D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Department of Small and Local Business Development are encouraging District entrepreneurs to apply for two programs designed to support local businesses: the Aspire Incubator Program and Dream Grant Pitch Program.
“We want entrepreneurs to thrive here, create jobs here, and provide services here because when local businesses win, our city wins,” said Bowser. “D.C. is a fantastic place to do business, and we want to make starting and growing a business more accessible to more people; that’s what these grants help us do.”
Applications for the programs are available until March 1.
The Incubator Program, which has awarded about $750,000 over the past three years, allows entrepreneurs to have access to a comprehensive range of resources, including mentorship, guidance, and educational training to help turn their business ideas into reality. The Dream Grant Pitch Program provides financial and technical assistance to entrepreneurs from Wards 7 and 8 and provides a platform for them to develop skills needed to run a successful business; over the past three years, local entrepreneurs have received approximately $1.5 million from the program.
For more information about both programs and the application process, please visit the department website or contact inno.ed@dc.gov.
