Baltimore Development Corporation

Why Baltimore? Baltimore has a highly educated and diverse workforce supported by world-class academic institutions. The city is 35 miles from Washington DC, 90 from Philadelphia, 180 from New York, and 15 minutes from an international airport, all easily accessible by highway, rail, and air.

About

Programs and assistance provided by the Baltimore Development Corporation include grants, loans, navigating city agencies and license & permitting processes as well as help in identifying tax credits and incentives and technical assistance for real estate projects.  
If you are seeking funding for your business, BDC has created a tool to help identify investment capital in Baltimore City. Please click here.
 If you have questions or need more information, please contact us at [email protected].

 

Program Name
Program Type
Industry
Description
Enterprise Zone (EZ) and EZ Focus Area
Tax Credit
General
Location-Based

The EZ program provides real property and state income tax credits for businesses located in a Maryland Enterprise Zone in return for job creation and investments. Businesses located in Focus Areas, which are specific boundaries of an EZ, may be also qualified for personal property tax credits on new investment in personal property and enhanced income tax credit for creating new jobs. Learn more.

Grocery Store Tax Credit
Tax Credit
Grocery Stores

Baltimore City offers personal property tax credit to grocery stores locating or making significant renovations within targeted areas in the city. Learn more.

Opportunity Zones
Tax Incentive
General
Location-Based

A nationwide initiative administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, the program provides federal tax incentives for investment in distressed communities over the next 10 years. Enhanced tax credits are available for several of the Maryland Department of Commerce’s tax credit programs for businesses located in federal Opportunity Zones that meet certain requirements. Learn more.

BDC Loans
Loan
General

BDC has several different loan programs to assist businesses with financing for capital projects, working capital, business acquisition, leasehold improvements, and purchase of furniture, fixtures, machinery & equipment. If you are interested in our loan program, please fill out the intake form.

Foreign Trade Zone
Assistance Program
Location-Based
General

A foreign-trade zone (FTZ) is a federally designated area located within the United States, yet considered “outside” of U. S. Custom’s territory for the purposes of assessing and collecting import duties and taxes. FTZs provides economic incentives to companies importing or exporting international goods. The Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) serves as administrator of the Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) on behalf of Baltimore City and surrounding counties. Learn more.

Facade Improvement Grant (FIG)
Grant
General

City-wide Façade Improvement Grant program (FIG) provides funds to make exterior improvements to commercial and industrial properties. The grants are to be used to enhance the appearance of individual building façades, signs and awnings, and other exterior improvements. Both businesses and property owners are eligible. Learn more.

Biotechnology Investment Incentive Tax Credit
Tax Credit
Biotechnology

State of Maryland program, which provides an investor with income tax credits equal to 33% or 50% of an eligible investment in a Qualified Maryland Biotechnology Company (QMBC), supporting investment in seed and early stage biotech companies. Learn more.

Brownfields Tax Incentive
Tax Credit
General

State of Maryland program, which provides incentives including tax credits, loans and grants for the redevelopment of eligible brownfield properties in participating jurisdictions. Learn more.

Buy Maryland Cybersecurity (BMC) Tax Credit
Tax Credit
Cybersecurity

State of Maryland program, which provides an income tax credit of 50% of the purchase price for Maryland companies with 50 or fewer employees that purchase cybersecurity goods, products or services from Qualified Maryland Cybersecurity Sellers (QMCS). Learn more.

Data Center Maryland Sales and Use Tax Exemption Incentive Program
Tax Credit
Technology

Data centers that locate or expand in Maryland and create new full-time positions may receive an exemption from Maryland sales and use tax on the purchase of qualified data center personal property. Learn more.

Employer Security Clearances Costs (ESCC) Tax Credit
Tax Credit
Cybersecurity

State of Maryland program, which provides income tax credits for expenses related to federal security clearance costs, construction of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) and first-year leasing costs for small businesses doing security-based contract work. Learn more.

Innovation Investment Tax Credit
Tax Credit
Cybersecurity
Biotechnology
Startup
Technology
Research

State of Maryland program, which provides an investor with income tax credits equal to 33% or 50% of an eligible investment in a Qualified Maryland Technology Company (QMTC), supporting investment in seed and early stage technology companies in designated industries. Learn more.

Job Creation Tax Credit
Tax Credit
General

Businesses that create a minimum number of new full-time positions may be entitled to state income tax credits of up to $3,000 per job or $5,000 per job in a “revitalization area” from the State of Maryland. Learn more.

Maryland Commuter Tax Credit
Tax Credit
General

A business entity in Maryland may claim a tax credit in an amount equal to 50% of the cost of providing qualified commuter benefits to their employees. The credit may not exceed $100 per individual employee per month. Learn more.

More Jobs for Marylanders
Tax Credit
Manufacturing

State of Maryland program, which provides new and existing manufacturers and businesses that locate or expand in a Maryland Opportunity Zone with tax incentives tied to job creation for a 10-year period, including a refundable income tax credit, and for manufacturers, encourages additional investment in new equipment through accelerated and bonus depreciation. Learn more.

One Maryland Tax Credit
Tax Credit
General

Businesses that invest in an economic development project in a Tier 1 County and create a minimum number of new jobs may qualify for a State income tax credit up to $5 million depending on the number of jobs and amount of eligible costs. Learn more.

Research and Development Tax Credit
Tax Credit
Research & Development

Businesses that have qualified R&D expenditures in Maryland may qualify for the Growth R&D Tax Credit. Learn more.

Small Business Relief Tax Credit
Tax Credit
Small Business

Refundable tax credit available to small businesses that provide their employees with paid sick and safe leave. Learn more.

Advantage Maryland (also known as MEDAAF)
Grant, Investment, Loan
Location-Based
General
Economic Development Partners

State of Maryland program, which funds grants, loans and investments to support economic development initiatives in priority funding areas of the state. Uses include business attraction and retention, infrastructure support, brownfield redevelopment, revolving loan funds and local strategic planning. Learn more.

Maryland Technology Internship Program (MTIP)
Grant, Training Service
Technology
Higher Education

Administered by UMBC and funded by the State of Maryland, MTIP helps Maryland retain top talent by offering financial assistance to technology-based businesses, as well as state and local agencies, to hire more interns. Learn more.

 
Neighbohood Impact Investment Fund (NIIF)
Loan
General
Location-Based
 

NIIF is a public-private partnership, which provides funding to benefit historically disinvested neighborhoods in Baltimore. Learn more.

Services Provided

Business Planning

  • Business Plan Consulting, Development and Review
  • Demographic/Census Data
  • Feasibility Studies
  • Market Plan Development
  • Market Research
  • Identification/Research of Foreign Markets

Economic and Site Development

  • Revitalization
  • Economic Forecast
  • Site Location Assistance
  • Tax Credits
  • Watershed Planning
  • Environmental Compliance

Buying or Selling a Business

  • Buying or Selling a Franchise
  • Purchasing an Existing Business
Contact Information
Brennan A. Murray
Address
36 S. Charles Street, Suite 2100
Baltimore, MD 21201