The City of Stevenson aims to leverage pandemic lessons learned—and ARPA funding—to revitalize its downtown.

By Laura Furr Americas

Local leaders in Stevenson share a common point of pride: Not one downtown business was forced to close during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also all agree: targeted financial support from city government and the Stevenson Downtown Association (SDA) deserve much of the credit. Specifically, the city leveraged Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to create initiatives like Bricks and Clicks (which awarded local business owners $1,000 micro-grants to spruce up storefront facades or websites). The SDA tapped funding from Washington state’s Main Street Program to launch Stevenson Strong (a buy local campaign) and the Stevenson Streatery Project (a public outdoor dining/ gathering space). With $450,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the city and the SDA are working together to build upon that success by investing in the next phase of downtown revitalization.

“We didn’t want to spend the ARPA funds on traditional infrastructure projects, because we can get other financing for that,” City Administrator Leana Kinley explains. “One of the things that we couldn’t spend money on, or that would be more challenging to justify, is downtown businesses. Because we’re a tourist destination, ARPA funding can be used to help revitalize tourism and businesses that were impacted by COVID.”

To guide how the city will spend its ARPA funding, the city council expects to vote on recommendations submitted by the SDA and other partners in the 2023 calendar year. One key contender is an SDA proposal to build upon the city’s Bricks and Clicks program by awarding much larger grants—between $20,000 and $25,000—to core businesses wishing to undertake large-scale restoration projects.

“I know just from talking with business owners that some of them had remodeling projects that they had been saving and aiming for—all of that was erased with COVID,” says SDA Executive Director Kelly O’Malley-McKee. She adds that the proposed exponential increase in Bricks and Clicks grants is warranted given the proven success of the program’s initial phase, along with the expectation of a much larger return on investment: “One or two buildings, if they’re the right buildings, can make a massive impact in our community,” O’Malley-McKee says.

"If you have a couple of businesses you can talk to, reach out to them. …We sometimes think we are the experts. But the experts are those trying to make their business grow.”

The SDA is also proposing $500 micro-grants to 20 downtown businesses for the installation of “blade signs,” exterior signage that’s mounted perpendicular to a storefront’s facade. “Although you’d think signage would be a number one priority, it’s not, especially when they’re dealing with staffing and supply chain issues,” O’Malley-McKee says, noting that a proliferation of well-designed uniform signage not only has the potential to beautify Stevenson’s commercial core, but also has been shown to increase sales.

Working with the city and the SDA, Stevenson’s chamber of commerce and the Skamania County Economic Development Council assisted businesses to apply for outside grants by providing needed information. The mayor also currently sits on the SDA’s board, as does the chamber of commerce’s executive director.

Kinley credits relationship-building between city leaders and local organizations as critical to downtown revitalization efforts. But even more crucial, she adds, was direct outreach to the business community. “If you have a couple of businesses you can talk to, or key community partners that are engaged, try to reach out to them to get input,” she recommends. “We sometimes think we are the experts. But the experts are those trying to make their business grow or, sometimes, survive.”

For more information: ci.stevenson.wa.us