The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation has been awarded a Neighborhood Business Districts grant from the City of Spokane to support district improvements and organizational development in four of Spokane’s historic neighborhood business districts.

The two-year grant, created using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars, totals more than $2 million. The grant scope includes funding placemaking and design improvement projects in Spokane’s Hillyard, Garland, North Monroe, and South Perry business districts, while also supporting organizational development in all four districts.

“There is exciting work already happening in all four of these unique districts,” notes Breanne Durham, a Spokane resident who serves as the Washington State Main Street Program Director at the Washington Trust. “This grant is a rare opportunity to use a one-time influx of funding to catalyze partnerships and additional engagement for the long-term benefit of these districts.”

The Washington Trust will be working closely with existing stakeholders and neighbors from the four designated districts to identify goals for both the use of project funds as well as plans for district sustainability and engagement. The Washington Trust furthermore plans to conduct significant outreach in each district, coordinate workshops based on district needs and interests, and work closely with the City of Spokane and other economic development, preservation, and placemaking partners to bringing meaningful resources to the table throughout the two-year contract period. 

“Our goal is to create better connections between the business districts, the city, and neighborhood residents,” says Pollyanne Birge, Community Engagement Programs Manager for the City of Spokane’s Office of Neighborhood Services. “We’re excited to work with the Washington Trust and leverage their statewide efforts for the benefit of Spokane’s neighborhood business districts.”

The Washington Trust brings a people-centered approach to preservation and commits to being inclusive, proactive, empowering, and approachable throughout its work. 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.