Message from Special Secretary Rhee

Access to Capital Forum

The expansion of Maryland's small business sector, growth of local economies, and job creation are priorities for Governor Larry Hogan's administration. Supporting small businesses is critical to these outcomes, so we were pleased to host our annual Access to Capital Forum on June 20 at the Governor's Coordinating Offices in Crownsville. We were very fortunate to have Michael H. Shuman as our keynote speaker. Mike is globally recognized as an expert on community economics, and he has a deep understanding of how access to capital impacts small businesses. He talked about the struggles most businesses face with having enough money at the right time in their growth cycle, and offered insights that had the audience really thinking beyond the scope of traditional lending programs. Mike is an attorney, an author, and a blogger. What makes him so relateable, is that he's also an entrepreneur. I encourage you to visit his website and take a look at the studies, action lists, and articles he shares regarding community-based economic development. 

Sincerely,

Jimmy Rhee
Special Secretary  

ATTENTION eMaryland Marketplace Vendors

Big things are happening as a result of Maryland's statewide procurement modernization efforts. Late this summer, eMaryland Marketplace, the state's online bid board system, will transform into eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). In preparation, we're asking all vendors who are currently registered in eMaryland Marketplace to complete a brief supplier information questionnaire. The information provided will serve as your preliminary registration in eMMA. Existing vendors who do not complete the questionnaire will have to register as a new vendor. The questionnaire will be closing in the near future, so please complete it at your earliest convenience. 

eMMA Supplier Information Questionnaire

Important Dates:

July 17 (5 pm ET) - eMaryland Marketplace will be taken offline
July 22 (8 am ET) - eMMA will go live.

If you have questions, we encourage you to submit them in writing to
central.procurement@maryland.gov.  

Welcome!

We are pleased to welcome two new members to the Governor's Office of Small, Minority & Women Business Affairs. Tanita Johnson (left) is serving as the Small Business Reserve (SBR) Compliance Manager. She'll be performing audits and assisting firms with the registration process. Nichelle Johnson (right) is serving as the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Compliance Manager. She'll be working with internal and external stakeholders to implement best practices and capture performance data. They both have a passion for working with entrepreneurs, and are already proving to be valuable asses to our small but mighty team. Welcome!

Military Personnel and Veteran-owned Small Business Loan Program

The Maryland Department of Commerce administers a unique loan program for businesses owned by military reservists, veterans, National Guard personnel as well as small businesses that employ such persons. The Military Personnel and Veteran-owned Small Business Loan Program provides no interest loans up to $50,000 with a repayment period of one to eight years. Eligible applicants include veteran-owned small businesses, businesses owned by military reservists and National Guard members called to active duty, and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees that employ them. This program has limited funding. New applications will be accepted from July 1 though August 30. Visit the web page below for complete details and apply today!

Military Personnel and Veteran-owned Small Business Loan Program