{"status":200,"message":"Success","data":{"id":"0ef3e06b-f3ee-5b71-814b-77fd9c74748a","title":"Business Resource Information, Development, and Guidance Ecosystem (BRIDGE) Program","description":"TEDCO's BRIDGE Program supports socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (SEDI)-owned businesses and Very Small Businesses (VSBs) with fewer than 10 employees across the Mid-Atlantic region. The program expands TEDCO's traditional focus beyond tech and life sciences to include retail, hospitality, professional services, restaurants, and any industry. BRIDGE is a three-year federally funded project led by TEDCO in collaboration with SBDCs in Maryland, Virginia, and DC, the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, and partners in Delaware and Virginia. The program delivers nine components: (1) BRIDGE Advising — a 16-point diagnostic assessment and individualized roadmap; (2) Financial Literacy, Credit Repair, and Building — hands-on coaching through SBDC partners; (3) CDFI Technical Assistance — one-on-one loan readiness and application support; (4) Back-Office-In-A-Box — subsidized bookkeeping, payroll, HR, and accounting system setup; (5) Women's ACE Program — biannual cohort for women entrepreneurs; (6) R/UBII — financial and investment-readiness advising for rural and urban SEDI tech entrepreneurs; (7) BRIDGE Proposal Lab — federal grant/contract proposal development training; (8) University of Maryland Carey Law Clinics — free legal services for corporate formation, IP, and contracts; (9) Loaned Executive Program — up to 40-hour engagements with senior executives on financial strategy and investment readiness. The overall program is funded by a three-year, $10 million federal grant. A cohort-based, eight-week sub-program operated by the Institute for Women Entrepreneur Excellence, Inc. (IWEE) supports SEDI entrepreneurs — particularly women business owners — through expert-led workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and applied learning activities delivered in a hybrid format, equipping participants with technical knowledge to access debt and equity capital.","status":{"value":"open"},"source":"https://www.tedcomd.com/resources/BRIDGE","funding":{"details":"The program delivers nine components of technical assistance at no cost to eligible businesses, including concierge-style business advising, financial literacy and credit repair coaching through SBDC partners, CDFI loan readiness and application support, subsidized back-office services (bookkeeping, payroll, HR, accounting system setup), a women's entrepreneurship cohort (ACE), rural/urban business innovation advising (R/UBII), federal grant/contract proposal development training (BRIDGE Proposal Lab), free legal services through University of Maryland Carey Law Clinics, and a loaned executive program offering up to 40-hour senior executive engagements. Subsidized software and toolkits are available under Back-Office-In-A-Box. An eight-week hybrid sub-program (IWEE) provides weekly 3-hour expert-led workshops, 1–2 hours per week of one-on-one mentoring, and applied assignments covering financial statement analysis, loan application drafting, investor materials, and financial projections. The overall program is funded by a $10 million federal grant administered over three years."},"acceptedApplicantTypes":[{"value":"custom","customValue":"for-profit"},{"value":"custom","customValue":"non-profit"},{"value":"individual"}],"customFields":{"agency":{"name":"agency","fieldType":"object","value":{"name":"Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO)"},"schema":"https://commongrants.org/custom-fields/agency"},"contactInfo":{"name":"contactInfo","fieldType":"object","value":{"name":"April Davis-Hurtt","email":"bridge@tedcomd.com, tthomas@tedcomd.com, rkalinyak@tedcomd.com"},"schema":"https://commongrants.org/custom-fields/contactInfo"},"additionalInfo":{"name":"additionalInfo","fieldType":"object","value":{"url":"https://compass.maryland.gov/incentives/#/incentive/business-resource-information-development-and-guidance-ecosystem-bridge-program","description":"Maryland Community Compass record"},"schema":"https://commongrants.org/custom-fields/additionalInfo"},"eligibilityCriteria":{"name":"eligibilityCriteria","fieldType":"object","value":{"beneficiaryTypes":[{"code":"for_profit","name":"for-profit"},{"code":"non_profit","name":"non-profit"},{"code":"individuals","name":"individuals"}],"details":"Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI)-owned businesses and Very Small Businesses (VSBs) with fewer than 10 employees, primarily in Maryland, with select components extending to DC, Virginia, and Delaware. Open to any industry including retail, hospitality, professional services, restaurants, and more. Women business owners are a particular focus of the IWEE cohort sub-program.\n\nPrimarily serves businesses in Maryland (all counties); some components extend to DC, Virginia, and Delaware through SBDC and partner networks. Focus counties include Montgomery, Prince George's, and Baltimore City, with statewide Maryland reach. 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Attend a monthly virtual BRIDGE Program Open Forum (held on the third Thursday at 10:00 AM) to learn more and ask questions. After registering, BRIDGE Advisors conduct outreach, provide in-depth assessments, and guide entrepreneurs to the most relevant resources within TEDCO and its partner network. For the IWEE cohort sub-program, complete the application form at https://form.jotform.com/260335673737059; selected applicants will be notified after review and provided next steps for enrollment and onboarding.","schema":"https://md.api.cg.a6lab.ai/docs"},"mdProgramAudience":{"name":"mdProgramAudience","fieldType":"string","value":"Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individuals (SEDI)-owned businesses and Very Small Businesses (VSBs) with fewer than 10 employees, primarily in Maryland, with select components extending to DC, Virginia, and Delaware. Open to any industry including retail, hospitality, professional services, restaurants, and more. 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