This Friday, May 3, is the deadline to apply for Harford County's FY25 Tourism Funding Program, which offers two types of tourism grants: the Partnership Fund and the Harford Strides Fund. The Partnership Fund supports tourism organizations that work together on large-scale events that bring in overnight hotel stays to the county, while the Harford Strides Fund offers funding for up to two consecutive years to help tourism-related organizations with operational costs. Applicants must be 501(c)3 or 501(c)6 organizations with a tourism-related mission.
Applications for the current round of funding for the Workforce Technical Training Grant are due on Friday, May 17. Through this reimbursement grant, Harford County provides matching funds to businesses to accelerate the delivery of technical training to existing full-time, permanent employees who expand or improve production capabilities. Reimbursement is up to a maximum of 50% of training costs, up to $10,000 per business, not to exceed $2,000 per employee per program time-frame.
The Department of Economic Development is hosting a webinar on Tuesday, May 14 at 9 a.m. to explain the application process and eligibility requirements, or you can find the application guide online. To register, contact Lisa Krysiak at 410-638-3598 or lmkrysiak@harfordcountymd.gov.
In response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore in March, state and federal officials have announced numerous resources for businesses to use as part of the region's economic recovery. Maryland is offering various financial programs, workforce retention strategies, tax and insurance assistance, and more. Visit the state's collapse response page for a list of resources, including the U.S. Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan, and a survey to gain better understanding of the post-collapse needs of the business community.
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Get free T-shirt and other prizes by participating in Bike to Work Day on May 17. Bikers can stop by the Harford County Administrative Offices at 220 S. Main Street in Bel Air from 7:00 - 8:30 a.m. for giveaways and light refreshments. Click here to register as a biker for the day.
Learn more about events across the state celebrating bike-riding as an alternate commute at https://biketoworkmd.com/.
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More than 50 local business owners and stakeholders met with Matrix Design Group, Inc., a nationwide consulting and engineering firm, in April to discuss economic strategies and opportunities relating to defense/tech, agriculture, and healthcare in Harford County as part of the Grow Rural Opportunity in Maryland (GRO MD) initiative. GRO MD is a partnership between Harford, Carroll, and Frederick counties to craft a regional economic development approach to strengthen the counties' economic future. Meetings were held with leaders from Aberdeen Proving Ground, representatives from Harford County Economic Development Advisory Boards, board members from the Harford County Chamber of Commerce, and leaders from other business and municipal organizations. The project was funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration's Venture Challenge Program. Click here to learn more about GRO MD.
Annual Meeting Luncheon
Route 40 Business Association
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Wednesday, May 8
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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Vandiver Inn, 301 S. Union Ave., Havre de Grace, MD 21078
Network will fellow business owners and honor new board members.
Click here for more information
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6th Annual Agricultural Symposium
Farmers & Community Partnership
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Saturday, May 11
8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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Deer Creek Overlook 4-H Camp, 6 Cherry Hill Road, Street, MD 21154
Get a hands-on experience with Harford's natural resources and how local farmers care for them. This event is rain or shine and light to moderate walking is required.
Click here for more information
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2024 Military Appreciation Luncheon
Harford County Chamber of Commerce
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Thursday, May 16
11:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
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Top of the Bay, 6817 Plum Point Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005
Celebrate local military men and women at this annual event.
Click here for more information
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Resource Day: Cecil, Harford, and Howard Counties
U.S. Small Business Administration
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Thursday, May 16
1 - 4 p.m.
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Bel Air Library, 100 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Bel Air, MD 21014
Small business owners can learn about resources offered through the Maryland Small Business Development Center, SCORE, and other local, state, and federal agencies.
Click here for more information
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Taste of Harford
Harford County Public Library
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Sunday, May 19
1 - 4 p.m.
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Vignon Manor Farm, 425 Darlington Road, Havre de Grace, MD 21078
Support library programming while enjoying tastings from local restaurants, breweries and wineries.
Click here for more information
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Mini-Golf Fundraiser
Harford County Chamber of Commerce
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Tuesday, May 21
5:00 - 7:30 p.m.
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Mountain Run Mini Golf, 202 Mountain Road, Fallston, MD 21047
Raise funds for the Chamber's Education Foundation by registering your business for a team of four and competing against other local companies.
Click here for more information
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Annual Dinner
Army Alliance
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Monday, June 3
5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
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Water's Edge Event Center, 4687 Millennium Drive, Belcamp, MD 21017
Join the Army Alliance as their upcoming initiatives are presented and their 2024 Annual Report is released. State Sen. Dawn Gile will discuss Maryland's "Year for Military Families."
Click here for more information
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Military Appreciation Night
Aberdeen IronBirds
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Friday, June 14
7 - 10 p.m.
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Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium, 873 Long Drive, Aberdeen, MD 21001
Honor military members and see displays from Aberdeen Proving Ground prior to first pitch; a fireworks show will follow the game.
Click here for more information
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From Prototyping to Production: The Growth and Potential of Additive Manufacturing
Regional Additive Manufacturing
Partnership of Maryland (RAMPMD)
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Thursday, June 20
8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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Towson University Northeastern Maryland, 510 Thomas Run Road,
Bel Air, MD 21014
Celebrate a decade of innovation in additive manufacturing at the 10th annual symposium, which focuses on the journey from prototypes to scalable solutions.
Click here for more information
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NEED A LOAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS? This program provides funding to small businesses in Harford County to support their overall growth through capital investment, job creation and retention. These loans:
- Provide funding up to $200,000 through flexible terms
- Can be used for, but are not limited to, building and land purchases, renovations, technology upgrades or equipment purchases
- Can be used in conjunction with other lending institutions through gap financing and partnership
- Require collateral; exceptions may be made for loans less than $10,000
Click here for more information
Home Service Grant
Jobber Grants
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Home service professionals like landscapers, cleaners, contractors, painters or HVAC specialists can apply for a $10,000 grant. Fifteen grants will be awarded; the deadline for applications is June 12.
Click here for more information
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The Awesome Foundation Grants
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Grants of $1,000 can be awarded to entrepreneurs, startups or businesses looking to fund various projects. The Awesome Foundation is comprised of 84 independently-run chapters, with members contributing to a micro-funding pool that goes toward grant projects. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Click here for more information
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Business owners learned the fundamentals of government contracting at Doing Business with APG, hosted by the Harford County Department of Economic Development at the TB3 Event Center in Aberdeen on April 11. Guests heard from representatives from the Maryland Business Outreach Center and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) about navigating the Advanced Planning Briefing to Industry (APBI) as a new contractor, developing a capability statement, and leveraging SBA contracting resources. APBI is an annual event at Aberdeen Proving Ground where industry leaders learn upcoming contracting opportunities with the installation. Additionally, a panel of industry experts shared best practices and County Executive Bob Cassilly provided opening remarks. To learn more, contact Larry Muzzelo, assistant director of economic development, at lmuzzelo@harfordcountymd.gov.
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Bulle Rock Golf Course in Havre de Grace hosted the 2024 Big Ten Women's Golf Championship from April 19 - 21. The tournament will return in 2025. All 14 Big Ten schools, including the University of Maryland, were represented at the event, won by Indiana University. Admission and parking for this year's competition were free for all fans. Bulle Rock hosted five consecutive LPGA Championships, now known as the Women's PGA Championship, from 2005 - 2009, and has consistently been ranked the top public golf course in Maryland. |
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