MD Commerce Presentation to SWN Business Engagement Committee on 6/2/2020

1. Susquehanna Workforce Network
June 2, 2020

2. Rapid Response to Businesses
• Communication/Outreach
• Funding
• Marketing
• Recovery

3. Secretary’s Communication/Outreach
– Set up Secretary.commerce@Maryland.gov email & drove all inquiries
– Engaged State Agencies in email response
– Ongoing Legislative Updates
– Business Pulse E-newsletter
– Social Media posts, sharing of COVID-19 news, announcements, advice &
outreach
– 80+ Webinars with Congressional Leaders, local legislators & Business Groups
– Phone calls with Economic Development Organizations, Boards & Commissions
– 15 Media interviews – WBAL, Allegany Radio, WNAV, WFMD
– Maryland State Arts Council: ongoing news Eblasts, social media,
announcements
– Tourism: ongoing “virtual” Maryland promotion
– Publics Relations boost from Maryland tourism businesses pivoting to help with
COVID-19 emergency

4. Funding
• $75M Relief Loan Fund – for-profit businesses with 50 or fewer
employees. 216 approved = $9,888,245
• $50M Relief Grant Fund – business & non-profits with 50 or fewer
employees. 2,747 approved = $27,026,015
• $5M PPE Manufacturers Fund – 20 companies received a combined
total of $1,600,000(4/28), 200 applications received.
• $1M Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) Emergency Grants – May
1st application review - 3 Tiers: under $2k, $2-5K, over $5k. Received
requests equaling $1M.
• Collaboration of over 150 volunteers from multiple State agencies to
support the processing of applications.

5. Marketing
Marketing Maryland During the Crisis
•Refocused all efforts to direct Maryland businesses to potential resources.
•Marketing Team:
•Collaborated with SDAT to expeditiously launch the COVID-19 Business Portal
with continuous monitoring and updating.
•Joined constituent response team - handled email inquiries and social media
responses.
•Built new grant and loan web pages for new programs and FAQs.
•Built the online applications, identified and established new system for review -
OneStop.
•Ongoing messaging of Maryland businesses doing COVID-19 related work.

6. Recovery
• 13 Industry Task Forces – Tourism, Attractions, Lodging, Tourism Transportation,
Destinations, Restaurant, Sports, Retail, Manufacturing,
Construction/Development, Professional Services/Financial, Small
Business/Personal Services, Arts
• 2 Non-profit and faith-based coordinated by Governor’s Office of Community
Initiatives
• Maryland Back to Business Stage One is being implemented with a flexible,
community-based approach that empowers individual jurisdictions to make
decisions regarding the timing of re-openings, therefore it’s important that
businesses consult guidance issued by their local jurisdiction.
• BACK TO BUSINESS Pledge - Businesses that adopt all safety guidelines are
encouraged to take a ‘Back to Business’ pledge, download, and display.
https://open.maryland.gov/backtobusiness/

7. Secretary Tiffany P. Robinson
labor.maryland.gov
Michael Harrison
Policy Director
Michael.Harrison@maryland.gov
Andrew Fulginiti
Policy Officer
Andrew.Fulginiti@maryland.gov
• Main Web Page - MDunemployment.com
• To contact a Claim Center, call 410-949-0022 (for employees) or, 410-767-2412 (for
employers)
• Bulk Claims for Employers, call 410-853-1700
• Shared Email Accounts
• Claimants, please email ui.inquiry@maryland.gov
• Employers, please email dluiemployerassistance-labor@maryland.gov
• Bulk Claims support, please email UI.BulkClaim@maryland.gov
• BEACON Technical Support BEACON.Support@Maryland.gov

8. Layoff Aversion Grant
On March 23rd, Department of Labor launched the COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund,
which was designed to support businesses undergoing economic stresses due to the
pandemic by preventing or minimizing the duration of unemployment resulting from
layoffs. The award (up to $50,000 per applicant), was a quick deployable benefit and
customizable to the specific needs of businesses to help minimize the need for layoffs.
With the State’s $9M, in a matter of days, the Department was able to serve over 400
businesses. Through these grant awards, we helped over 8,000 Marylanders stay
employed.

9. COVID-19 RESPONSE
Land Resources
• State Parks, Outdoor Recreation, Firefighting, Forestry
Industries
Natural Resources Police
• Increased Duties and Responsibilities
Enterprise Services
• Licensing and Registration, Project Completion, 5* Event
Aquatic Resources
• Fisheries/Food Supply, Bay Monitoring, Marine Industries

10. Regional Resources
Workgroup

11. Baltimore Metro
• Brigitte Peters Team
Lead
• Interjurisdictional
collaboration
navigating COVID-19
and messaging
• Housing Element
Update
• HB 27 Passed
– Sales/Use tax
exemptions in qualified
opportunity zones in
Baltimore County

12. Harford County Government is providing a
COVID-19 Relief Grant Program to administer
CARES funds. The Small Business Relief Grant
Program provides $7,500 for businesses that:
• Are for-profit entities in good standing with
Harford County and the State of Maryland
• Employ 2-50 full-time equivalent
employees (FTE = 30+ hrs/wk)
• Have a combined gross revenue of less than
$5 million
Businesses that have received other COVID
funding are still eligible to apply.
COVIDgrantquestions@harfordcountymd.gov

13. Harford County Government is providing a
COVID-19 Relief Grant Program to administer
CARES funds. The Homegrown Harford Farm
Relief Grant Program provides $2,500 for farm
businesses that:
• Are operating farms on 10+ acres zoned for
agriculture in good standing with Harford
County and the State of Maryland
Farms that meet eligibility requirements for
the Small Business Relief Grant are welcome to
apply for that one instead.
Businesses that have received other COVID
funding are still eligible to apply.
COVIDgrantquestions@harfordcountymd.gov

14. Harford County Government is providing a
COVID-19 Relief Grant Program to administer
CARES funds. The Business Owners Assistance
Grant Program provides $5,000 for companies
of any size to use toward their commercial
business mortgage, or rent or lease of
commercial property used for business
operations. Applications will start being
accepted on June 10, 2020.
Businesses that have received other COVID
funding are still eligible to apply.
COVIDgrantquestions@harfordcountymd.gov

15. Cecil CARES cecilbusiness.org is a $1 million grant program to assist for-profit
small businesses, including farm operations, through this COVID-19
crisis. The grants will be for $10,000 per business. The grant proceeds will
be administered to the first 100 qualified and complete applications that are
received. Grant applications will be accepted first come, first served starting
at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 4, 2020. Links to the program overview and
application as well as frequently asked questions are provided below.
•Cecil CARES Small Business Grant Overview and Application
• Cecil CARES FAQs
• W9 fillable form

16. Susquehanna Workforce Network
June 2, 2020