ALL ABOUT DSA’S NEW, ARPA-FUNDED PROGRAMS!

Posted on March 15, 2023April 18, 2023 by Courtney Wood

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By Courtney Wood

The Downtown Stockton Alliance has four new ARPA-funded programs to benefit Downtown Stockton businesses and property owners. In the last year, DSA staff have received over $2M in American Rescue Plan Act funding for projects and programs to benefit our Downtown stakeholders.
Learn more about these programs below!

DOWNTOWN BUSINESS FAÇADE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

Does your Downtown building or business exterior need a subtle glow-up, or maybe a full-on facelift? Our Business Façade Improvement Program, funded through City of Stockton ARPA money, has no-strings-attached cash for those makeovers. This program offers up to $25,000 of improvements per building for:

New Awnings
New Paint
Window & Door Replacement
Outdoor Dining Enclosures
Façade Repairs of Stucco/Tile/Brick
Other Street-facing, Façade Improvements

To be eligible, your business or property must be located in Downtown Stockton, have an up-to-date business license, have no active code violations, and not be a publicly traded company. For a step-by-step guide on how to apply, click here. Let this program give your downtown space a youthful glow!

*_{We have funding available to repair and update Downtown building facades!}*

DOWNTOWN ENTREPRENEUR SUPPORT PROGRAM

Are you a Downtown business owner who has always been curious about joining a chamber of commerce, but hesitated due to the fees? Or a long-standing chamber member who would jump at the opportunity to have someone cover this year’s dues for you? Or maybe there’s a Quickbooks class you’ve been eyeing that would help you up your business’s bookkeeping methods, but felt that investing in that course would take away funding from another important aspect of your business? Well, the DSA has the answer to your prayers this year!

*_{February’s Talk to Downtown featured representatives from local chambers!}*

Our San Joaquin County ARPA-funded Downtown Stockton Entrepreneur Support Program offers to reimburse Downtown business owners for up to $1,000 per business for EITHER a chamber membership at any of the local chambers, such as the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce, the African American Chamber of SJC, the SJC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, or the Central Valley Asian-American Chamber of Commerce; OR a business development workshop, class, or course that would help you improve your business or train your staff! To learn more about the benefits of joining our local chambers, check out February’s Talk to Downtown.

We can reimburse you for memberships or workshops occurring from December 2022 onward through the submission of this form. Let the DSA help you network, up-skill yourself or your staff, and grow your business into the best it can be in 2023.

DOWNTOWN STOCKTON WINDOW REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM

Have you recently had a window broken at your Downtown business, and struggled to find the funds to repair it? You already have enough to worry about as a small business owner. Our new SJC ARPA-funded Downtown Stockton Window Repair Reimbursement Program can help! Through this program, we can reimburse Downtown business owners for up to $800 per window for window repairs. All you need to do is fill out this form, which asks you to upload the window repair invoice and your proof of payment, and the DSA will send your reimbursement check to you within 10 days!

DOWNTOWN STOCKTON WINDOW WRAP PROGRAM

Does your downtown business or building have empty windows or faded window wraps that are screaming to be updated with colorful artwork or customized branding? Let our SJC ARPA-funded Downtown Stockton Window Wrap Program brighten up your space and attract clients to your business. Through this program, the DSA will pay for up to $2,500 of window wrapping per business. Just submit this form to apply – the DSA can help you with a customized design OR use artwork you already have. Once you’ve approved the design, we work with the installer and pay them directly. It’s that easy to completely upgrade the look of your business!

*_{Check out one of our Window Wrap Program beneficiaries, Alex Floral!}*

APPLY NOW!

These four programs are all running on a first-come, first-served basis while funding lasts; as of the writing of this article, we still have approximately $44,000 remaining in the Entrepreneur Support Program, $47,000 left in the Window Repair Reimbursement Fund, $47,000 to spend in the Window Wrap Program, and 40 spots left in the Business Façade Improvement Program. Click here to learn more or to apply today, contact [email protected] with any questions, and please share this article with every Downtown Stockton business owner or property owner you know.

Staff here at the DSA are thrilled to be able to offer these one-time programs to our stakeholders, who we know have waded upstream through adversities in the past few years. We hope for this funding to provide support, improvements, enhancements, and momentum which will propel Downtown Stockton toward a steady river of success.

