November 18, 2020

Updates from Adams Morgan

Click Here to see previous updates in our newsletter archive

For the latest from the DC government, refer to: https://coronavirus.dc.gov

The Holidays are Right Around the Corner!

Join us in spreading some Adams Morgan holiday cheer.

After the year we've been through we all need a little extra holiday spirit, so this year we're stepping up our holiday game. In addition to decorating the kiosk at Columbia Rd. and Adams Mill Rd. again, we'll also be decorating streetlights around the neighborhood with garland and constructing an interactive, Instagramable holiday display in BB&T Bank Plaza.

We will have a ribbon cutting and carolers to debut the display on Friday! The carolers will start at 5pm and the ribbon cutting will be at approximately 5:15pm. Feel free to join us at BB&T Plaza in a well-spaced socially-distanced manner or tune in to our Facebook page to watch a livestream of the event.

Also, enjoy masked, holiday caroling for all to enjoy from a safe distance throughout the neighborhood on the following additional dates (weather permitting):

Saturday, December 5 from 12-2pm
Thursday, December 10 from 5-7pm
Thursday, December 17 from 5-7pm
Saturday, December 19 from 12-2pm

But to truly dress up the neighborhood, we need your help. Even if it's just a couple strands of lights in the window, we'd like everyone to participate in holiday decorations this year. Please let us know what you're planning on doing and we'll help get the word out about your lights and/or display.

D.C. is handing out another $100M in business relief grants

Excerpts from today's article in the Washington Business Journal :

District officials will now send out another $100 million in grants to businesses hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, the city’s largest effort to prop up struggling retailers and restaurants since an initial round of cash assistance this spring.

... The grants will be split among four categories: restaurants, hotels, retail and entertainment. Restaurants will be eligible to earn the largest portion of the funds, with $35 million set aside for the industry, while hotels are close behind with $30 million up for grabs. Entertainment venues and related businesses will be eligible for $20 million, while retailers can earn a total of $15 million.

... John Falcicchio (Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development) said the city will release additional details about which businesses are eligible for the grants and how much each one can earn over the next month or so. However, officials have sketched out broad standards for total grants. Restaurants should be able to land between $10,000 and $50,000; hotels will be eligible for between $10,830 and $270,750; entertainment businesses can earn between $4,000 and $100,000; and retailers can expect between $5,000 and $25,000.

... Hotel grant applications will start Monday. Then restaurants can start applying on Dec. 7, retailers on Dec. 14 and entertainment businesses on Dec. 21.

Click here to read the whole article.

"Shop in the District" promotes shopping safely at small local retailers

Attention restaurants and retailers in Adams Morgan: Shop in the District is a new initiative by DC's Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and Washington DC Economic Partnership , aimed at promoting shopping safely at small local retailers throughout the city, especially during the upcoming holiday season. The website (coming soon) will connect consumers directly with local retailers (searchable by neighborhood or product type) and will feature gift guides curated by local DC celebrities. The site will be heavily advertised and promoted through all available channels over the next 2 months. They have also partnered with NEAR.delivery to offer free delivery services (as early as same-day) to deliver orders to DC residents through the holiday season. Download the one-pager for more information.

The website will launch on Monday, November 23, so be sure to sign up by this Thursday, November 19.

Small Business Saturday: November 28

Small Business Saturday is on November 28 and this year, we're bringing it online! Working in partnership with DC Shop Small and District Bridges, Small Business Saturday will be a city-wide event encouraging District residents to shop small!

All Adams Morgan businesses are encouraged to participate by offering special sales, gifts with purchase, discounts, and more.

The Adams Morgan Partnership is partnering with the event to make it free to Adams Morgan business owners, but you must sign up to participate using this form and have an online e-commerce presence (products sold online can be anything from gift cards, retail products, electronic services, and carryout/delivery food options).

Adams Morgan Partnership Annual Survey

Deadline Extended

How do you think we are we doing?

We've been asking for your input all of this Fall, and if you haven't had a chance to fill out our annual survey, click here to do so and help us do a better job of serving the business community. In addition to the questions we ask every year, there is an additional section specifically discussing COVID-related issues. Paper copies of the survey were distributed to businesses in the neighborhood earlier this month -- if you have a paper copy you would like to return, please contact Brian Barrie (202-536-9515) to arrange for someone to pick it up.

Survey deadline has been extended to November 30, 2020 .

On Rental Assistance:

Primer for District Property Owners and Managers

Join us on Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at 10:00 am - 12:00 pm for a specialized training on how District property owners and management staff can support their tenants in accessing rental assistance. Learn how to establish a symbiotic relationship between property management staff and tenants to ensure that rental assistance programs can help tenants pay rent and stay in stable homes, as well as ensuring that property owners can meet their financial obligations. Get the latest details about eligibility, prompt approvals and payments.

Click here for more information and to register.

