November 24, 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 Adams Morgan Partnership offices will be closed on November 26 and 27 for the holiday to allow staff spend time with their families. They say you can really see who people are in the way they deal with crises, and the way Adams Morgan -- businesses and residents -- has pulled together over the past eight months has been truly inspiring. We are honored to be a part of this community and we're looking forward to enjoying better times together in the coming years.

We wish everyone a very safe and flavorful Thanksgiving.

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've decorated streetlights around the neighborhood and constructed an interactive, Instagramable holiday display in BB&T Bank Plaza.

Also, enjoy masked, holiday caroling for all to enjoy from a safe distance throughout the neighborhood on the following 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.

Streatery Winter Ready Grant Program Deadline Extended

In order to alleviate the concern about grant recipients not being able to exhaust grant funds by November 30, 2020, The Mayor's Office of Nightlife and Culture has extended the deadline to use funds until December 12, 2020.

Click here to RSVP

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

Last week, Mayor Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) announced the Bridge Fund, a $100 million investment in businesses and workers grappling with the COVID-19 public health emergency in the hospitality, entertainment, and retail sectors.

Through the Bridge Fund, the District will strategically invest to sustain the hospitality, entertainment, and retail industries to help mitigate the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on workers and businesses. Funds will be disbursed via four programs:

Restaurant Bridge Fund: $35 million
Hotel Bridge Fund: $30 million ( apply )
Entertainment Bridge Fund: $20 million
Retail Bridge Fund: $15 million.

Only the Hotel Bridge Fund application is currently open. The others will be rolled out by December 22. Stay tuned for updates. For more information on the Bridge Fund, visit coronavirus.dc.gov/page/recovery-businesses .

Please join in a Virtual Town Hall with Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie to learn more about The Bridge Fund , which comprises $100 Million in new grants to businesses hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to an informative discussion with CM McDuffie, who has shown his commitment to economic recovery by sponsoring the Business Support Grants Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 that was passed by DC Council in July.

Monday, November 30th; 12:00 – 1:00pm

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 850 1953 6928

Passcode: 060409

"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 is now live and there are very few Adams Morgan businesses included, so please sign up now .

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 .

Update from RAMW

From Kathy Hollinger, president, RAMW

Yesterday Mayor Bowser announced that there will be operational rollbacks in DC to combat rising case counts of COVID in the city and in our region.

While this is not a surprise based on what we have been watching around the region, we understand that this is not the news you want to hear heading into Thanksgiving and the Holiday Season, but in these instances, it is important to defer to the experts and our local Departments of Health to ensure the health and safety of our region’s residents are protected. What we were able to preserve is indoor dining, particularly as you go into a hopeful, modest and needed revenue generating holiday.

Experts say the months-long pandemic created a weariness and potentially desensitized people to the seriousness of the threat, a psychological state often called “covid fatigue.” It can lead people to forgo masks, disregard advice about limiting their social interactions, be less vigilant about washing their hands or otherwise set aside best practices that curb the spread of the virus. As we head into the Holidays and what will prove to be a critical time in stopping this surge, local leaders are urging vigilance during the Thanksgiving holiday, and asking people to make good choices.

On the Mayor’s Order in DC, effective this Wednesday, November 25th, on-premise alcohol sales will end at 10pm and on-premise consumption must also end at 10pm. Food sales can continue until midnight. Beginning on Monday, December 14th indoor dining will be capped 25% capacity. The Mayor noted that this date was chosen specifically to give restaurants time to adjust your operations and plans.

Indoor gatherings must now be limited to 10 people and outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 people. Click here for today’s Situational Update and for more information. The City also announced that the live entertainment pilot is being suspended. It was previously extended through 12/30. Participants currently in the pilot will be contacted by the City about performances that are already scheduled.

Finally, please also take a few moments to take this quick survey from the National Restaurant Association that measures the impact of the pandemic that will be used for advocating for federal relief.

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.

New DISB Bulletin: Temporary Postponement of Property and Casualty Rate Increases During the Public Health Emergency

The purpose of the new Bulletin is to notify all property and casualty insurers that for the duration of the coronavirus (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency, the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (“Department”) will temporarily postpone all rate increases filed during the Public Health Emergency to provide further relief to policyholders, effective immediately.

Click here to read the bulletin.

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.

Sociable City Summit, March 1-2, 2021

The very future of how people socialize is at stake. The places where we dine, drink, listen and dance are struggling to survive. Creative solutions are urgently needed to save life at night—the soul of sociability. Join RHI to share stories of recovery, creative pivots, unusual innovations, and future plans.

Don't miss your opportunity to be part of a community that has a stake in the success of nightlife and the future of sociability. Every year, RHI showcases thought leaders, practitioners and technical experts on nighttime planning and management. The greatest minds will meet and reunite virtually in 2021.

Click here for more information.

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.