News, events & happenings in Adams Morgan

AMPBID Board Meeting Tuesday, April 9

The next Adams Morgan Partnership BID (AMPBID) Board of Directors' meeting will be Tuesday, April 9 from 5-7:00 PM at the Festival Center at 1640 Columbia Rd NW. Hope you can join us!

Board members should call or email Kristen at 202-997-0783 or kbarden@adamsmorganonline.org if you are unable to attend, otherwise we will assume you are attending. The meeting agenda will be sent out to board members before the meeting.

Save The Date! DCAC Experience Auction: May 16

Show your love for DC’s most alternative arts organization by bidding on a new experience at our biennial fundraiser. The Experience Auction attracts business leaders, art collectors, bon vivants, and other patrons, all vying for these truly singular items. Proceeds go towards The DC Arts Center's (DCAC) mission to support risk-taking artwork, and emerging and under-recognized artists in Washington, DC.

Thursday, May 16, 2019. 6:30 - 9:30pm

The Kennedy-Warren Club and Ballroom

3133 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC

Click here for more info and tickets .

Bike To Work Day Registration Now Open

Spring is in the air, and with it, registration for Bike to Work Day (BTWD) 2019, organized by Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), is now open. Thousands are expected to register and participate in this year’s event on Friday, May 17 , which will feature 115 pit stops across the region with refreshments, giveaways—and the chance to win one of many new bicycles as part of a free raffle. Additionally, the first 20,000 registrants to attend will receive a free T-shirt. Register for free at: www.biketoworkmetrodc.org or by calling 800-745-RIDE (7433).

The Adams Morgan pit stop will be set up in Unity Park again this year. If your Adams Morgan business or non-profit would like to participate for free by distributing info or other giveaways (no selling allowed) contact Brian Barrie for more information.

Keep An Eye Out For The #BlossomBus

Once a year, DC Circulator releases one specially wrapped pink bus into their fleet of 72 vehicles, to celebrate the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. The floral vehicle inspires us all to Bus to the Blossoms this season. The #BlossomBus will be traveling on the Woodley Park/Adams Morgan/McPherson Square route from April 1 – April 5, so watch for it and tag it with #BlossomBus on social media for a chance to have your photo featured on their Instagram feed .

Reminder: The DC Circulator is now Free!

2019 CSA SEASON is rapidly approaching! And so is the Early Bird deadline - April 18

The intent of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is to partner with the farmer by providing a cash flow to enable the farmer to purchase seeds, hire staff, prepare equipment, plant, nurture and harvest. All of this happens months before the farmer can begin to get income from the sale of produce. The pre-purchase of membership gives the farmer a good sense of how much of the yield is needed for the CSA, which is critical to a smooth operation.

The CSA will start the first Saturday in June .

For more information, click here or email Esther Siegel .

Donations Needed For Tea Party at Marie Reed

The Marie Reed Recreation Center will be hosting a tea party for 50 girls and their mothers on April 20 from 11am to 2pm. The city is not funding this event so the organizers are seeking donations of food, supplies, or financial contributions from neighborhood businesses.

Please contact Mrs. Bowman at essie.bowman@dc.gov or

202-550-9060 for more information.

Intern for AMPBID!

We are looking for a motivated Spring/Summer intern to assist with events and to learn about the ins and outs of a Business Improvement District. It is an unpaid internship, but we offer a transportation stipend and the opportunity to help mold the internship to match your career goals. You'll meet and learn from small business owners, restaurateurs, event planners, and government officials, while working on projects ranging from event coordination to social media management to statistical analysis. Email Brian Barrie for more information.

Free Tax Return Preparation On Saturday

The Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs in collaboration with the DC Credit Union, will be assisting DC residents with a FREE Tax Return Preparation. Please bring all pertinent 2018 supporting documents for you and your dependents. Click here to register .

Saturday, March 30th

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

2000 14th St NW (Second Floor)

The credit union is a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site providing FREE tax preparation service to low income tax payers. Services are offered in English and Spanish. Volunteers are trained and certified by the Internal Revenue Service.

DC Small Business Week is May 5-11

DC Small Business Week is dedicated to celebrating and supporting our local businesses, and the network of organizations and everything they contribute to the District.

Planning a grand opening or customer appreciation day? Hosting a special training or other event? Throughout the week, we'll be promoting your events, so whatever it is, send CNHED the details and they'll include it in their marketing. If you're interested in participating, contact Evette L. Banfield and be on the lookout for more emails detailing the week's events, including their first ever small business advocacy day!

