§ 1–325.452. Vitality Fund Grants.

(a) Notwithstanding part B of subchapter XII-A of this chapter, the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development ("Deputy Mayor") may award grants from the Vitality Fund established pursuant to § 1-325.451 to attract businesses to the District or retain businesses in the District, with a preference for attraction to or retention in the District's central business district.

(b) Grants awarded pursuant to this section may be used for the following purposes:

(1) To cover operational costs;

(2) As down-payment assistance or to subsidize rent;

(3) To pay for tenant improvements;

(4) To cover workforce training or professional development costs not eligible for support through other workforce programs; and

(5) To cover recruitment and hiring costs.

(c) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a business must:

(1) Demonstrate that the retention or attraction of its business will have a significant positive economic impact on the District, which may be evidenced by the following factors:

(A) New jobs;

(B) Retained jobs;

(C) Total employment;

(D) Average annual wages;

(E) Term of occupancy;

(F) Net new square feet occupied;

(G) Total square feet occupied;

(H) Dollar amount of capital investment;

(I) Tax revenue;

(J) Return on investment;

(K) Contribution of the company's presence in the District to the growth of the company's industry in the District; or

(L) Other outcomes identified by the Deputy Mayor that quantify the economic impact of the business's project on the District.

(2) Require its employees, in the aggregate, to be on-site at a location in the District for at least 50% of their work hours; and

(3) Agree to:

(A) Develop or participate in a workforce development program that offers District residents opportunities for training or employment within the business or the industry in which it operates; or

(B) Spend at least 5% of its total annual contracting with businesses eligible for certification as local business enterprises, pursuant to § 2-218.31.

(d) By January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Deputy Mayor shall submit to the Council a report that contains the following information on grants awarded pursuant to this section in the prior calendar year:

(1) For each grantee:

(A) The name of the business, the location of the business, and the grant amount;

(B) The number of jobs created or retained as a result of the grants and the average annual wages of the jobs created or retained;

(C) The total number of persons employed by the grantee;

(D) The square footage leased or occupied by the grantee;

(E) The dollar amount of capital investments made by the grantee, if applicable;

(2) The return on investment for all grants awarded; and

(3) Any other information the Deputy Mayor deems necessary to demonstrate the impact of the grants on the economic vitality of the District.