More than 100 small businesses in Maryland will receive a total of $2.58 million in funds from BGE as part of its Energizing Small Business Grants program.
BGE announced the awards to 129 small businesses — one of which is the publisher of The Business Monthly — on Friday at ArtFarm Studios in Annapolis, a previous grant winner.
“When small businesses thrive, they become powerful economic engines, creating even more opportunities in their communities and we are so pleased to celebrate today’s grant recipients,” BGE President and CEO Carim Khouzami said in a statement announcing the awards.
In giving away the money, BGE said it prioritized businesses operated by historically underrepresented minority groups often challenged with access to capital – with 65% of grants provided to businesses owned by people of color and 65% owned by women.
“Of the many lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the most important for us to carry forward is that increased sense of responsibility to ourselves, to our neighbors, and to our communities,” said Heather Gramm, assistant secretary for the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Division of Business and Industry Sector Development, in a statement. “BGE is leading by example. Their commitment to serving Maryland’s small business community goes hand-in-hand with the priorities of Governor Wes Moore, his administration, and the work we do at the Maryland Department of Commerce.”
BGE worked with Hello Alice, a platform that helps businesses launch and grow, and the Global Entrepreneurship Network, an organization that supports entrepreneurs throughout the United States. All applicants gain access to Hello Alice’s full suite of small business tools and resources, and connectivity to a global network through GEN. Eligible businesses may receive grants of $20,000 each.
According to BGE, 651 businesses have received Energizing Small Business grants totaling $13.06 million since 2021. Shareholders pay for the program, which is not reflected in customer bills, the energy company said.
To be considered for a BGE Energizing Small Business Grant, applicants must be a for-profit business located within BGE’s service area; be an existing BGE electric and/or gas customer with positive BGE credit history; be in good standing (or on the way to) with the State of Maryland; have a maximum of 25 employees (full-time, part-time, contractors); have a maximum annual gross revenue of $7 million; and have a demonstrated need of funding to support business and serve customers.
The names of the companies that received funds, and their locations:
• 3 Gear Games, Laurel
• A. L. Dukes, Inc., Pikesville
• A&M Smoked Meats, LLC, COLUMBIA
• Akina, Inc., Highland
• All-American Intelligent Solutions, Inc., Baltimore
• Alternative Systems, Bowie
• Althea’s Almost Famous LLC, Columbia
• Annapolis Home Concierge, Annapolis
• archSCAN, LLC, Columbia
• Ataia Medical, Columbia
• B. Real Creative Studio, Edgewood
• B.Luxe Event Rentals, Baltimore
• Baltimore Blossoms Studio, Baltimore
• Baltimore Read Aloud, Baltimore
• Bel Air Dance Academy, Bel Air
• Blak Boxx Radio, Baltimore
• Bliss Woodworks LLC, Baltimore
• Bmorenews.com, Baltimore
• BrightWave, Clarksville
• Bullock Group & Associates, Pikesville
• Busted Auto Parts, Sykesville
• Buxton Media Productions, Pasadena
• Charm City Honey Bees, Columbia
• CHARM CITY INTEGRATIVE HEALTH, Baltimore
• Cindy J Cosmetic Labs, Baltimore
• Coffee Llamas, LLC, Baltimore
• Community Power House Energy, Baltimore
• Construction Management & Engineering Corporation, Bowie
• Couture Cakes by Sabrina, Odenton
