar el acceso a los servicios y empleos para los residentes. Al apoyar el crecimiento y la sostenibilidad de las pequeñas empresas como empleadores, motores económicos y anclas del vecindario, este esfuerzo continúa el compromiso de The Community Foundation de achicar la brecha de riqueza racial de nuestra región.

The Community Foundation concederá subvenciones de hasta $20.000 a un máximo de 20 pequeñas empresas del condado. La financiación puede utilizarse para ayudar a los participantes a cubrir gastos operativos, asistencia técnica, tecnología o mejoras de capital. Los fondos totales de subvención disponibles a través de esta RFP ascienden a $350.000.

REQUISITOS DE ELEGIBILIDAD

Los postulantes elegibles deberán cumplir los siguientes requisitos:

• Debe tener una ubicación física dentro de los corredores objetivo en el condado de Prince George, concretamente dentro de los siguientes barrios o códigos postales:

• Langley Park - 20783, 20903, 20912

• Chillum - 20782, 20783, 20912, 20712

• Adelphi - 20783, 20782, 20903

• Seat Pleasant - 20743, 20785

• Largo - 20721, 20774

• Suitland - 20746, 20747, 20748

• Glenarden - 20706

• District Heights - 20747

• Capitol Heights - 20743

• Debe tener 10 o menos empleados en total

• Debe estar en funcionamiento actualmente y lo ha hecho durante un mínimo de 3 años antes de la presentación de la solicitud

• Debe estar organizada como entidad con fines de lucro con uno de los siguientes tipos de entidad: empresa unipersonal, SRL, S-Corp, C-Corp, sociedad colectiva

• Debe ser una entidad legalmente registrada que esté en regla con todas las licencias y permisos necesarios del condado y del estado

• Debe demostrar un compromiso con el impacto comunitario

• Debe estar dispuesta a cumplir con los requisitos de presentación de informes, incluida la presentación de actualizaciones financieras y programáticas para garantizar la fidelidad a las normativas del IRS. Los requisitos de presentación de informes se incluirán en un Acuerdo de subvención con las solicitudes aceptadas.

GASTOS ADMISIBLES

Las pequeñas empresas elegibles pueden solicitar hasta $20.000 para cubrir:

• Costos operativos como nóminas, alquileres, servicios públicos, certificaciones/licencias, etc.

• Adquisición e implementación de tecnología.

• Mejoras de capital, incluida la reparación/compra de equipos, renovaciones y mejoras de la fachada. (Para las renovaciones y las mejoras de la fachada, la empresa debe ser propietaria de las instalaciones que se van a mejorar o tener un contrato de arrendamiento a largo plazo que aún tenga al menos cinco años de duración).

• Asistencia técnica para apoyar el desarrollo y la aplicación de planes estratégicos, de crecimiento o de marketing.

CÓMO POSTULARSE

Antes de presentar su solicitud, deberá confirmar que su empresa está "Activa" y "Al corriente de Obligaciones" utilizando la búsqueda gratuita de la SDAT en el enlace a continuación. Se requiere una prueba de estar en cumplimiento con las obligaciones para completar la solicitud en línea.

Si su empresa no está en regla, no podrá recibir fondos. Si necesita ayuda para que su empresa vuelva a estar al corriente, puede encontrar instrucciones en el siguiente enlace.

https://businessexpress.maryland.gov/manage/maintain-good-standing-status