P.S.

In addition to the programs mentioned in this article, we still have funding for the digital media promotion of Downtown Stockton events and job listings through COS ARPA money; if you are hosting an event or have job openings at your Downtown location, send them our way by emailing [email protected]!

Do you know Downtown? Here’s a Chance to WIN a Swag Bag!

Posted on February 7, 2023March 15, 2023 by Courtney Wood

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by Gynae Davalos

Which downtown building is the oldest, according to the City’s registered Historic Landmarks?

B & M Building – 125 Bridge Place
Fox California Theatre – 242 E. Main Street
Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium – 525 N. El Dorado Street
Tretheway Building – 229 E Weber Avenue
Medico-Dental Building – 242 N. Sutter Street

Which downtown religious facility was built in 1892?

First Church of Christ Scientist – 801 N. Center Street
St. Mary’s Church – 203 E. Washington Street
St. John’s Episcopal Church – 316 N. El Dorado Street

Who is Weber Point named after?

Weber Stephen
Chris Webber
Ingeborg Weber-Kellermann
Carl Maria von Weber
Captain Charles Maria Weber

Which businesses in Downtown Stockton have been operating for 10+ years?

Frank’s Shoe Shine
Alfalfa’s Pizza & Deli
Xochimilco Cafe
Martinez Tailor Shop
Mary Magdalene Community Services
Empresso

Subscribe to our eNewsletter towards the bottom of our website to receive correct answers and to be entered for a chance to win a DSA bag o’ swag!!

Murals Making Moves in Downtown

Posted on October 17, 2022August 3, 2023 by Courtney Wood

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by Gynae Davalos

New Mural! Find it on the side of 707 E. Main St

It’s the colors and size of a mural that easily captures our attention roaming anywhere downtown. And the latest installment up at the side of 707 E. Main St. is no exception.

This giant work of art is to honor Devone Boggan, CEO of Advance Peace, an organization dedicated to ending cyclical and retaliatory gun violence in American urban neighborhoods. For all his endless work enriching young people’s lives, he was named an Ashoka Changemaker in 2021 and was named a recipient of an Irvine Foundation Leadership Award this year. The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Awards recognize individuals advancing breakthrough solutions to critical issues facing California.

John Horton is the multidisciplinary artist selected to create and produce the mural. He’s titled it: Transforming Lives. A resident of Sacramento, John’s Instagram profile showcases his awesome artistry of digital graphics, canvas work, and other commissioned projects. He’s been creating murals all over the state for about 6 years and he really likes our downtown.

“I like the architecture and the pace of it here. It’s pretty cool.”

John has very simple advice on how to put your art out there and have your work commissioned: “Be involved in your community and opportunities will arise from that.”

With so much work to be done to keep our downtown moving, John had a great suggestion, “Everything starts with the youth. So any programs that can inspire the next generation, that’s the only way you can get good change for longevity.”

Want more murals in Downtown Stockton? All you have to do is ask. [email protected]

Revised 3/15/2023

Turn Your Passion into A Real Business with the Help of Centro Community Partners

Posted on March 13, 2021December 9, 2024 by digitalgear

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All Aspiring and Current Entrepreneurs Welcome

Do you have a dream of waking up every morning and going to work at a business that you own? Maybe you’ve given tapping into your creativity and turning your passion into a living some serious thought. Whether you have a love for creating sweet confections, a passion for photographing life’s best moments, or anything in between, Centro Community Partners can help you get one step closer to being your own boss. Read our blog to learn more — and who knows? One day, you might even own your very own brick and mortar in the heart of Downtown Stockton.

What is Centro Community Partners?

Centro Community Partners is a 501c3 non-profit organization, and their mission is to, “build thriving communities by providing undeserved, low-income entrepreneurs with entrepreneurship education, one-on-one business advising, mentorship, and access to capital.” In other words, they work to provide education, skills and opportunities to aspiring business owners who need a little help turning their dreams into reality. If you’ve ever considered being your own boss but didn’t feel ready to step out of your comfort zone, we’ve got a helpful solution: check out Centro’s programs! They currently offer the following programs to aspiring entrepreneurs: the Basic Entrepreneurship Program and the Advanced Entrepreneurship Program. The best part? They’re absolutely FREE of charge to join this year.

