A city-wide nonprofit for Baltimore's commercial corridors
Baltimore Neighborhood Business Districts, Inc. (BNBD) is a nonprofit organization that exist to help Baltimore's historic commercial corridors and neighborhood business districts thrive: stronger storefronts, cleaner and greener blocks, and healthy partnerships between merchants, property owners and residents.
Our work is for the whole city. We started on the historic Greenmount Avenue corridor, studying historic commercial buildings, caring for neglected lots and alleys, and helping merchants organize. What we learned there becomes the model for the other corridors we serve.
Working with neighborhood organizations and nonprofits
BNBD does not replace the good work already happening in Baltimore's neighborhoods. We partner with neighborhood associations, community development groups, merchants associations and other nonprofits.
Where a corridor needs capacity that existing groups do not currently have the time or funding to provide, such as historic research, grant writing, data tools or project management, we bring that expertise to the table, share what we produce, and step back when local partners are ready to lead.
What we do
- Historic preservation planningFeasibility studies, historic documentation and reuse planning for the older commercial buildings that anchor a corridor.
- Grant research and writingFinding and preparing state, federal and foundation applications, especially for historic preservation, on behalf of corridors and partner groups.
- Clean and green projectsVacant lot maintenance, alley greening and public space improvements that make a block feel cared for.
- Gateways and placemakingSigns and small improvements that mark and welcome people to a commercial corridor.
- Data and property toolsFree online maps, dashboards and property tools that put useful information in the hands of owners, merchants and neighbors.
- Merchant organizingHelping business owners form and run merchants associations so they have a voice and can work together.