PORTLAND, Maine (AP) An online portal designed to help Maine’s hospitality and tourism businesses obtain grants crashed on Thursday, the day it was scheduled to start taking applications.

Business owners reported problems with the portal after it opened at 9 a.m., the Portland Press Herald reported. The Maine Department of Economic and Community Development shut down the application less than two hours after it opened.

The portal will be open for applications again starting Friday morning, the department said.

The tool allows businesses to apply for up to $20,000 in grants as part of a $40 million aid program announced by Democratic Gov. Janet Mills earlier in the week.