This information is subject to change with the evolving public health emergency, but is current as of August 14, 2020.

Demonstrating eligibility for a grant can be the trickiest part of the application. Below is a list of free resources to support you in collecting your eligibility documentation for your application. For questions regarding the 2021 Dream Grant Request for Applications please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions document, which will be updated periodically.

In What Ward is My Home or Business?

• To look up whether your residence and/or business is located in DC Wards 7 or 8, you can use the Master Address Repository under Boundary Information.

Photo ID Needs - Drivers’ License or Non-Driver Identification Card

• The DMV is currently operating on an “Appointment Only” basis. DC DMV has extended the expiration date for all documents expiring on and after March 1 until 45 days after the public health emergency concludes.

Photo ID Needs - Passport

• The State Department has limited passport processing during this time. Please refer to the State Department for guidance.

Showing Majority Ownership of Your Business

• If your business is a registered corporation in DC through the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), you should have developed corporate documents that may include articles of incorporation or articles of organization, and/or an operating agreement or other documentation of ownership. You should be able to access your corporate formation documents at DCRA’s CorpOnline database.

Getting a Clean Hands Certificate

• The Clean Hands Certificate changed earlier in 2020. You will need to request a Clean Hands Certificate through the www.mytax.dc.gov portal. If you have question on how to request a Clean Hands Certificate, a PDF walking through the process is here.
• If you have any issues accessing the www.mytax.dc.gov portal you can contact customer support at [email protected] or 202-759-1946. If you need support with your tax account you can reach out to the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate.

General Liability Insurance

• If you do not currently have general insurance you must attest that you will purchase coverage if awarded the grant. We recommend all businesses carry insurance for their protection, but you do not need to purchase insurance solely for the purposes of applying for the grant.
• We cannot make a direct referral to an insurance carrier, but recommend that businesses shop around with several carriers to determine the best fit for the needs of your business.

Business License

• This grant is for already licensed businesses located in Wards 7 or 8. We will be verifying business licenses through DCRA’s online verify a business tool. We recommend you review your record for accuracy.
• You can also find information at DCRA’s DC Business Center at business.dc.gov or work through the DCRA Small Business Resource Center for support.

Federal Employment Identification Number (FEIN or EIN)

• Federal Employment Identification Number is free from the IRS at IRS.gov. There are many sites pretending to be the IRS – please only request a FEIN from www.IRS.gov.

Dun & Bradstreet Number (DUNS)

• Registering for a Dun & Bradstreet number is free at http://www.dnb.com/ under D-U-N-S Number. You can also call them at (866) 990-5845 to request they expedite your registration.

Business Bank Account

• We cannot make a direct referral, but recommend that businesses shop around with several institutions and also consider local banks and credit unions to find the best rates and customer service to fit your business needs.
• Through Bank On DC and DC’s Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking, the DC residents can access Bank on DC accounts , which include Second Chance Bank accounts, and have low minimum balance requirements, and no or low-cost monthly fees. Information on how to do so can be found at Bank on DC at https://bankondc.org/ 

Computer Access

• Limited computer access is available at 14 DC Public Libraries during Phase 2 - remote printing (emailing documents for printing) is currently available. Please refer to the library’s website: https://www.dclibrary.org/computeruse.

Scanning Documents

• There are many free third party applications available for smartphones. A scan feature is built into the Notes App on iPhones. For Android phones, you can use the Google Drive App to scan documents and save them to your online Google Drive account. Use judgement whenever downloading a third party app to your phone.

Additional Application Assistance

• The grant application was designed for business owners to write their own application. While it is at your discretion, we specifically caution against businesses considering paid for services for grant-writing for the Dream Grants. If you are seeking assistance, you may want to reach out to non-government small business technical assistance providers with free services like those funded by the Department of Housing and Community Development, listed here.