What is a BDA?

A neighborhood business district association is a volunteer-run membership organization where business owners pay dues in exchange for participation in programs that benefit their business and business district.


While all neighborhood business district associations may not be structured exactly the same, they will always have the following:

  • Geographic Boundaries – defines where the association’s activities and member benefits occur
  • Members – businesses that pay dues annually in exchange for benefits
  • Board of Directors – volunteers responsible for the association’s strategy, policy and financial oversight
  • Officers – a President, Treasurer and Secretary are legally required, many associations also have a Vice President
  • Regular Board Meetings – including an annual meeting where board elections occur
  • Bylaws – describe how the association is run
  • Articles of Incorporation – define the purpose of the association, filed with Secretary of State

Join a Business District Today

Today’s economy requires creativity and collaboration for businesses to succeed.  Business district associations provide neighborhood businesses coordinated marketing, effective events and opportunities to leverage limited investment into significant return.

Visit our interactive map and enter your address to find the business district that represents your business.

No business district association in your area? Form one!

Since the 1920’s, neighborhood businesses in Portland have worked together to ensure their financial success by forming neighborhood business district associations. These volunteer-run membership organizations provide a structure for businesses in a common geographical area to refer business, pool resources and promote the area in which they do business. Some benefits that neighborhood business district associations may provide include:

  • Networking Opportunities – morning coffee chats, luncheons, happy hour mixers, educational seminars
  • District Wide Events – street fairs, sidewalk sales, shopping passports, seasonal or holiday festivities, parades, pub crawls
  • Web/Social Media Presence – district website with member pages, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, email newsletter
  • District Identity/Placemaking – district and association branding, banners and signage, trash cans, benches, planters, public art
  • Collateral – brochures, maps, visitor guides, gift guides, coupon books
  • Community Building – district clean-ups, food drives, charitable giving campaigns
  • Advocacy – public policy, business legislation, zoning, construction

Contact Venture Portland to start a business district in your neighborhood.