Prosper Portland’s Economic Recovery Investments Funded by the American Rescue Plan

Portland City Council allocated $7,395,931 of Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to Prosper Portland in June and July 2021 to support these projects.

Learn more about the principles used to guide these investment priorities at portland.gov/united/rescueplan

Increased business district support through Venture Portland:

Funding increases Venture Portland’s staffing to serve six Catalytic Investment Initiative (CII) districts, which include St. Johns, Williams, Foster, Lents, Gateway and Midway.

Venture Portland will also launch an Events Hub to help business districts and organizations with large-scale events. Services include event planning, vendor and resource connections, social media and sponsorship recommendations. Venture Portland will also work with Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) for road closures, traffic control, etc.

Learn more

Capacity-building support for culturally specific business-serving organizations:

At the direction of Mayor Wheeler, Prosper Portland will provide grant funding to help stabilize and strengthen the following community-serving organizations.

Downtown and Commercial Corridor Revitalization and Activation

Downtown and neighborhood commercial districts continue to struggle because of the pandemic. A team at Prosper Portland is working to revitalize and activate these areas in partnership with community and city bureau partners. Activations include small business popups and events that will transform plazas and vacant storefronts. This project will focus on supporting BIPOC-owned business and community-serving organizations.

Rapid Workforce Training & Employment Services

Prosper Portland is partnering with Worksystems to provide career training and work opportunities. These services are for Portlanders who are houseless, at risk of eviction or affected by increased violence or crime.

Career training programs are 12 weeks or less. Graduates who complete training are also connected to employment opportunities.

Small Business Resource Navigation & Technical Assistance

The Portland Small Business Hub is a free resource navigation & technical assistance program that provides support for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic located in the city of Portland.

The Hub is a collaboration between Prosper Portland and local service providers and offers culturally specific small business technical assistance and resource navigation. The Hub connects business owners to financial relief programs by facilitating referrals to one-on-one assistance in applying for loans, grants, and other funding opportunities. Services are available in different languages.

Services for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic include:

  • Navigation to business resources
  • One-on-one support to complete grant or loan applications for relief programs
  • Cultural and industry-specific technical assistance
  • Technical assistance via language translation and interpretation services
Learn more

Learn more about our pandemic recovery programs and resources:

2021-12-20T16:02:13-08:00
Shop Small PDX - people shopping
Shop Small PDX

Shop Small PDX

, ,

Shop Small PDX

In the midst of a public health & economic crisis, how and where you spend your money matters. Portland’s small businesses are the very soul of the city – and many of them, owned by People of Color, could use your business. They’re showcased at Shop Small PDX, where you’ll find inspiration and excitement in a full array of products, services, experiences and gift ideas.

Prosper Portland and the City of Portland are committed to equity and meaningful access, and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, source of income, or familial status in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. To request translation, interpretation, accommodations, modifications, or other auxiliary aids or services, or to file a complaint of discrimination, contact 311 (503-823-4000), for Relay Service & TTY: 711.