See more in Doing Business in Montgomery County
Montgomery County has a wide range of funding and incentive programs which may help you grow your business. Some of these are offered in partnership with local, state, or federal agencies. Others are specific to certain industries, small businesses, or Minority, Women, or Disabled-owned businesses.
On this page
Funding to Help You Build/Expand/Renovate Your Facility
These funds may help you build your new or expanded facility in Montgomery County. Often Montgomery County will partner with the State of Maryland or your city to offer you a joint award.
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Day Care Provider Tax Credit |
|
| Design for Life (DFL) Property Tax Incentive Program | Home care facility owners wanting to make their home more universally accessible. |
| Economic Development Grant and Loan Program | Private employers who retain jobs or stimulate job creation in Montgomery County. Priority is given to:
|
| Energy and Environmental Design (Green Building) Tax Credit | Businesses in buildings that are certified as a “high performance building,” which is:
|
| Enterprise Zone Tax Credit | Businesses in State-designated Enterprise Zones (Long Branch/Takoma Park, Glenmont, Burtonsville, Briggs Chaney, and Olde Towne Gaithersburg). |
| Façade Improvement Program | Property owners and business owners whose exteriors are older than 10 years or don’t meet today’s commercial standards. |
| Group Home Rehabilitation Loan Program | Group homes owned by nonprofit organizations which are occupied by persons of low- and moderate-income who are disabled. |
| Historic Preservation Tax Credit | Businesses that want to renovate properties listed in the Montgomery County Master Plan for Historic Preservation. |
| MOVE Program | Businesses that are new to Montgomery County (i.e., relocating or expanding from a location outside the County or a home-based startup occupying their first commercial office in the County). This program is not for retail, restaurant, independent financial or insurance agent/broker establishments. |
| Multi-family Housing Projects | Developers and property managers who want to develop and rehabilitate multi-family housing properties. |
| Multi-family Energy Incentives | Multi-family property owners who want to reduce the energy costs of their properties. |
| New Jobs Tax Credit | Businesses that increase their space by at least 5,000 square feet and their employee count by at least 25 new jobs. |
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Advantage Maryland (MEDAAF) | Businesses that support economic development initiatives. Projects must include a County Resolution. This program is for certain eligible industry sectors. |
| Data Center Maryland Sales and Use Tax Exemption Incentive Program | Businesses that locate or expand in Maryland and create new full-time positions. As part of the eligibility criteria a business must be certified as a Qualified Data Center by the Maryland Department of Commerce, along with other criteria. |
| Enterprise Zone Tax Credits | Businesses in a Maryland enterprise zone in return for job creation and investments. Businesses in Focus Areas may be also qualified for personal property tax credits on new investment in personal property and enhanced income tax credit for creating new jobs. |
| Job Creation Tax Credit | Businesses that locate or expand in the state and create a minimum number of net new full-time positions. The credit increases if the business locates or expands in a revitalization area. The business must be certified as a qualified business entity eligible for the tax credit. |
| Maryland Economic Adjustment Fund (MEAF) | Businesses that have an inability to qualify for loans from traditional lending resources might be eligible for this loan program. The business must demonstrate credit worthiness and ability to repay the obligation. |
| Maryland Opportunity Zones | Businesses that are new or expanding might qualified for the Opportunity Zone Fund. There are a variety of funds available with different investment focus. |
| Maryland Opportunity Zone Enhancement Credits | Businesses that are in Maryland Opportunity Zones which provides enhancements to several economic development tax credits. The tax credits include job creation, one Maryland Tax Credit that creates at least 50 qualified positions, more jobs for Marylanders, Enterprise Zone Income Tax Credit, Enterprise Zone Focus Area Income Tax Credit, Biotechnology Investor Incentive Tax Credit, and Maryland Innovation Investment Tax Credit. |
| More Jobs for Marylanders | Businesses that are involved in manufacturing, but also non-manufacturer business are eligible if they are located or expand in opportunity zones. The State sets an application period after July 1 each year. |
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Business Expansion Fund | Existing Rockville businesses expanding their operations within the corporate limits of the City of Rockville. |
| MOVE Program |
|
Funding to Help You Commercialize Your Technology
Several local, state and federal programs are available to help businesses advance their proprietary technology ideas to market.
