The Maryland Energy Administration (MEA) has made available Offshore Wind Business and Workforce Development Grant Programs for the Fiscal Year 2019.
A total of USD 2 million is now available in grants through the OSW Business Program and the OSW Workforce Program.
The deadline to apply is 1 August 2018 at 11:59 PM local time.
Under the OSW Business Program, MEA will provide grant funding on a competitive basis to help defray barrier entry costs of Maryland’s emerging businesses; including minority-owned emerging businesses entering the global offshore wind industry. The program has a budget of USD 1.2 million for FY 2019. MEA will initially reserve USD 200,000 of total grant funding for AOI 1 and USD 1 million of total grant funding for AOI 2.
Under the Offshore Wind Workforce Development Grant Program, MEA will consider applications for new or existing workforce development training centers utilized by the offshore wind industry. Training centers must provide education of a technical trade skill(s) and safety standards utilized for the development, manufacturing, construction, installation, and operations & maintenance of an offshore wind energy project. Applicants must demonstrate how project proposals will benefit Maryland’s Emerging Businesses, including minority-owned Emerging Businesses.
The program has a budget of USD 800,000 for FY 2019. Grants are calculated as 50 percent of total project costs up to USD 200,000, whichever is the lower amount. Applicants must contribute at least 50 percent of the total project costs.