The Community Legacy program provides local governments and community development organizations with funding for essential projects aimed at strengthening communities through activities such as business retention and attraction, encouraging homeownership and commercial revitalization.
Eligible Applicants
The following entities may apply for Community Legacy funding for projects located in Sustainable Communities:
- Local governments
- Community development organizations (for example: county councils, community development corporations, main street organizations, downtown partnerships)
- Groups of local governments sharing a common purpose or goal
Eligible Projects
Project should capitalize on the strengths of a community while addressing its challenges to revitalization and should help to achieve a local government’s
Sustainable Communities Action Plan. Many Sustainable Communities have demonstrated a need for reinvestment and Community Legacy projects should therefore aim to stabilize a community, reverse social, economic or physical decline or encourage sustainable growth.
Projects/activities typically include, but are not limited to:
- Mixed-use development consisting of residential, commercial and/or open space
- Business retention, expansion and attraction initiatives
- Streetscape improvements
- Increasing homeownership and home rehabilitation among residents
- Residential and commercial façade improvement programs
- Real estate acquisition, including land banking, and strategic demolition
Eligible Project Locations
Community Legacy funding can only be used in areas known as Sustainable Communities, or in an Opportunity Zone in Allegany, Garrett, Somerset and Wicomico Counties. Sustainable Communities are geographic areas targeted for revitalization by local governments. To determine geographic eligibility, use the Neighborhood Revitalization Mapper.
For More Information and How to Apply, refer to the
State Revitalization Programs webpage.
