Mayor Bowser Awards ‘Emerging BID’ Grant to H Street Main Street

H Street Main Street received a BID Study Award today! #HStNE pic.twitter.com/uUnzvFoZv9

— H STREET NE CORRIDOR (@HStreetDC) April 19, 2016

The H Street Main Street organization got a shot in the arm from the Mayor’s Office earlier today.

Mayor Muriel Bowser doled out more than $300,000 across five planned BIDs as part of her office’s first-ever “Emerging BID” demonstration grant program. According to the Bowser’s office, the purpose of the grants “is to subsidize the organizing operations necessary to establish a Business Improvement District.” In other words, hand out cash to help up-and-coming BIDs fund their operations while they get off the ground.

The five “Emerging BIDs” that were awarded grants today are:

• Historic Dupont Circle Main Streets
• H Street Main Street
• Shaw Main Streets
• Congress Heights Community and Training Development Corporation
• Mid-City Business Improvement District

Bowser also handed out more than $5.3 million in Great Streets grants to 94 small businesses earlier this morning.

“Small businesses are the backbone of the District’s economy and Great Streets is a great resource to help them thrive,” Mayor Bowser said in a statement. “The grants delivered today will help District businesses grow the local economy, hire residents for good paying jobs, and give more Washingtonians a fair shot.”