HANOVER, MD (August 12, 2025) – The Maryland Department of Transportation today announced $500,000 in grant awards for recipients in the second round of the Purple Line Small Business Grant Program, which the Department launched earlier this year. The grant awards, ranging from $5,000 to $40,000, will help businesses located along Purple Line sustain operations and preserve jobs during the project’s construction. Awards are made to those eligible businesses most directly impacted by construction of this critical light rail line. A complete list of Purple Line Small Business Grant awardees can be found here.    

“Small businesses are the heart of Maryland’s economy and its diverse communities, providing jobs, essential services and economic opportunities,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Acting Secretary Samantha J. Biddle. “It is critical that small businesses impacted during construction of the Purple Line are supported.”  

The Purple Line Small Business Grant Program, launched in February 2025, will invest $4 million over 4 years to support eligible businesses along the Purple Line corridor during construction. The program will hold three grant rounds each year. In May 2025, following an overwhelming number of applications from businesses seeking the grant, the Department awarded $1 million.    

The second round of the Purple Line Small Business Grant program drew more than 350 applications. Grant awards to eligible businesses are prioritized based on the location of the business and its proximity to the areas most significantly impacted by construction in the prior and upcoming six months. Grant amounts vary by business size and location and funds may be used for any business-related expenses. To be eligible, awardees must be small businesses that primarily do business with customers onsite at a location within one-quarter of a mile of the Purple Line and have been open and operational since January 1, 2022. 

Businesses that did not receive an award during the second round of funding or businesses that did not apply are encouraged to submit an application in the next funding cycle, which opens October 6, with applications due by November 14, 2025. Program details, full eligibility requirements and a link to the grant application (available in multiple languages) can be found at https://purplelinemd.com/small-business-grants/. The Purple Line Business Engagement Team is available to support businesses with questions and the grant application process. Businesses can email business@purplelinemd.com to connect with a business specialist.   

The Purple Line is 80% complete with more than 60% of rail installed across the alignment. Half of all Purple Line light rail vehicles (14 of the full fleet of 28 vehicles) are onsite at the Operations and Maintenance Facility in Glenridge. The Purple Line will soon expand the dynamic testing of its light rail vehicles in Prince George’s County from Annapolis Road to the New Carrollton Station. The dynamic testing and systems integration testing phase is critical to prepare the light rail vehicles to travel the alignment in advance of operations.  

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. It will directly connect to Metro's Red, Green and Orange lines at Bethesda, Silver Spring, College Park and New Carrollton. The Purple Line will also connect to MARC, Amtrak and local bus services. To learn more, visit purplelinemd.com​, and follow Purple Line on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, X/Twitter and YouTube.