AGENDA DATE: 9/2/2015
TITLE:
Title
Route 29 Solutions Business Assistance Program
BODY
SUBJECT/PROPOSAL/REQUEST: Review of preliminary criteria for the Route 29 Solutions Business Assistance Program's matching grant program
ITEM TYPE: Regular Action Item
STAFF CONTACT(S): Foley, Catlin, Davis, Kamptner, McClintic, Stimart
PRESENTER (S): Lee Catlin
LEGAL REVIEW: Yes
REVIEWED BY: Thomas C. Foley
BACKGROUND: On June 3, 2015, the Board approved the final three elements of the County's Route 29 Solutions Business Assistance Program, which included a matching grant program. The matching grant program is intended to support business-specific construction-based advertising for Tier 2 businesses (those located in the construction zone of the Route 29/Rio Road intersection project) by providing funding to match funds committed by businesses for qualifying advertising/marketing efforts. Board members requested the opportunity to review the criteria for the matching grant program prior to the program's implementation to ensure that the grants program meets the Board's intentions and goals.
STRATEGIC PLAN: Goal 4 - Economic Prosperity. Foster an environment that stimulates diversified job creation, capital investments, and tax revenues that support community goals.
DISCUSSION: In developing draft criteria for the matching grant program, staff consulted with members of the Route 29 Solutions Business Assistance subcommittee, as well as individual business owners and other jurisdictions who have used a similar program. Staff also reviewed matching grant programs of a variety of entities, including the Virginia Tourism Corporation, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau, to get a sense of what criteria have been used by others who implemented regional marketing matching grant programs. The following priorities were identified by staff based on feed-back from the ...
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