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Community Legacy Program


We are thrilled to announce that the Town has received the Community Legacy Grant for $50,000 to continue the Emmitsburg Facade Improvement program! Applications are being accepted now and will be due January 31, 2024. Please contact Najila Ahsan at nahsan@emmitsburgmd.gov or 301-600-6309 to learn how to apply.

Community Legacy Program
5 w main before community legacy funding
The Community Legacy program is a partnership between the town and the Maryland Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). It provides 50% matching grants for exterior facade and other improvements, and the property owner pays the other 50%. The Town supplies the administrative part of the program. The maximum grant is $12,500 per property, per State fiscal year.

Click here to see the grant's Standard Operating Procedure




5 W Main St After Community Legacy Funding
The property has to be located within a designated S
ustainable Community Area (SCA) in order to be eligible for grant funds.  The SCA is primarily located within the National Register Historic District.  The Town has received $50,000 in grant funds from FY13-FY19, $55,000 in FY20, and $50,000 in FY21, FY22 and FY23.


The Sustainable Communities Workgroup agenda can be found here. The meeting will be tomorrow February 20th @ 7pm at the Town Office.


Grant Application Process:

  1. Determine if your property is eligible for the program.  Sustainable Community Area Map.
  2. An owner who is interested in applying for the program should contact the Town Office at 301.600.6300 to make sure their property and their project qualifies.  Applications can be downloaded here or picked up at the Town office.
  3. A local Sustainable Community Work Group reviews the applications received and forwards them to the Maryland Historical Trust for review. The MHT review determines whether the property is a "contributing structure" to the historic
    district, and whether the proposed project complies with Federal standards for materials and work on such structures.
  4. Once approved, the Town and property sign an agreement -- with a time frame for completion -- and the work can commence.
  5. When the work is completed, the owner pays the total amount to the contractor and provides proof to the Town that the contractor has been paid.
  6. The Town submits a reimbursement request to DHCD for the 50% grant money, and provides a check to the property owner once the reimbursement is received.

**This process takes a few months, but the results have been very positive for both the property owners and the Town in general.