Programs For the Aspiring Business Owner and Established Business Owner

The Basic Entrepreneurship program is aimed towards aspiring business owners who have made the decision to dedicate themselves to the path of owning a business — no prior experience or specific level of education required! If you’re willing to put in the work, Centro’s team will be more than willing to help guide you in your journey! In this program, you’ll expand your knowledge of business concepts, develop your own business concept, broaden your professional network, and more. Sound interesting? Click here to view a schedule of an upcoming program, and register today.

The Advanced Entrepreneurship program, on the other hand, is designed for established business owners who aim to grow their small businesses to reach $100k in annual revenue. So if you’re already working as a small business owner, this may be the program for you! Here, you’d work with fellow entrepreneurs and advisors to analyze your current business, develop improvement goals, and execute action plans to achieve these goals. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to further grow your business! Register for an upcoming program here.

A Familiar Face

If you do decide to sign up for an upcoming program (we definitely recommend it – we’re rooting for you!) you may see a familiar face: the DSA’s Economic Development Director, Courtney Wood! Courtney, armed with her MBA Degree and years of experience in economic development, also serves as a trainer for the local Centro programs. Luckily, she was able to share more details with us about Centro:

How would you describe your experience so far as a mentor/trainer for Centro Community Partners?

“Being a trainer for Centro for the past 4 years has been a very rewarding and educational experience. Each entrepreneur has their own story, vision, and motivation for pursuing entrepreneurship, and yet they face many common struggles or obstacles that must be navigated in order to achieve their dreams. I enjoy helping entrepreneurs think deeply and critically about how to solve their business challenges and reach their goals; and I love seeing the amazing creativity, idea-sharing, and collaboration which grows out of the think-tank kind of environment that Centro programs cultivate.”

In your own words, why would you encourage an aspiring entrepreneur to participate in Centro’s programs?

“Centro offers a few types of workshops suited to the needs of entrepreneurs at different levels of support:

Business Planning Bootcamps are great for people looking to quickly and easily create a very basic version of their business plan (2 days!), whether they are just in the idea phase or are already in operation.

Basic Entrepreneur Workshops are best for helping entrepreneurs (or aspiring entrepreneurs) create a more robust, polished business plan (which may be needed in preparation for a loan); develop their business pitch; and cultivate a basic understanding of the moving parts of running their business, from market analysis to business finance.

Advanced Entrepreneur Workshops are best for those entrepreneurs already in business who are looking for support in trying to take their business to the next level – it is a very action and task-oriented workshop where entrepreneurs are pushed to achieve their goals by the facilitator, each other, small business advisors, and themselves!

While the focus of each program is slightly different, attendees of all Centro programs receive core benefits:

Aid in forming a solid, business-plan based foundation upon which they can securely build
A supportive group environment where each entrepreneur can feel comfortable sharing their triumphs, tips, and struggles
Access to 1:1 advising
Connection with other resources or organizations that can also help them on their entrepreneurial journey, including access to 0% interest lender Kiva

Bonus: In Stockton, Centro partners with the Mexican Heritage Center & Gallery in downtown. Due to the pandemic, all programs have transitioned to a fully virtual format and are being offered entirely for free through 2021.”

Are there upcoming programs?

“Yes! Upcoming Stockton-focused programs are:

Mar. 9th – Apr. 27th – Advanced Entrepreneur Workshop (In English) – This program has already begun, but we are still accepting registrations through Monday March 15th.
May 18th – June 15th – Basic Entrepreneur Workshop (In English)
Apr. 24th & 25th – Business Plan Bootcamp (En Español)

Keep up with future Stockton program dates here.

Finally, Centro is also offering free 1:1 advising for businesses needing support due to the pandemic. If interested, either fill out this form, call +1 (510) 556-4249 , or email [email protected]“

We Wish You the Best!

Now that you’ve learned a little more about Centro Community Partners and the amazing work they do for aspiring small business owners, we hope you take advantage of their programs and register for upcoming classes. If you need some motivation, check out these success stories. Now, you’re one step closer to owning your own business!