Request for Applications (RFAs)

Application Guidelines

Version 3 | March 6, 2026

Table of Contents

  1. Summary
    1. Purpose
    2. Eligibility
    3. Funding Amount
  2. Application Instructions
    1. How to Apply
    2. Full proposal guidelines
  3. Review Process
    1. Compliance Review
    2. Technical Review
    3. Notification of Award
    4. Review Criteria
    5. Award Process
  4. Project Period
    1. Midterm Report
    2. Final Deliverables: Entrepreneurship Development Report and Commercialization Plan
  5. Program Information
  6. Appendix A: Budget

Summary

Purpose

The Baltimore Innovation Initiative (“BII”) Program was created to support an equitable innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in institutions of higher education throughout the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As a component of the State of Maryland’s matching contribution toward the Baltimore Tech Hub, the Program seeks to advance technology toward commercialization of a product or service and bolster support systems for entrepreneurs developing technology-based ventures.

The Program will award two grant types: (1) the Technology Advancement Grant and (2) the Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Programming and Infrastructure Grant. This document will outline the details of the Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Programming and Infrastructure Grant.

Eligibility

Eligible recipients of the Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Programming and Infrastructure Grant include faculty or staff responsible for operating entrepreneurship or commercialization programming at an Eligible Institution. Eligible Institutions are those named in BII enabling legislation [CH0710/CH0711] who have opted in to the BII program. As of March 6, 2026, the institutions include the following marked in bold: