With new program, Baltimore’s Downtown Partnership looks to boost Black-owned businesses

With an eye toward increasing Black-owned retail businesses in downtown Baltimore neighborhoods, the Downtown Partnership is launching a new initiative that will pair creative Black businesses with vacant storefronts, and connect them with technical, marketing and other expertise. The program, nicknamed The Downtown BOOST, for Black-Owned and Occupied Storefront Tenancy, will give selected businesses $50,000 to help renovate a vacant storefront space and pay for other expenses.