Washington, DC

(Washington DC) – Today, at the Second Annual Great Streets Conference, Mayor Bowser announced over $4.7 million in awards through the Great Streets Retail Small Business Grant. The Mayor was joined at the announcement by Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Brian Kenner.

“Small businesses are the foundation of the District’s economic engine – they put our people to work, employing nearly half of our private-sector workforce,” said Mayor Bowser. “Through Great Streets, we can accelerate the growth of our emerging corridors and give more small businesses the opportunity to thrive. The grants delivered today will help businesses grow into the future, hire residents for good-paying jobs, and have a fair shot at benefiting from our growing economy.”

At today’s conference, the Mayor awarded 98 competitive grants to small business owners looking to improve their places of business. Awardees represent the District’s diverse business community, from restaurants and retail to tech centers and creative economy spaces.

The Great Streets Conference connects DC small businesses with District agencies and community-based small business resources and technical assistance. There are 13 Great Streets corridors located across the District that aim to transform developing commercial areas into thriving and inviting neighborhood centers. The Great Streets corridors include:

• Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
• Georgia Avenue, NW
• Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE
• 7th Street/Georgia Ave, NW
• North Capitol Street, NW/NE
• Rhode Island Avenue, NE
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue/South Capitol Street, SE/SW
• Minnesota/Benning Road, NE
• Connecticut Avenue, NW
• U Street/14th Street, NW
• Wisconsin Avenue, NW
• H Street-Bladensburg Road, NE
• New York Ave, NE

The grants announced today continue the Bowser Administration’s effort to support local businesses, create new job opportunities for DC residents, and grow the District’s emerging neighborhoods. Through Great Streets, the Bowser Administration has awarded over $10 million to small businesses and helped 218 local businesses create an estimated 1,600 jobs.

The list of all fiscal year 2017 Great Streets grant recipients can be found at greatstreets.dc.gov.