Universal Paid Leave Details

The new Universal Paid Leave (UPL) law provides for:

Parental leave = 8 weeks
Family leave = 6 weeks
Medical leave = 2 weeks

All employees who work more than 50% of their time in DC are eligible to apply for benefits. All employers who pay Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes are required to contribute to UPL.

Responsibilities of employers:

Register with DOES online portal - if you aren't already registered through the UI taxes
Pay UPL at .62% per your total payroll for employees who work in DC on a quarterly basis. Payment due July 1 will be wages paid for April-June. They will use the UC30 form for quarterly wages reported. Have until July 31 to make first payment after that P&I will apply.
Notify employees with a poster DOES will send.
Keep employment records for 3 years -- keep records of when employees gave notice too
Employers who have a Paid Leave policy already can supplement UPL - careful about reducing benefits because there are strong retaliation penalties

Responsibilities of DOES:

Determine eligibility based on wages earned/reported in previous quarter
Notify employers within 3 days of employee's request

Responsibilities of employees:

Give employer at least 10 days notice before they file with DOES for benefits
Receive payment within 30 days of filing

General FAQs:

No cap on wages like there is for UI.
There is a cap on benefits DOES will pay out - max is $1,000/week - won't get 100% of salary
Payment is based on reported wages.
Rate will stay the same at .62% -- no experience rating will apply
They will be testing the system in May and June -- if you want to try it out - let DOES know.
Employee benefit year begins on the date they file a claim.

Employer Webinars on Paid Family Leave

Is your business ready for Paid Family Leave? The DC Department of Employment Services' (DOES) will be hosting a series of employer engagement webinars about DC Paid Family Leave and what your business needs to know to prepare for this new program.

Click here for more information and to register.

DC SBDC Counseling Wednesdays @ DSLBD

The Department of Small & Local Business Development (DSLBD) is partnering with the Howard University's DC Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to increase small business counseling and technical assistance offerings at DSLBD.

An SBDC counselor will be onsite at DSLBD on Wednesdays to provide free, confidential business counseling for any stage business. To sign up for an upcoming counseling session or to ask questions, please feel free to reach out to Katherine.Mereand-Sinha@dc.gov and Felipe.Peres@howard.edu .

Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) Free Workshops

SBRC's free workshops in April include:

Learn the Process of Starting a Business at the DC Public Library
Building a More Inclusive Business
Navigating Government Contracting with DCPTAC
DC Board of Barber and Cosmetology
Money Smart for Small Business Workshop: Tax Planning and Reporting

Click here for more information and the full schedule.

2019 goDCgo Employer Ambassador Awards

The goDCgo Employer Ambassador Awards recognize DC organizations for their efforts as transportation leaders. By offering transportation benefits and creative program incentives, businesses are helping to make the District the healthiest, greenest and most livable city in the United States.The program has six (6) award categories: Emerging Commuter Program, Bike-Friendly Workplace, Telework, Rideshare, Employee Choice, and Most Creative or Innovative Commuter Benefits Program.

Click Here for more info and to register .

DC Small Biz Help Workshop: Winter/Spring 2019 Calendar

Please check out the line-up of workshops in the DC Small Business Help Workshop Calendar . Take a look to see what piques your interest and share with other businesses in your circle and beyond. This resource provides information about upcoming workshops and training opportunities available for start-ups, new and existing small businesses in the District.

2019 ABRA Renewal and Annual Payment Notice

Renewal packets and payment notices were mailed out to licensees on February 15, 2019. If you have not received your packet or payment notice, please complete the appropriate form below to provide the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) the information needed to send the necessary items to your attention. Once received, your request will be processed within 2 business days. If you still have not received your items, please contact ABRA at (202) 442-4423. Updated Information Forms:

2019 Renewal Packet & 2019 Annual Payment

Renewal packets and annual payments not returned by the April 1 deadline, will be subject to a late fee of $50 per business day (not to exceed the cost of the license), followed by a cancellation. Additionally, renewals must be completed and returned in-person at ABRA: 2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 400, Washington DC 20009

Annual payments must be postmarked no later than April 1. Annual payments not postmarked by April 1, must be paid in-person at ABRA. Please refer to the April 2019 schedule to determine total late penalties for renewal packets and annual payments submitted after April 1.

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.