The DC Department of Small and Local Business Development is excited to announce that it will begin accepting applications for the Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2025 Made in DC (“MiDC”) x ReFashion Market Access Grant Program, beginning July 21, 2025, at 2 p.m. Eastern Time (“ET”).
MiDC supports and promotes businesses that design, make, produce, and/or assemble products in the District, while ReFashion intends to uplift small and local businesses in the fashion industry. The MiDC x ReFashion Market Access Grant Program will issue awards to local, non-storefront-based makers, creatives, and small business owners, including those with a focus on fashion. The program aims to increase access to market opportunities for businesses that lack a physical retail presence.
This lottery-based grant program offers eligible businesses the opportunity to access funds for vendor opportunities, inventory, back-office support, and branding initiatives. These grants aim to increase visibility and sales for home-based, online, or mobile maker businesses across Washington, DC. More information about the grant opportunity is listed below.
For this grant program, DSLBD will use a randomized lottery system to select eligible businesses to receive reimbursement grants of up to $2,000 from $50,000 in available funding for FY25. Only one (1) grant will be awarded per business or business owner. The Department will award a maximum of twenty-five (25) grants through this program.
Expenses eligible for reimbursement for the FY25 MiDC x ReFashion Market Access Grant Program must be incurred from March 11, 2025, to August 22, 2025 (“Period of Performance”).
Applicants are required to read the entire RFA and NOFA before applying.
FY25 MiDC x ReFashion Grant NOFA
Applicants must register and apply online: MiDC x ReFashion Market Access Grant Application Link.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET
Applicants must submit all documents and attestations through the application system. Applications submitted outside the system or after the FY25 MiDC x ReFashion Market Access Grant Program deadline will not be accepted..
DSLBD will offer several opportunities for prospective applicants to receive guidance about the grant program, application process, and receipt submission, as described in the table below:
Virtual Information Session #1: July 24 at 2:30 PM
Register here: Made in DC x Refashion Market Access Grant Program Virtual Information Session #1 | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
Drop-In Q/A Session #1: August 7 at 2:30 PM
Register here: Made in DC x Refashion Market Access Grant Program Virtual Drop-In Q/A Session #1 | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
Virtual Information Session #2: August 11 at 2:30 PM
Register here: Made in DC x Refashion Market Access Grant Program Virtual Information Session #2 | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
Drop-In Q/A Session #2: August 19 at 2:30 PM
Register here: Made in DC x Refashion Market Access Grant Program Virtual Drop-In Q/A Session #2 | Meeting-Join | Microsoft Teams
Outside of an information session, send all questions in writing to [email protected]. DSLBD will not take questions via telephone. The last day to submit questions is August 19, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET.
