Funding Downtown Promotions

8-1/2" x 11", soft cover, 48 pages, Downtown Research & Development Center, $34.95. Table of Contents Order Now

Funding Downtown Promotions will show you how to raise the money you need for downtown marketing and promotions. Then it will show you how to make those dollars go farther with sponsorships, vendor fees, co-op advertising, volunteers, and more.

This hands-on manual contains sample forms, letters, budgets and detailed case studies — everything you need to get started raising money for your downtown promotions. You’ll learn how to:

Get local and national sponsors. From the largest to the smallest downtown, sponsorship offers a wonderful opportunity to stretch your budget. Learn where to find sponsors, how to sell sponsorships, and what to ask for.

Defray costs with vendor fees. Learn how vendor fees are structured and how one downtown tripled its fees with no resistance. Plus, you’ll find sample application forms for vendors.

Increase membership and participation. Dues are the backbone of most downtown promotion programs. Learn how to get everyone involved in membership recruitment and how to develop an effective direct mail membership campaign. You’ll also find sample letters to start or improve your own membership campaign.

Run successful fund-raising programs. You’ll see how downtowns are raising money and getting positive publicity with gala events, raffles, and product sales.

Use a business improvement district. More and more small towns and big cities are looking to business improvement district assessments to pay for their marketing and promotions. You’ll learn how BIDs are formed, how they’re funded, and how they’re using their money for promotions.

Stretch your budget with volunteers. Volunteers are the cheapest form of labor for downtown events and promotions. We’ll show you where to find them, how to use them effectively, and how to keep them coming back event after event. You’ll also find a sample volunteer recruitment form.

Share the cost of advertising. Cooperative advertising can stretch your downtown’s budget and enhance its image. You’ll find examples of co-op advertising in newspapers, radio, TV and even on placemats.

Throughout this guide, you’ll find very specific tips and advice based on the experiences of downtowners who are successfully raising the funds for their downtown marketing and promotions.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Events
• Budgeting for downtown events
• Sample event budgets
• Working with vendors
• Sample vendor application forms
• Working with event sponsors
• Using cooperative advertising
3. Membership

• Selling the benefits of membership
• Setting up a membership recruitment and retention program
• Sample recruitment letters
4. Volunteers
• Finding volunteers
• Keeping volunteers
• Sample volunteer recruitment form
5. Fundraising
• Raising money with “I Love Downtown” buttons
• Turning bad news into a fundraiser
• Unfashionable event promotes neigborhood improvement district
• Summerville, SC raises funds with Christmas ornaments
• Newkirk, OK raises funds with T-shirts
• Dowagiac, MI raises funds with dishes
6. Business Improvement Districts
• Financing promotions with business improvement districts

Appendix: List of contacts

Your Guarantee of Satisfaction

Funding Downtown Promotions is guaranteed. If you are not 100% satisfied, you may return it within 30 days for a full refund.

About the Author

Author Mary Barr served as editorial director of the Downtown Research & Development Center and as editor of Downtown Idea Exchange and Downtown Promotion Reporter newsletters.

About the Publisher

Funding Downtown Promotions is published by the Downtown Research & Development Center.

For more than 50 years, the Downtown Research & Development Center has provided a forum for exchanging news, information and ideas on how to rebuild the hearts of our cities as vibrant centers of the community. In addition to books, the Center publishes Downtown Idea Exchange and Downtown Promotion Reporter newsletters.

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