PROGRAM: The Neighborhood Business District Improvement Project (NBDIP) assists communities in improving the economic vitality of neighborhood business districts (NBDs) by implementing projects that will stabilize, maintain, revitalize, and improve the overall economy of the NBD.
PROGRAM GOAL: The goal of the NBDIP is to build on the economic vitality of Cincinnati's existing NBDS through the retention and expansion of existing businesses, creation of new businesses, increased business and service mix, improved infrastructure, and increased employment opportunities.
TYPE OF ASSISTANCE: Public purpose grants funded through CDBG and CIP programs.
MAXIMUM AMOUNT: Each project is evaluated on the cost of incentive per job created or retained.
ELIGIBILITY: Project site must be located within a NBD and have some form of private investment. Projects may be proposed by a business, community council, business association, community development corporation, or property owner. The community council and business association must be informed of each project. The organization or business must fill 51% of the new jobs created (or refill if retained), with persons from low/moderate income households and maintain an income verification form for each hire in that category. In addition, the organization or business is required to use its best efforts to fill 75% of the new jobs created with City of Cincinnati residents and to achieve the following Small Business Enterprise goals for construction projects: 30% for construction, 15% for supplies or services, and 10% for professional services.
CRITERIA:
1. Benefit to low and moderate income persons.
2. Job retention - up to $6,000 of assistance per job
3. Job creation - up to $10,000 of assistance per job
4. Economic impact - number of businesses directly benefiting from the project
5. Degree project implements Community Plan
6. Evidence of business and community support
7. Realistic project cost and time frame
8. Project ready to bid/implement
9. Degree project leverages private and public dollars
10. Organization's ability to carry out project
11. Detailed budget
ELIGIBLE/ INELIGIBLE USES: Eligible uses include road improvements, sidewalks, streetscapes, traffic engineering, public parking lots, and NBD plans. Funds can also be used for private purposes such as facade loans, signage, awnings, building renovation, site acquisition and clearance, and site specific planning. Ineligible uses include projects located outside of the recognized neighborhood business districts.
EVALUATION: Projects are evaluated in a competitive process that utilizes Cincinnati Neighborhood Business Districts United (CNBDU), a citizens advisory group of neighborhood business representatives created to assist the City administration on NBD issues. Each project funding request is reviewed by staff to determine its eligibility for funding consideration. Each qualifying project is advanced to the Budget Office for funding eligibility. Funding requests are forwarded to CNBDU for evaluation and rating. CNBDU and Department staff complete an in-depth review of each project and participate in a bus tour to each project site. Each community is invited to make a presentation of its proposed projects to a panel consisting of CNBDU representatives and Department staff. CNBDU project funding recommendations are submitted to the Department. The Department concurrently submits its NBD project funding recommendations to the City Manager, the Capital Budget Committee (CBC), and the Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB). The City Manager makes a final recommendation to City Council.
APPROVAL: City Council must approve all funding requests prior to project implementation.
PROGRAM EXAMPLES: College Hill North Parking Lot, Northside Streetscape, Madisonville Civic Center, East Price Hill Facade Program.
2010 NBDIP Information Packet 
