The Maryland Department of Transportation recently issued $500,000 via the second round of the agency’s Purple Line Small Business Grant Program; a program launched in February 2025 to help businesses located along Purple Line sustain operations and preserve jobs during construction.
[Above photo by Maryland DOT]
The Purple Line is a 16-mile, 21-station light rail line that will extend from Bethesda in Montgomery County to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County, connecting to Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority subway lines, Maryland Area Rail Commuter or MARC trains, Amtrak, and local bus services.
The awards from this Purple Line grant program, ranging from $5,000 to $40,000, are made to those eligible businesses most directly impacted by construction of the new light rail line, explained Samantha Biddle, Maryland DOT’s acting secretary, in a statement.
“Small businesses are the heart of Maryland’s economy and its diverse communities, providing jobs, essential services and economic opportunities,” she said. “It is critical that small businesses impacted during construction of the Purple Line are supported.”
The agency said the Purple Line Small Business Grant Program plans to provide $4 million over four years to support eligible businesses along the Purple Line corridor during construction. The program will hold three grant rounds each year, the agency said.
Grant awards to eligible businesses are prioritized based on the location of the business and its proximity to areas significantly impacted by construction, with grant amounts varying by business size and location.
Maryland DOT noted that, while those grant funds may be used for any business-related expenses, to be eligible to win a grant small businesses must primarily interact with customers onsite at a location within one-quarter of a mile of the Purple Line and must have been open and operational since January 1, 2022.
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