1 ___________________________
2 Councilmember Trayon White Sr.
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5 A BILL
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7 _________________
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9 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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11 ______________
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13 To clarify the Department of Small and Local Business Development’s authority to issue grants
14 to eligible entrepreneurs and for-profit businesses in Ward 8.
15 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
16 act may be cited as the “Ward 8 Community Investment Fund Clarification
17 Act of 2023”.
18 Sec. 2. (a) Notwithstanding section 1094 of the Grant Administration Act of 2013,
19 effective December 24, 2013 (D.C. Law 20-61; D.C. Official Code § 1-328.11 et seq.), in Fiscal
20 Year 2024 and each subsequent fiscal year, the Department of Small and Local Business
21 Development shall issue a grant in the amount appropriated for the Ward 8 Community
22 Investment Fund to the DC Community Development Consortium Institute to provide grants or
23 microloans, to eligible entrepreneurs and businesses seeking to establish or sustain for-profit
24 businesses in Ward 8.
25 (b) The following persons and entities are eligible to receive grants in the specified
26 amounts:
27 (1) Small grants and microloans of up to $5,000 in total to entrepreneurs for costs
28 related to starting a business in Ward 8. Startup costs include business licensing and other fees
29 required to incorporate a for-profit business in the District, insurance required by District or
30 federal laws or regulations, and pre-operating costs;
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31 (2) Grants and microloans not to exceed $10,000 in total to support small
32 businesses owned by Ward 8 residents operating in Ward 8 for at least 1 year prior to being
33 awarded the microloan; and
34 (3) Grants and microloans not to exceed $20,000 total to support small businesses
35 owned by Ward 8 District residents operating in Ward 8 for at least 3 years prior to being
36 awarded the grant or microloan.
37 (c) The DC Community Development Consortium Institute may use up to 20% of the
38 total annual grant amount to support operating costs of, and to provide technical assistance to,
39 eligible applicants and grantees.
40 (d) The DC Community Development Consortium Institute shall submit a quarterly
41 report to the Department of Small and Local Business Development detailing:
42 (1) The number of applications received;
43 (2) The number of grants issued;
44 (3) The amount of money issued per grant; and
45 (4) A list of entrepreneurs and businesses who were awarded grants in the
46 past quarter, a description of the business or business proposal, and a copy of each grant-winning
47 application and supporting materials.
48 (e) The DC Community Development Consortium Institute shall establish a grant-review
49 committee comprised of seven (7) Ward 8 residents selected annually through an open
50 application process. The DC Community Development Consortium Institute shall establish
51 procedures to identify and eliminate conflicts of interest with potential recipients through the
52 grant-review committee, and provide technical and administrative support to the grant-review
53 committee, as necessary.
54 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact.
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55 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact
56 statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved
57 October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1 301.47a).
58 Sec. 4. Effective date.
59 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
60 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than
61 90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section
62 412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788;
63 D.C. Official Code § 1-204.12(a)).
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