Baltimore Facade Improvement Grant (FIG)
Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC)
Up to $5,000 (1:1 match)
Baltimore facade match grant
The Baltimore Development Corporation's Facade Improvement Grant (FIG) helps Baltimore business owners and commercial property owners fund exterior building upgrades — storefronts, signage, awnings, painting, masonry repair, and window/door work — that improve the look and feel of commercial areas citywide. The base FIG provides a maximum grant award of $5,000 on a 1:1 match to the owner's investment, paid as reimbursement after the project is complete and only for work approved before it begins. BDC also runs a companion Outdoor Spaces Grant for outdoor seating, parklets, and landscaping. The program is administered citywide by the Baltimore Development Corporation.
- Funding type
- Grant
- Level
- Municipal
- Amount range
- Up to $5,000 (1:1 match)
- Realistic amount
- Under the standing citywide FIG, a typical award is at or near the $5,000 cap, matched 1:1 b…
- Deadline
- Rolling — applicants request an application and meet with BDC on site before submitting; grants must be approved before work begins.
- Status
- active
- States
- Maryland
- Payment model
- reimbursement
Who qualifies
- Business owner or commercial/industrial property owner in Baltimore
- Project is an eligible exterior/facade improvement to a commercial or industrial property
- Owner provides a 1:1 match to the grant amount
- Grant must be approved before any work begins (pre-approval required)
- Citywide eligibility
What it covers
Eligible expenses
- Storefront and facade improvements
- Signage and awnings
- Exterior painting
- Brick and masonry repair
- Window and door removal/installation
- Historic restoration/renovation of the facade
Ineligible expenses
- Interior improvements unrelated to the facade
- General operating expenses
- Work started before grant approval
How to apply
-
1
Request an application and review eligibility
Contact the Baltimore Development Corporation to request a FIG application form and confirm the property and proposed exterior work are eligible.
~1 hrs
-
2
Meet a BDC representative on site
Before submitting, meet with a BDC representative at the project site to review the proposed scope, the 1:1 match requirement, and the pre-approval rule (no work before approval).
~2 hrs
-
3
Submit the approved application with bids
Submit the application with contractor bids, project scope, and ownership documentation. Wait for written approval before starting any work.
~4 hrs
-
4
Complete the work and request reimbursement
After approval, complete the exterior improvements and submit paid invoices to receive the reimbursement (up to $5,000) in stages per BDC's terms.
~3 hrs
Do not start any work before you have written approval — BDC will not reimburse anything done before the grant is approved, and the required on-site meeting with a BDC representative is mandatory, not optional. Because it's a 1:1 reimbursement capped at $5,000, treat FIG as a partial offset on a modest facade refresh; pair it with the companion Outdoor Spaces Grant if you're also adding seating or a parklet.
Deadline & timing
Applicants request the application form, meet a BDC representative at the project site, then submit. There is no fixed annual deadline; the program runs on an ongoing basis subject to funding. Terms and conditions were dated November 2024.
Related programs
Explore more funding
Last reviewed 2026. GrantCompass is an independent funding-discovery tool and is not affiliated with any government agency. Always confirm details on the official program page.