The City of Annapolis has partnered with the National Center for Economic Gardening to launch a pilot program to provide research assistance to five Stage 2 Annapolis-based maritime businesses to facilitate their growth potential.
There is substantial research that indicates many of the new jobs come from Stage 2 companies which represent only 3-10% of all companies in most communities.
This targeted pilot program also augments the efforts and recommendations of the Annapolis Maritime Task Force to “Strengthen the Maritime Industry,” by first strengthening the existing maritime districts. In addition, accelerating the growth potential of Stage 2 maritime businesses can significantly help local economic development.
The areas of research include:
- strategic research
- market research
- social media analysis
- strategic customer and competitor mapping and others
The National Center for Economic Gardening has successfully worked with dozens of communities across the country to help them accelerate the growth of their locally based Stage 2 companies. This work has helped to organically create job opportunities for local residents and spur local economic activity that helps other neighboring businesses.
To be considered for the program, maritime companies must meet the following criteria:
- Be a for-profit, privately held Annapolis-based business in operation for at least two years
- Generate annual revenue between $1 million and $50 million
- Employ 10-99 full-time employees
- Demonstrate growth in employment and/or revenue during two of the past five years
- Have potential revenue growth in the next three years
- Provide products or services beyond the local area to regional, national, or global markets
Note: Retail, restaurant establishments, and local service providers (e.g., accounting, legal, staffing firms) do not qualify for the program.
If you are interested in participating in the program please apply by July 29 by filling out the Economic Gardening Application.
More information on Economic Gardening can be found at https://economicgardening.org/