The Washington State Main Street Program, which the Washington Trust operates in partnership with the state Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation, supports a network of nearly 80 historic downtown districts across the state in implementing the Main Street Approach™ as their framework for organizing stakeholders to build and sustain vitality in these districts.

With this experience in hand, the Washington Trust has entered into a two-year contract with the City of Spokane to work with four neighborhood business districts (Hillyard, South Perry, North Monroe, and Garland), with the objective of establishing long-term solutions for ongoing district improvements and maintenance, marketing and activation, and organizational development. The contract includes funding for placemaking and design improvement projects in all four neighborhoods.

About this role

The Neighborhoods Liaison is responsible for assisting the Washington Main Street Director with management, administration, and implementation of neighborhood business district grants, including district outreach and project coordination. The Neighborhoods Liaison will engage regularly with neighborhood residents and businesses in order to understand needs and ensure transparency in determination of projects; coordinate all aspects of project implementation and technical assistance offerings; and support clear communication and efficient collaboration between the Washington Trust, City of Spokane, and neighborhood business districts.

The Neighborhoods Liaison will join 14 other Washington Trust staff, including four members of the Washington Main Street team, with whom they will collaborate to accomplish responsibilities associated with the program. The Neighborhoods Liaison will report to the Washington Main Street Director and collaborate with the City of Spokane’s Office of Neighborhood Services and Grants Analyst as needed.

Location: Spokane, WA
Starting Pay: $34/hour (non-negotiable)
Salary Range: $34-35/hour
Position Type: Full-time non-exempt, funded through October 2026
Expected Start Date: January 6, 2025
Benefits: Benefits provided include medical, dental, and vision insurance, retirement plan, and paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave.
Travel Required: Frequent citywide, minimal statewide

Primary responsibilities

Outreach and communication with neighborhood business districts:

  • Work closely with the Washington Main Street Director to conduct widespread neighborhood outreach in four Spokane neighborhood districts (Hillyard, South Perry, North Monroe, and Garland)
  • Collect, compile, and analyze input from district stakeholders (property owners, businesses, residents, etc.) related to the assets, challenges, and opportunities of each unique district
  • Co-create and execute communications plan to support clear communication pathways for stakeholders to address issues, seek clarification, and make decisions
  • Answer e-mail and telephone inquiries and respond to questions from district stakeholders
  • Other duties as assigned by the Washington Main Street Director

Project management and collaboration with City of Spokane:

  • Work closely with district stakeholders and the City’s Office of Neighborhood Services to prioritize placemaking and design improvement projects for each of the four districts
  • Track project milestones and ensure that both district needs and public works regulations are met
  • Coordinate bid processes and timelines with contractors to ensure that all projects are finalized according to specifications and timelines
  • Ensure that the project billing, documentation, and reimbursement process is followed and that deadlines are met
  • Communicate regularly with neighborhood business districts throughout project implementation and address emerging needs and opportunities related to project implementation

Sustainability planning and technical assistance:

  • Work closely with the Washington Main Street Director to outline and implement educational programming and engagement activities geared toward long-term sustainability of neighborhood organizations in each of the four districts
  • Coordinate sub-contracting with any consultants sought to deliver services to the districts
  • Serve as a liaison between consultant(s) and the district(s) in scheduling virtual and on-site services, outreaching to additional stakeholders, and implementing services
  • Support district stakeholders in identifying, pursuing, and measuring their organizational goals

Toolkit development:

  • Become familiar with Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), nonprofit development and financing, and other sustainable funding models for district organizations
  • Become familiar with the Main Street Approach and its application in a variety of settings, emphasizing neighborhood districts in larger cities
  • Develop a comprehensive toolkit that can be used in the future to create sustainable funding and organizational models for neighborhood business districts

Skills & experience required

  • Must embrace the mission of the Washington Trust and have an interest in applying an equity lens to historic neighborhood vitality
  • Must have the ability to communicate effectively at all levels, build and maintain positive relationships, create positive energy in the face of challenges, and be an active listener
  • Must be able to proactively manage peaks and flows of workload, solve problems quickly and effectively, and efficiently manage multiple projects and overlapping timelines
  • A candidate will be especially strong if they have experience with group dialogue facilitation, managing public projects and contracts, and/or implementing the Main Street Approach

How to apply

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to  with the subject line “Neighborhoods Liaison” by November 27, 2024. References may be requested.

About us

As Washington’s only statewide, nonprofit historic preservation organization, the Washington Trust partners with communities to preserve, share, and shape the future of historic places in Washington State. We work to build a statewide ethic that preserves Washington’s historic places through advocacy, education, collaboration, and stewardship. The Washington Trust brings a people-centered approach to preservation and commits to being inclusive, proactive, empowering, and approachable throughout our work. Learn more about the Washington Trust.

The Washington State Main Street Program helps communities revitalize the economy, appearance, and image of their downtown districts using the successful Main Street Approach™, a comprehensive revitalization strategy built around a community’s unique heritage and attributes. The Washington State Main Street Program is a program of the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation, managed under contract by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation. Learn more about the Washington State Main Street Program.