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Department of Housing and Community Development

State of Maryland Awards More Than $1.3 Million to Assist Small Businesses and Empower Community Revitalization in Western Maryland

Three programs will provide funds to businesses, local governments, and economic development organizations

NEW CARROLLTON, MD (July 15, 2024) – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day announced the department has awarded $1,310,000 from three state programs to assist small businesses and support local revitalization projects and activities in Western Maryland. Grants from the Business Boost Microgrant Program, the Main Street Improvement Grant, and Project Restore 2.0 will provide funds to seven businesses, local governments, and place-based economic development organizations to spur community revitalization by attracting, retaining, and expanding small businesses, as well as through the promotion of local, cultural attractions and events.

“To ensure the continued quality of our communities and to improve the quality of life for all their residents, we must revitalize their hearts – downtowns, Main Streets, and other important community hubs and places,” said Secretary Day. “This important funding will strengthen these hearts by supporting the growth of small businesses that provide local services and job opportunities and the events and attractions that make Western Maryland’s unique, varied communities such great and lovable places.”

The Business Boost Microgrant Program assists businesses seeking to expand or establish a location with preference given to home-based businesses establishing their first commercial location outside of the home. Applicants were also required to meet one or more of the priority impact attributes that contribute to Maryland’s economic growth, such as supporting minority and women-owned businesses, driving innovation or technology advancements, growing new industries, or leveraging existing regional strengths. Business Boost awarded $70,000 to assist two businesses. High Country Farm Productions (Garrett) will use funds to increase its capacity to manufacture larger quantities of cheese. Cannon Coffee (Washington) will use funds to remodel and purchase new equipment, increasing both its service offerings and capacity.

The Main Street Improvement Grant Program provides operating assistance to the local governments or economic development organizations in Maryland’s designated and affiliated Main Street Maryland communities and Baltimore City’s designated Main Street neighborhoods. Grants help awardees achieve their community revitalization and economic development goals, including creating and retaining small businesses and increasing tourism for local events and attractions. The program awarded $100,000 to four designees, including the City of Hagerstown which will use funds to support the city’s Main Street Strategic Plan and develop branding for the Hagerfest Arts & Music Festival.

Project Restore 2.0 seeks to activate vacant buildings, support small businesses, and increase local economic activity by providing financial support to improve the vitality of Maryland’s commercial corridors. Unlike prior rounds of the program which directly funded businesses, $1,140,000 was awarded as block grants to four place-based economic development organizations, nonprofit or local government entities that work to improve a specific jurisdiction within the state. Awardees including Historic Frostburg (Allegany) and the Town of Oakland (Garrett) will sub-grant the funds to for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, cooperatively-owned businesses, and social enterprises to start up or expand into vacant buildings in their jurisdictions.

Here’s what local leaders and awardees are saying about the announcement:

  • “I am pleased to announce that Oakland has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Project Restore 2.0 initiative,” said Oakland Mayor Andrew Sauder. “The town will manage the grant for local businesses and organizations that applied to reactivate vacant spaces in the town. State initiatives like this are critical to the success of community development in Oakland and we are grateful to the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development for their investment in our ongoing revitalization.”
  • “Projects made possible by Main Street Improvement and Project Restore 2.0 grants will build on the foundation established in previous rounds of Project Restore to activate vacant storefronts and engage local entrepreneurs in the Pop-Up Frostburg program,” said Deirdre Robertson, Executive Director of Historic Frostburg – A Maryland Main Street Community. “We plan to work with property owners to rehabilitate a historic building and other challenging downtown properties while pairing graduates of the program with property owners to create successful, sustainable businesses in our Main Street district.”
  • “FrostburgFirst has an excellent track record of creating innovative opportunities for small business owners in Downtown Frostburg, and their dedication to revitalizing our community is commendable,” said Bethany Fife, Director of Community Development for the City of Frostburg. “This grant funding from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and Governor Wes Moore underscores their impactful work, and I am excited to see how this investment will further enhance local businesses, enrich cultural offerings, and ultimately contribute to a more vibrant and thriving downtown Frostburg.”
  • “The Main Street Improvement Grant will help fund strategic planning for the program along with contribution towards a new signature event,” said Brittany Arizmendi, Community Engagement Officer for the City of Hagerstown. “Funding received for Project Restore 2.0 will be instrumental in bringing new or expanding retail and restaurant businesses to the vacant storefronts in city center. With the addition of Meritus Park opening in early summer 2024 paired with this funding, downtown Hagerstown is on the cusp of entering the roaring twenties of this millennium.”

For more information about the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development business assistance and Main Street improvement programs, visit http://dhcd.maryland.gov.

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