Update from RAMW

From Kathy Hollinger, president, RAMW

Over the past two days, RAMW joined CEOs and their teams from restaurant associations across the country for a virtual conference on our industry to connect over the current state of operations from region to region, challenges restaurants are facing, and overall advocacy issues we are all working on locally and nationally. We gleaned from experts and panelists on issues from 3rd party delivery to relief efforts with the change of administration. As cities and states nationwide are closely monitoring COVID, this network of stakeholders who are also talking daily with their elected and appointed officials, are a key group we glean from and assess our local market against. We will be sharing insights over the next few weeks to support your operations, help inform our local leaders, and will specifically offer tools and resources to help each of you get through what we expect to be a very difficult 4-5 months.

Here in our region, with the recent rollbacks in Virginia, Maryland and Montgomery County, all eyes are on DC as we wait to see how numbers and spread looks in the region and in DC specifically. We are in close contact with the Mayor’s Office who have shared that they are very carefully looking at metrics and are taking all aspects into consideration every day. Mayor Bowser said that recent restrictions in surrounding jurisdictions are more in line with the phase and operational allowances DC has been operating in over the past several months, as the City never moved to Phase 3, unlike neighboring jurisdictions. We will continue to keep our ear to the ground each day, and encourage you to continue your diligent operational practices that put the health and safety of customers and employees first. This is the most critical thing you can do right now to ensure DC can manage current rise in cases and avoid significant changes to operations.

Thanksgiving is going to look different this year for everyone. You are encouraged to celebrate with the members of your household and to practice social discipline that is needed as we combat rising case counts. This is not the Thanksgiving we are used to and love, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate what we are thankful for. It is also a good opportunity to encourage diners to order from your restaurant during the Holiday as it will look different for everyone. If you haven’t already, please share what you are doing for Thanksgiving so we can share with consumers. Email us at info@ramw.org , or tag us at @ramwdc in your social media posts.

Finally, at today’s conference mentioned above, we heard some updates from DoorDash. As delivery is such a critical part of your current business model, we wanted to share a few key items to make you aware.

The DoorDash Storefront program is available to operators with all fees waived through March 31, 2021 for concepts with 5 stores or fewer.
For the month of December, every Wednesday will be a free delivery day for local restaurants.
On the Advocacy side, DoorDash is working with industry across the country to help support regulatory conversations about making alcohol to-go permanent. We are working with DoorDash on these conversations in Virginia to mirror what was put in place in DC.
They have a Restaurant Advisory Council which includes operators from across the country, give relevant feedback and industry information to help DoorDash work best for restaurants. They are opening applications for this soon and interested operators will be invited to apply. Read more here.
If you are looking to connect with someone at DoorDash around the efforts they are making in our market, or if you do not see the relief they put in place earlier in the year reflected in your fee structure or agreement, we can connect you with our contacts to provide additional information.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions at coronavirus@ramw.org , if it is pandemic related or info@ramw.org , if you have general questions.

Capital COVID Survey: Planning for the Return to Worksites

The Capital Region needs your feedback to safely reopen.

In August, the first Capital COVID Survey was conducted to better understand how organizations were planning to reopen worksites. A coalition of public agencies, leading employers, business organizations, and non-profits is collaborating on a second edition of the Capital COVID Survey designed to provide an updated snapshot on the state of the region’s reopening plans and what factors most influence employers' decisions. This second round of the survey encompasses all of the Capital Region, from Baltimore, Maryland to Richmond, Virginia.

Please answer this brief survey about your organization’s reopening plans. Your answers will be kept confidential and only be viewed by the survey and research team at EY and the Greater Washington Partnership. Survey results will be reported in aggregate and your contact information will not be shared.

Please complete the survey no later than December 11, 2020.

Applications for ELEVATE

The Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED) and George Washington University, School of Business are delighted to present ELEVATE (Executive Leadership Education Venture Advancing Talented Entrepreneurs) a best-in-class executive entrepreneurial program for minority-owned businesses in the District of Columbia. This program is focused on helping local Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) more effectively and efficiently manage their business' products and services and increase revenue and employment.

All applicants are required to upload their photo and submit a short 2-3 minute video about how participating in this program will help you grow your business. Please provide the URL to your video. The deadline to submit your application is Monday, December 21.

Click here for more information and to register.

Click here for a list of November events from DSLBD's DC Business Toolkit

Click here to make your reservation now.

Coat Drive hosted by MPD's Third District

For the next couple of months the Metropolitan Police Department's Third District will be collecting and distributing coats to the families and individuals in the community in need. If you have any coats (new or used) that are in good condition, please feel free to bring them into the Third District Police Station at 1620 V Street, NW. Contact Jackie Beathea for more information.

Submit your events!

List your Adams Morgan event on our webpage for free! Click here to go to the event submission form, fill it out completely, and click on "submit event." Event submissions are reviewed to ensure the events either take place within the Adams Morgan business district or are being put on by an Adams Morgan business, and once approved should appear on the website within 48 hours.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sponsor one of our community events! Partner with our community while reaching some of the city's most desirable demographics. For details, contact Kristen Barden at 202-997-0783.