Partnership Announces Mission: Interior Grant Program Awardees

DOWNTOWN FREDERICK, Md., July 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Downtown Frederick Partnership is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the Mission: Interior matching grant program: Edgeworks Knife & Supply, Hippy Chick Hummus, The Kitchenette, Maryland Ensemble Theatre, The Perfect Blend Cafe, Tenth Ward Distilling Company and Wag's Restaurant.

Mission: Interior supports interior capital improvements that help strengthen the downtown retail and restaurant community. The program provides up to $5,000 in matching grant funds to eligible Downtown Frederick businesses. For the Spring 2025 round, a total of 20 businesses applied seeking more than $55,000 in grant funding. The Partnership's Business Development Committee selected seven businesses based on the program criteria to receive the total available grant funds of $25,000. These applicants are supporting the selected improvements with more than $39,000 in matching contributions.

The funded projects include:

Edgeworks Knife & Supply: Replacement of old carpet flooring with wood laminate to enhance the retail space
Grant Award: $5,000

Hippy Chick Hummus: Renovation of the public restroom, including flooring, plumbing, and installation of a commercial toilet
Grant Award: $2,000

The Kitchenette: Upgrade the main showroom with new track lighting to create a brighter, more inviting space.
Grant Award: $1,000

Maryland Ensemble Theatre: Addition of digital vestibule displays to improve brand visibility and better serve patrons in Downtown Frederick's Theatre District
Grant Award: $4,500

The Perfect Blend Cafe: Interior improvements to enhance operations and visitor experience
Grant Award: $5,000

Tenth Ward Distilling Company: Refinishing hardwood floors, resealing brick, reglazing windows, and upgrading event space infrastructure
Grant Award: $5,000

Wag's Restaurant: Public restroom improvements in a long-standing downtown restaurant
Grant Award: $2,500

"As a small business, it can be difficult to prioritize behind-the-scenes improvements. I am very grateful for the generous support provided through the Downtown Frederick Partnership. This Mission: Interior grant will allow Hippy Chick Hummus to remodel our public restroom to help us better serve our community. Thank you for caring about small business and for investing in our growth and accessibility," said Erika Brown, owner of Hippy Chick Hummus.

"At Perfect Blend, we're always looking for ways to enhance the experience for our customers, and the Mission: Interior grant gave us the opportunity to make meaningful upgrades to our space. We're so grateful for the Partnership's support and excited to continue growing in the heart of Downtown Frederick," said Rabi and Pragya Dangol, owners of Perfect Blend.

"The Partnership is proud to continue investing in our downtown businesses through the Mission: Interior grant program," said Kara Norman, Executive Director of Downtown Frederick Partnership. "These improvements, large and small, contribute to the long-term success of our retailers, restaurants and cultural spaces while preserving the character and vitality of Downtown Frederick."

Applications were reviewed by the Partnership's Business Development Committee and ranked on criteria including longer lease periods, business tenure, greater than 50% match, projects that expand the services offered by the business through improvements to either accessibility or fire suppression systems, geographic diversity and projects that improve and/or restore an interior historic feature. 

Since its launch, the Mission: Interior program has helped strengthen Downtown Frederick's economic infrastructure while supporting projects that make downtown spaces more beautiful, accessible and functional. Prior to this grant round, more than $165,000 has been granted to downtown businesses which has been matched by more than $542,000 in business investments in improved commercial spaces.

About Downtown Frederick Partnership

Founded in 1990, Downtown Frederick Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enhancing, promoting, and preserving the vitality, livability, and diversity of Downtown Frederick—a nationally recognized Main Street community. The Partnership has managed Downtown Frederick's Main Street program since its designation in 2001.

For more information, visit downtownfrederick.org.

SOURCE Downtown Frederick Partnership