Message from Special Secretary Rhee

Happy Holidays

The holiday season is upon us, and it is my privilege to share an invitation from Governor Hogan and First Lady Yumi Hogan to attend the Holiday Open House in Annapolis. All Marylanders will be welcomed to Government House on Saturday, December 8 from 1 - 4 PM. The event is free and no reservations are required. The First Family asks guests to consider bringing an unwrapped toy to be donated to those in need during this holiday season. The Maryland State Police will be collecting donations on behalf of Toys for Tots under a tent by the front gate. Government House chefs will prepare an assortment of holiday cookies and you'll enjoy beautiful decorations and live music performed by a variety of high school groups. I hope you are able to attend, and I wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Jimmy Rhee
Special Secretary  

Ready, Set, GROW! Rescheduled for December 7th in Frederick County

Snow cancelled our November date, but not the event. Come out and meet buyers with state, county and local governments in the Frederick area at our Ready, Set, GROW! Procurement Connections Workshop on Friday, December 7th at Frederick Community College. Small, minority, women, and veteran business owners are invited to attend this free event. In addition to meeting buyers from over 20 different public and private purchasing units, you'll have the opportunity to connect with a variety of small business resource partners who can help your small business grow. Register today!

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Buy Maryland Cybersecurity Tax Credit

Maryland companies who purchase cybersecurity technologies and services from a qualified Maryland cybersecurity seller may be eligible for a tax credit of 50% of the net purchase. The program is designed to promote the cybersecurity industry in Maryland by helping small businesses purchase cybersecurity technologies and services to protect their business information. The tax credit must be claimed for the year in which the purchase is made, and tax credits are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to funding availability. To be eligible for the tax credit, a company must have fewer than 50 employees in the state, and file an income tax return in Maryland. The program is administered by the Maryland Department of Commerce.

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Small Business Regulatory Assistance

The Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation is home to the Office of Small Business Regulatory Assistance. This specialized unit helps Maryland business owners find timely and effective solutions to issues so they can go about running their companies. Their professional staff assists with compliance to and adoption of regulations, facilitates responsiveness of state government to small business needs, and serves as a central clearinghouse of information for business assistance programs and services. Maryland is OPEN for business. How can we help you?

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Free Small Business Research Tool

The U.S. Census Bureau measures America's people, places, and economy. They provide a wealth of data that are essential resources to help businesses succeed and grow. Large corporations use this data regularly, and your small business can use it, too. Through a tool called the Census Business Builder, you can access a suite of services providing selected demographic and economic data that can be tailored to specific needs. Search tools and interactive menus make it easy to create interactive, customizable, printable and downloadable reports. This is one free resource all small businesses should learn to use.

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