Overview
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) activates vacant buildings, supports small businesses, creates jobs, improves commercial corridors, and increases local economic activity by providing financial support to place-based economic development organizations working to improve the vitality of Maryland’s commercial corridors.
Who Can Apply
Unlike prior rounds of the program, for FY2024 the program will be administered as a block-grant to place-based economic development organizations. Place-based economic development organizations can apply to receive funds to activate vacant buildings in the jurisdiction they serve. The organizations, if awarded, will sub-grant the funds to for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, cooperatively-owned businesses, and social enterprises to start up or expand to vacant buildings. Please note, small businesses are not eligible to apply directly to Project Restore 2.0.
Place-based economic development organizations are non-profit or local government entities that work to improve a specific jurisdiction within the state, whose mission and work substantially contribute to the economic development and/or historic preservation of the local business district/s and whose programs and activities support the small businesses within the jurisdiction they serve.
Examples of place-based economic development organizations are Main Street programs, Arts & Entertainment Districts and community development organizations. To locate place-based economic development organizations in an area, you can reach out to the economic development agency for that area; see list of agencies. You can also reach out to program staff at dhcd.projectrestore@maryland.gov for guidance.