• Crofton Yoga, Crofton
• Dawson’s Detailing, L.L.C., Columbia
• Dreamers & Make-Believers, Baltimore
• Enterprise Dental Care, Bowie
• Essential Corrosion Protection, Ellicott City
• Fair Winds Candle Company, Baltimore
• Falcon Edge Technologies LLC, Ellicott City
• Feet First Sports, Columbia
• Flave, Baltimore
• Floating Lotus Farmstead, LLC, Lothian
• foraged. a hyper seasonal eatery, Baltimore
• Forte, Columbia
• Forward Planning & Solutions, Columbia
• Found Studio | Shop, Baltimore
• Global Networks Inc., Columbia
• Grease Eaters Power washing, essex
• Griffith Family Farm Maryland LLC, Lothian
• Growing Young Minds Counseling, Columbia
• H&B Auto Body & Automotive, LLC, Aberdeen
• Harford Sports Training Academy, LLC, Forest Hill
• Healthy Little Cooks, Ellicott City
• HEX Ferments, Baltimore
• Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center, Pasadena
• HoneySmith Bees, Crownsville
• HourGlass Body Contouring Spa, Baltimore
• Hurtt Homes LLC, Brandywine
• Identatech, Baltimore
• Indiglow Holistics PS, Baltimore
• JAWA MARKET, Baltimore
• Jentle Spaces, Ellicott City
• KEYTOLIFE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES LLC, SEVERN
• Kismet Cafe, Eldersburg
• Life Matters Wellness LLC, Joppa
• Lillians Southern Box Catering, LLC, Crofton
• Lipman Frizzell & Mitchell LLC, Elkridge
• Lo-Fi Laundry Co., Baltimore
• M Luxe Salon and Hair Restoration, baltimore
• Maximum Fitness 24/7, Jessup
• Mother Conscious, Parkville
• MY EMPOWERING IMPACT, LLC, Gambrills
• National Benchmark Revitalization Group NBRG, Baltimore
• New Eastern Coral Company, Ellicott City
• New Roots Farm, West River
• Nora’s Grill and Bistro, Sykesville
• Nourishing Journey, LLC, Woodbine
• One Rock Farm, Ellicott City
• Pam Long Photography LLC, Ellicott City
• Patriot Group Services LLC, Pasadena
• Peak Performance Training, Baltimore
• PHNX Unlimited, Columbia
• Photo Archivers, Columbia
• POM Studio Architects, Bowie
• Posis Kitchen, Baltimore
• Propel Virtual Solutions, Jessup
• Psychometric Solutions, Aberdeen
• Quilted Cupcake, Joppa
• Rawlings Farm LLC, Harwood
• Refill Goodness LLC, Pasadena
• Rejuvenation, Laurel
• Reyes Jewelry Exchange, ellicott city
• RNM Productions, Columbia
• RunMitts, LLC, Baltimore
• Sagelight Integrative Wellness Center, Columbia
• SEEING GREEN STUDIO, Arbutus
• Skye Physiotherapy LLC, Ellicott City
• Snug Books, LLC, Baltimore
• Souldelishaus soul food llc, Baltimore
• Stefan’s Leather and Shoe Repair, Baltimore
• Stem & Vine LLC, Baltimore
• Stemtree of Columbia, Columbia
• Storybook Maze, Catonsville
• Sunday Morning Coffee, Millersville, MD, USA
• Sunset Raw Juice Bar, Fulton
• Swill Apothecafe, Baltimore
• System Integrity LLC, Baltimore
• TDeez Badass Creations, Havre de Grace
• Thank You Details Inc, Baltimore
• The Bejeweled Tee Shirt LLC, Pikesville
• The Grazing Room at Boards by Dana, Bel Air
• The Point in Fells, Baltimore
• The Point in Towson, Towson
• Therapy In Motion, Laurel
• Thinking Tree Psychology, Annapolis
• Three Honey Bees Co., Baltimore
• Top Tier Columbia, Columbia
• Tranquil Traditions LLC, Baltimore
• Transformative Healing & Wellness, Pikesville
• Treehouse Juicery, Baltimore
• Trembling Giant Marketing, LLC, Sykesville
• Trimia, ellicott city
• Two Boots Farm, Hampstead
• USABAL Solutions LLC, Columbia
• USR Foods Inc., hanover
• Well Rounded Meals, Lutherville-Timonium
• WellDistrict, LLC., Bowie
• Wen’s Food Inc., Baltimore
• Whong Community Media LLC (The Business Monthly, OutLook by the Bay), Columbia
• Yorktown Spice, LLC, Baltimore
• You First Health Systems, Odenton
• Zehbras, Baltimore