Many business owners go to tremendous expense and effort to identify resources as they develop and grow their businesses.  Remember that funds are often available for physical improvements but unlikely to be available for long-term operating expenses-- so use these resources early on to reserve more of your own sources of capital for keeping the business running! 

Below are resources offered by the DRC, the County, and the State. 

Historic Dundalk Main Street Merchants Association
Meets monthly at DRC - check our Events page for date and time, or contact us for details.  An opportunity for merchants in our main street area to get together and share strategies, offer support, address common challenges, and collaborate on marketing and other improvement ideas. 

Main Street Facade Improvement Grant Program
The DRC has obtained funds from the State's Neighborhood Business Works program to offer matching grants to Main Street businesses for improvements to the facades of their buildings or storefronts.  These improvements can be anything from a new sign or a new door, to a complete building renovation or new windows, as with the Genesis grocery, above.  All projects must be approved by the DRC's review committee for consistency with our Design Guidelines, intended to promote enhancements to buildings' historic character.  In addition, projects must be approved by the Maryland Historic Trust PRIOR to the start of any work.  Grants provide up to a 50% match toward the total project cost.  Other restrictions may be involved.  WE DO NOT HAVE ANY MORE FACADE GRANTS AT THIS TIME.

Baltimore County Business Assistance Program
Baltimore County Department Of Economic Development provides businesses, property owners and developers with retention and revitalization services designed to encourage private investment and maintain time-honored vital commercial centers.  Take advantage of any or all of the five initiatives below:

Architect-On-Call:
Offering up to ten hours of professional architectural design services to businesses improving the exteriors of their buildings.  After an initial site visit and meeting, the architect prepares a digital rendering of the building with design recommendations and a rough cost estimate.  The service is free when improvements are certified as complete.

Building Investment Loan Program:
Qualified business and property owners may apply for a maximum loan of $40,000.00 for exterior and $20,000.00 for interior improvements.  Qualifying exterior improvements include such s siding, awnings, landscaping, signs, and customer parking areas.  Qualifying interior improvements include lighting, heating and air conditioning, and flooring.  Loans are interest-free for projects over $15,000.
 
Baltimore County Small Business Loan Partnership:
This fund provides real estate and fixed asset loans up to $500,000.  Working in partnership with 15 area banks, the Fund can provide up to one-half of the project cost.  Forty percent of the project must be financed by one of the participating banks, with the remaining 10% in borrower’s equity.

Baltimore County Business Growth Loans:
For Commercial Revitalization Districts, this funding is primarily used to assist significant redevelopment projects. The maximum loan amount is $250,000 and can be used for the acquisition and improvement of land, buildings, and equipment, including new construction and the renovation of existing facilities.  Terms and interest rates are based upon the economic impact of the project.

Revitalization Advantage Private Sector Loan Discounts:
The Revitalization Advantage program offers discounts off standard interest rates to qualifying businesses looking to refurbish or develop commercial property or finance equipment purchases.  Susquehanna Bank, Provident Bank, M&T Bank, Harbor Bank and Columbia Bank will offer a ¼% discount off standard interest rates to qualifying businesses located in a commercial revitalization district.  Bank loan amounts range from $50,000 to $3,000,000.  Businesses can achieve substantial savings when these private sector loans are paired with Baltimore County Loans.

For more information or to apply for any of these County programs, contact Chris McCollum, 410 887-8000 or go to the County's Commercial Revitalization Division in the Department of Economic Development.

State of Maryland Neighborhood Business Works Program (NBW)
This small business loan program provides competitively-priced, flexible financing for the costs associated with business startup and expansion.
Eligible projects include:
Mixed-use projects combining residential and commercial uses in the same building; New construction or rehabilitation; Machinery and equipment; Certain other costs associated with opening or expanding a small business; Real estate acquisition; Manufacturing; Service providers; Retail
To find out more and to apply, go to the State's Division of Neighborhood Revitalization in the Department of Housing and Community Development.