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit | Investors with eligible investments in a Qualified Maryland Biotechnology Company (QMBC). The program supports investment in seed and early stage biotech companies to promote and grow the biotech industry in Maryland. |
| Enterprise Zone Tax Credits | Businesses in a Maryland enterprise zone in return for job creation and investments. Businesses in Focus Areas may be also qualified for personal property tax credits on new investment in personal property and enhanced income tax credit for creating new jobs. |
| Innovation Incentive Tax Credit | Potential investors in early-stage companies with the goal of increasing the number of companies developing innovative technologies in Maryland, increasing overall investments in current and emerging technology sectors, and increasing the number of individual investors actively investing in Maryland technology companies. |
| Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) | Companies looking for funding, facilities, resources, and expertise within Maryland’s public universities to create new products and opportunities. |
| Maryland Innovation Initiative | Start-ups within:
|
| Momentum Fund | Early-stage companies that are affiliated with the University System of Maryland (USM). |
| Research and Development Tax Credit | Businesses that incur Qualified Research and Development Expenses, as defined by § 41(b) of the Internal Revenue Code, in Maryland. |
| Stem Cell Research Fund | Companies, universities/research institutes, and academics involved in a variety of stem cell research in Maryland can apply for grants to help them advance their technologies. |
| Venture Fund | Early-stage technology businesses in Maryland. |
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| America’s Seed Fund (SBIR/STTR) | Startups and small businesses across technology areas and markets to stimulate technological innovation, meet Federal research and development (R&D) needs, and increase commercialization to transition R&D into impact. |
Funding to Help You Grow or Train Your Workforce
These programs offer financial support to grow or train your workforce.
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Home Computer Telecommuting Incentive | Businesses in Montgomery County that establish a new off-site employee workstation for employees who work at home at least 78 days per calendar year. |
| New Jobs Tax Credit | Businesses in Montgomery County that are planning to increase both their space and their staff. |
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Economic Development Toolbox | Existing businesses located within the City of Gaithersburg that have been in operation for more than two years |
Funding to Help You Grow Your Minority-owned Businesses
Several local, state, and federal programs focus on providing resources to small businesses and businesses owned by people from historically disadvantaged groups. For non-funding related resources for small businesses and minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses, visit our page on Resources for Small, Minority, Women, and Veteran-owned Businesses.
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| MicroLoan Program | Start-ups, newly established, or growing small businesses and certain not-for-profit childcare centers. These loans currently are provided through these County partners: |
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Rockville Small Business Impact Fund (PDF) | Small businesses in one of Rockville’s Performance Districts:
Nonprofit businesses are eligible. Franchise or chain businesses are not eligible. |
Funding to Support Your Clean Energy/Sustainability-related Activities
Funding may be available from local, state, and federal sources and utility companies to support your business’ adoption of energy-efficient practices and renewable technologies.
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Green Building Tax Credit |
|
| Funding | This program is for… |
|---|---|
| Commercial Clean Energy Rebate Program | Businesses, nonprofits, local governments, and State of Maryland government agencies and departments that install clean energy systems on facilities in Maryland. |
| Commercial Wood Feasibility Study | Governmental, institutional, commercial, and industrial facilities (e.g., schools, hospitals, campuses, commercial buildings) in Maryland who want to engage in wood energy feasibility studies. |
| Jane E. Lawton Conversation Loan Program | Nonprofit organizations, local governments, businesses, and State agencies in Maryland for the implementation of cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation improvements for existing or to-be-constructed facilities. |
| Maryland Clean Energy Capital Financing Program | Governments, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and business entities wanting to achieve favorable economics in energy project transactions. |
| Open Energy Grant Program | People who have ideas for energy-related projects that fall outside the range of the Maryland Energy Administration’s (MEA) other energy projects. |
| Solar Canopy Grant Program | Property owners who want to install solar systems that provide multiple uses for land and water. |
Other Funding and Incentives (Miscellaneous)
