The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA)

The Downtown Bend Business Association (DBBA) was formed in 1982 as a local nonprofit that serves over 325 businesses and 85 property owners in the Downtown district.  The DBBA is primarily funded by the Economic Improvement District (EID); please click here for more information on the EID.  Secondarily, we are funded by our fundraising efforts, the largest of which is Bend Oktoberfest.  One hundred percent of the fundraising proceeds go to the DBBA.  If you’d like more information about our future fundraising plans, click here.

As a small, local nonprofit we are dedicated to keeping our Downtown a place for history, family, entrepreneurship and giving back to our community through events, sponsorship, and education.  
 
Our Downtown area has an important and unique role in the economic and social development of our city.  Our Downtown creates a critical mass of activities where commercial, cultural, and civic pursuits are concentrated. This concentration facilitates business, learning, and cultural exchange. 

We believe in creating a space where all people are welcome, where dreams can be pursued, and where memorable moments can be made.  A healthy Downtown is key to a strong community.  
 
We believe that our Downtown district is the beating heart of our community.  It is where our citizens can come to create memorable moments, learn something new, or experience their connection to our past.  Healthy downtowns create thriving cities, and our mission is to increase the vitality of our Downtown, supporting our diverse community members and our City at large.

Our Mission:
​Our mission is to improve the economic vitality by enhancing the experience, image, and lifestyle of Downtown Bend.

Our Goals:

• To maintain a commercial space occupancy rate of 95% or higher 
• To keep Downtown Bend safe, clean, and continually invest in its beautification 
• To create a vibrant, contemporary environment unique to our Downtown’s history - ensuring our residents and visitors experience memorable moments when they visit Downtown  
• To advocate for, assist, and educate Downtown Bend business owners, building owners, and employees in doing business in Downtown  
• To provide branding and marketing to keep Downtown Bend thriving and top of mind to residents and visitors alike  
• To create the vision for the future of Downtown Bend, advocating and collaborating with the City of Bend and other organization to bring this vision to fruition.

Our organization creates Downtown Bend as you know it.  Beautification, Events, Marketing, Advocacy, Education — it’s all because of our group of dedicated staff, board members, and volunteers.

The DBBA’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Funding, delivery, installation, maintenance, and daily watering of 100 flower baskets and 50 planters May-Sept annually. (*Paid for by Bend Oktoberfest)
• Funding and staffing for Snow Removal – 42″ wide clear path of Downtown sidewalks and crosswalks for employees, visitors and customers to get around safely.  We also ensure that all ADA parking spaces and access points are cleared, and provide shop owners with supplies to borrow (snow shovels) so that they can clear their ‘front porches’.
• Funding and staffing for daily sidewalk cleaning, sweeping, and debris removal.  We have recently (in the last 2 years) increased this program from 5 days per week to 7 days per week to better serve our Downtown businesses.  We were able to do this on the same budget by cutting costs in other areas.  We are committed to making sure Downtown looks its best.
• Funding, staffing and procuring decorations to create the Downtown Bend Holiday experience. We host events such as the Community Tree Lighting, Shop Small Saturday, and free visits with Santa.  We also provide, install and maintain tree lights, decorations, snowflakes, and wreaths.
• Facilitating, funding and staffing the year-around Downtown Bend Banner Program, including sales, billing, installation, and maintenance for the 100 banner poles in Downtown Bend
• Maintaining and reconditioning benches, trash receptacles, and bike racks as needed.
• Marketing Downtown to promote businesses, including working closely with organizations like Bend Chamber, Visit Bend, The Old Mill District, Central Oregon Visitors Association (COVA), Here & Now, Bend Bulletin, KTVZ, The Source, etc.  We also coordinate with visiting groups and tours (Mt. Bachelor, Deschutes Heritage Museum, Bend Film, etc)  to provide welcome bags to incentivize their spending time and money in Downtown Bend.
• Branding of Downtown Bend, including creating all content for the website, blog, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• Production of Downtown Events-  Bend Oktoberfest, by far our largest fundraising event, is now in its 15th year, drawing 14,000 attendees in 2018.  It underwent a complete rebrand with expanded merchandise opportunities.  This event connects us with over 20 different sponsor businesses including 11 local breweries each year.  We also boast a volunteer staff of over 250 people!  We love our community!  Other events we produce include:  Monthly First Friday Art Walk, Shop Small Saturday, Holiday Tree Lighting, Visits with Santa, Downtown Bend Trick or Treating, the Ugly Sweater Pub Crawl, the Downtown Bend Celebration Night, Ladies Night, and more!
• Promotion and facilitation assistance of Downtown Events sponsored by other organizations, including: Bite of Bend, Summer Fest, Fall Fest,  4th of July Pet Parade, Veterans Parade, Christmas Parade, and more
• Marketing individual businesses, including online business portfolios on our website, featured news stories, and social media support.
• Facilitating of the Downtown Dollar Gift Certificate program.  Last year, over $96,000 in Downtown Dollars were purchased, flooding our businesses with customers.
• Advocacy on larger issues, working closely with the City of Bend, Bend Police Department, MPO, ODOT, City Council, Move Bend, Neighborhood Associations bordering the EID, Commute Options, etc.  These larger issues include parking & transportation, transient & homeless population, future streetscape, commute programs, etc.
• We produce all of the newsletters, brochures, maps and directories for Downtown Bend.
• Communication to Downtown Bend business and building owners about all things Downtown including street closures, improvement plans, parking changes, events, etc.  The DBBA works as a liaison between the City of Bend and the Downtowners.

The Board of Directors oversees staff and makes policy decisions that determine the direction of the EID and the DBBA.  The Board, comprised of property and business owners, holds monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of the month.  To learn more about our board and staff, click here.

General meetings are typically held quarterly.  Call the office for information.  The DBBA welcomes input and encourages anyone who is invested in Downtown to come to a meeting.  We want as many voices as possible at the table as we all work together to keep Downtown vibrant!

Furthermore, if you have questions about our organization, our Executive Director is happy to go have coffee with you to discuss Downtown Bend and our organization’s role in keeping it vibrant.  You can contact her directly here.

You can view our most recent annual report here.  For past reports or additional data, contact us.

DBBA staff keeps Downtown clean.

DBBA Staff decorates Downtown for the Holidays

DBBA brings Santa to Downtown every weekend in December