Project Restore 2.0

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.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, an applicant must be a place-based economic development organization working within a state-designated Sustainable Community and also meet at least one of the following criteria:

• One of the state’s 34 designated Main Street Maryland communities;
• One of Baltimore City’s 8 designated Main Street neighborhoods;
• One of the designated Arts & Entertainment districts;
• An IRS-determined nonprofit organization whose mission and work substantially contributes 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 district; or
• A local government entity.

Please note that eligible organizations can apply together in partnership to request funding for the same geographic program area, but may not duplicate efforts in the same geography. Partners must collaborate on an application or differentiate the areas they will cover in separate applications.

Additionally, an applicant must meet all the following threshold criteria:

• Registered and in good standing with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT); and;
• Based in Maryland and serve Maryland communities and populations; and
• The entity and the vacant property/s must be located in a DHCD-designated Sustainable Community; and
• Have at least a 0.5 FTE dedicated, paid staff member.

Grant applications should relate to / advance one or more of Governor Moore and Secretary Day’s priorities, listed below.

• Governor Moore's Priorities:
  • End child poverty in Maryland
  • Ensure world-class health systems for Marylanders
  • Advance infrastructure to connect Marylanders to opportunity and each other
  • Make Maryland a desirable and affordable home for all
  • Interrupt violence, prevent crime, and protect Maryland
  • Make Maryland the greenest state in the country
  • Increase Maryland’s economic competitiveness
  • Set Maryland’s students up for success
  • Connect Marylanders to jobs
  • Make Maryland a state of service
• Secretary Day's Priorities
  • Provide shelter for all
  • Expand affordable housing
  • Right the wrongs of the past
  • Make lovable places
  • Connect all Marylanders

Visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Pages/ProjectRestore/default.aspx for more information.