Member Center

Venture Portland is the support organization for all of Portland’s neighborhood business districts, providing members funding, training and significant staff support.  Since 1986 Venture Portland has helped business districts city-wide best meet the needs of their diverse communities.  We invite you to discover the ways Venture Portland can support your business district by navigating this section and contacting us today.

Grants

Venture Portland’s grant funds, like venture capital, are invested in the smart, strategic growth of Portland’s unique neighborhood business districts and help business districts city-wide best meet the needs of their diverse communities. Venture Portland grants fund many of the activities that make Portland Portland, including the summer ‘season of street fairs’ hosted by the city’s neighborhood business districts. Grants also make many holiday festivities, websites, banners, newsletters, maps and other marketing collateral possible for business districts.

Webinars

Each year Venture Portland hosts trainings to build the capacity of business district leaders. Venture Portland trainings address all aspects of business district operations such as great promotions, membership campaigns, marketing and running a successful business association. RSVP via Google or email info@ventureportland.org and learn best practices with other business district participants and help your business district thrive.

Marketing and Events

Venture Portland promotes business districts and their member businesses via twice-per-week newsletters, social media, and ventureportland.org. We also regularly host both in-person and virtual opportunities for business district leaders to network and share resources.

Catalytic Investment Initiative

The Catalytic Investment Initiative is designed to respond to the disparity among Portland’s business associations. Participating Catalytic Investment Initiative districts possess a unique demographic and economic profile, business district size, built form and lack of infrastructure pose unique and significant challenges. As a result, participating neighborhood business district associations require targeted support, creative metrics and innovative strategies to ensure small business, and business association, success.

Sponsorship

Get your business or district noticed with sponsorship opportunities! Venture Portland sends out a weekly press release, a weekly “Friday email”, and we have a monthly Small Business Portland podcast. Now that we’ve moved to virtual trainings, attendance is higher than ever before and people can access the webinars via our youtube channel at their convenience. Each of these offers a chance for you to advertise your association and/or your business by sponsoring any or all of the above!

Fee-For-Service

Venture Portland’s Fee-For-Service Programs are low-cost options for a variety of business district services from Venture Portland’s talented staff. Programs focus on Strong Membership, District Identity and Strong Business District Associations.

Podcast

The Small Business Portland Podcast features interviews with business district experts, small business owners and local leaders to discuss the state of small business in Portland. Join host Eleni Gerding as she explores issues affecting Portland’s 50 neighborhood business districts and the small business owners that make them unique.

Membership has its Benefits

The majority of Portland’s neighborhood business districts are dues-paying members of Venture Portland and receive valuable benefits including grants and representation on Venture Portland’s Board of Directors. Venture Portland also provides start-up support and assistance to emerging business districts.