Maryland Department of Housing and
Community Development

National Capital Strategic Economic Development Fund

​​​​​The National Capital Strategic Economic Development Fund (NED) provides competitive funds in support of commercial and residential activities in areas targeted for revitalization. The program attempts to focus on areas where modest investment and a coordinated strategy will have an appreciable neighborhood revitalization impact.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include local governments and community development organizations.

Eligible Projects

Funds from the NED Program should support the goals and objectives outlined in a targeted area’s Sustainable Communities Action Plan. Learn more about Sustainable Communities. NED funding should also support commercial and residential development projects. Projects must be located within a State of Maryland designated Sustainable Community. View a listing of approved Sustainable Communities applications.

For FY2022, applicant projects should be located within Sustainable Communities that are located:

  1. In Prince George’s County, at least in part, within the boundary created by Interstate 495 in the State and the District of Columbia; OR
  2. In Montgomery County, within an Enterprise Zone or the boundary created by:
    1. ​Prince George’s County;
    2. Maryland Route 200;
    3. Interstate 270;
    4. Interstate 495 to the Maryland state line; and
    5. The District of Columbia.

To view your jurisdiction’s Sustainable Community boundary (and Enterprise Zone boundary for projects in Montgomery County only) use the ​online revitalization mapping tool. If you have questions regarding whether a specific address is eligible to apply for the NED Program, contact your ​Regional Project Manager​.

Examples of eligible commercial and residential development projects are:

  • Down payment assistance for homebuyers to purchase and rehabilitate homes
  • Programs to acquire or rehabilitate vacant or blighted properties
  • Programs to improve existing residential and business properties
  • Programs to achieve energy efficiency through weatherization and energy retrofits
  • Development of affordable housing
  • Development of mixed–use projects that combine housing, retail, and office space
  • Development or enhancement of community open space or public infrastructure
  • Strategic demolition

How to Apply

Applications are evaluated based on need, community conditions, project/program scope, proposed timeline, budget, and organizational capacity. When the competitive round is open, the application can be found on the DHCD-N​R Project Portal​​.

More Information

To find out more about our programs, please contact yourRegional Project Manager.​