However as the general economy moves hesitantly towards recovery, there is an expectation that more of these credits will be put into actual use. Locally, several organizations were awarded credits in this round, including CDF Development, for $50 million; Community Development Funding, $10 million; Harbor Bankshares Corp., $20 million--Harbor received $50 million in the last round; Mid-City Community CDE, $60 million; Urban Action Development Community, $15 million; and Urban Research Park CDE, $30 million.

Some of these firms will provide financing to projects; others will develop projects themselves, either locally or nationally. CDF Development, for example, provides loans and equity investments to increase the number of developments of large-scale retail and mixed-use projects in low-income communities. Community Development Funding invests in not-for-profit faith and community-based organizations seeking to establish new facilities nationwide. HBC, for its part, will use its NMTC allocation to develop or rehabilitate commercial real estate and workforce and affordable housing in Baltimore.