Baltimore County, Md. (Nov. 18, 2024) – Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) has received a $95,000 grant from the PNC Foundation to fund an initiative that will provide support to small businesses in Dundalk and adjacent communities that were significantly impacted by the loss of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
“Even as we remember the six workers who lost their lives in the collapse of the Key Bridge and keep their families in our thoughts, we recognize the significant impact this tragedy has had on local small businesses and the livelihoods of those they employ,” said Laura Gamble, PNC regional president for Greater Maryland. “The Port of Baltimore was shut down, and this was felt by businesses on both sides of the bridge, particularly small businesses. This grant will support key initiatives to help them, including helping with marketing and driving traffic to their business corridors.”
Small businesses that relied heavily on the bridge’s regular traffic have been the hardest hit, facing significant revenue losses and increases in operating costs and staff layoffs. Through its “Building Bridges to Recovery: Strengthening Dundalk’s Business Community” initiative, CCBC will provide education, resources and coaching support to assist struggling businesses.
“The Key Bridge collapse has devastated local businesses, particularly in Dundalk,” said Sandra Kurtinitis, CCBC president. “This incident severely disrupted vital transportation arteries, threatened the economic well-being of our region, and will continue to do so for many years. We are grateful to the PNC Foundation for this grant that will enable us to offer targeted solutions to those experiencing hardships, helping them to sustain and grow their businesses or pivot to a new career.”
Dundalk and surrounding area business owners will have the opportunity to join an eight-week cohort-based program that will include one-on-one business coaching, staffing support, networking and other resources to help establish and implement a growth plan. Workshops will include strategic planning, funding options, sales and marketing, business planning and finance.
CCBC will collaborate with organizations such as the Dundalk Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Corporation to reach small businesses, assess challenges and determine which resources would be of most value. The initial goal of the “Building Bridges to Recovery: Strengthening Dundalk’s Business Community” initiative is to serve 50 participants.
For business owners and their staff who have lost employment due to closing businesses, CCBC’s business navigators will provide career development support, helping them explore course offerings and new careers and linking them to resources. CCBC offers the region’s most expansive selection of degree, certificate and workforce certification programs that prepare students for careers in business, education, health care, information technology, cybersecurity, construction, transportation and more.
For additional information about the “Building Bridges to Recovery: Strengthening Dundalk’s Business Community” initiative, contact Moire Riley a mriley@ccbcmd.edu.
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group (www.pnc.com), actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through PNC Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multiyear initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life. For more information, visit PNC Foundation.
Since 1957, CCBC has opened the doors to accessible, affordable, high-quality education empowering generations of area residents to transform their lives and the lives of others. Each year, over 50,000 students enroll at the college’s main campuses, extension centers and online to make their starts, earn degrees, launch and build careers. CCBC offers the region’s most expansive selection of degree, certificate and workplace certification programs that prepare students for transfer, job entry and career advancement in such industries as business, education, health care, information technology, cybersecurity, construction, and transportation. Designated as the “Best Community College” among the Maryland Daily Record’s 2024 Reader Rankings, CCBC is also nationally recognized as a leader in innovative learning strategies and among the nation’s top associate degree producers.