Federal workers in Howard County impacted by the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize the federal workforce will have access to additional county resources, County Executive Calvin Ball announced Tuesday.

“By leading with love, we are investing in workforce development, supporting new businesses and tapping into the talent of displaced federal workers to actually support their needs, hopes, dreams, aspirations and our economy,” Ball said during a news conference.

Many in the community are anxious about their job security as President Donald Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency, spearheaded by Elon Musk, have moved to cut thousands of federal positions, Ball said. The county is offering additional resources to support federal workers who want to start their own businesses as it also works to help people find new jobs.

While some programs are still being worked on in response to various executive orders coming from the White House, Ball said, others were already available but will be expanded, repurposed to focus on federal workers, or enhanced.

The county is repurposing the Howard County Economic Development Authority’s annual business resource expo on March 26, bringing procurement, legal and economic growth officials together to provide small business owners with access to local and state programs that offer training, funding and mentorship.

The HCEDA also offers microloans ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 over three to five years for small businesses to purchase inventory, equipment, and for expansion and similar costs through the Leveraging Investment for Future Transformation Fund.

Federal workers with existing startups can take advantage of HCEDA’s Catalyst Fund as well, Ball said. The fund is managed at the local level but helps businesses statewide that develop permanent jobs and use investments from the private sector. The fund provides loans of up to $500,000 for “normal business uses,” such as working capital and inventory purchases, Ball said.

“Now can be your time to turn the Elon Musk firing tragedy into triumph,” Ball said.

Applications are open for the next cohort of the county and HCEDA’s HoCo Higher Entrepreneur accelerator program, a seven-week program to help entrepreneurs develop convincing business pitches. Ball encouraged federal workers to apply.

In February, Ball announced expanded resources for federal workers and contractors affected by layoffs and firings spurred by decisions from the DOGE. The announcement followed a forum held in response to an email employees received offering deferred resignation buyouts, which a federal judge blocked.

The expanded resources included broadened eligibility for foreclosure prevention assistance, bags of food items with “shelf staples” to address food insecurity, increased childcare support, and a career fair for federal workers, among other initiatives.

After nearly 600 individuals attended a career fair for federal workers, the county will now hold a second career fair on April 8 again at Howard Community College. On March 11, Ball will be joined by U.S. Rep. Sarah Elfreth and U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks for a town hall at Howard Community College to hear the stories of impacted workers and share more information about available resources.

There are several openings for county positions, Ball said, including childcare professionals.

He urged those looking to work in childcare to email rlcchildcare@howardcountymd.gov as the county works to respond to requests and grow its before and after care services with the Department of Recreation and Parks. In the last month, calls to the county’s CARE line for childcare information increased by 34%, Ball said.

The county’s Office of Workforce Development has held additional hours for resume-building advice, career counseling and social media tutorials and so far, Ball said, the office has been assisting approximately 1,000 workers.

Decisions by DOGE to slash the federal workforce will have a “devastating” impact on the county’s economy, Ball said. As people are suddenly unemployed, every time a house is foreclosed on, housing values will be affected, Ball said. And as people struggle to pay for food and shelter, they may look to the county for help, which will affect the economy. Ball said that is why the county is offering “as many resources” as it can to promote job access and economic growth.

“We are working to meet cruelty with compassion, pain with purpose, and through division, we can make a difference,” Ball said.

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