Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    ELEVATED THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE KENMORE BOULEVARD BUSINESS DISTRICT BY ATTRACTING FIVE NEW BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYING LOCAL WORKERS IN THE KENMORE BOULEVARD HISTORIC DISTRICT DESPITE THE PANDEMIC'S IMPACT ON SMALL BUSINESSES, THE NUMBER OF OCCUPIED COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN THE DISTRICT GREW BY 16 PERCENT THIS YEAR. WE ATTRACTED FIVE NEW BUSINESSES, FOUR OF WHICH WERE OPENED BY ENTREPRENEURS OF COLOR. THIS HELPED US REACH OUR GOAL OF CREATING A BUSINESS DISTRICT WITH OWNERSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT THAT MATCHES THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S DEMOGRAPHICS. ONE NEW BUSINESS WE ATTRACTED WAS LIL BIT CAF, OPERATED BY TWO NEIGHBORHOOD NATIVES TO MEET THE UNMET DEMAND FOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE BUSINESSES IN THE DISTRICT. USING FUNDING RECEIVED FROM THE CARESOURCE FOUNDATION IN 2019, WE PROVIDED SUBSIDIES FOR LIL BIT CAF TO HIRE GRADUATES OF THE KNA-FUNDED JOBS CULINARY TRAINING PROGRAM FOR LOCAL AT- RISK WOMEN. THE SUBSIDIES MADE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BUSINESS CLOSING DURING THE EARLY PART OF COVID-19. AS A RESULT, ALL EMPLOYEES WERE GRADUATES OF THE JOBS PROGRAM.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $61K

  • Program 2 [2020]

    RENOVATED A PROPERTY IN THE KENMORE BOULEVARD HISTORIC DISTRICT IN ORDER TO ATTRACT AN ADDITIONAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE BUSINESS IN ORDER TO MODEL AND ATTRACT THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT WE WANT TO SEE IN OUR COMMERCIAL DISTRICT, KNA CONTINUED RENOVATIONS ON 975 KENMORE BLVD., A VACANT BEAUTY SHOP THAT WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO A COMMUNITY HUB AND TEA ROOM. WE INVESTED 109,613 INTO THE PROPERTY IN 2020 THANKS TO GRANTS FROM AKRON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, GAR FOUNDATION, HUNTINGTON-AKRON FOUNDATION AND KNIGHT FOUNDATION. KNA WAS ABLE TO SECURE A MATCHING FAADE GRANT THROUGH THE CITY OF AKRON'S GREAT STREETS PROGRAM TO COMPLETELY RENOVATE THE BUILDING'S STOREFRONT, ADDING SQUARE FOOTAGE TO THE BUILDING AND OUTWARD BEAUTY TO THE DISTRICT THAT WILL SERVE AS A BEACON FOR INVESTMENT IN THE AREA. WE WORKED WITH A RESTORATIVE BRICK AND GLASS COMPANY TO INSTALL A WHOLE NEW HISTORICALLY APPROPRIATE STOREFRONT SYSTEM. WHILE OUR COFFEE SHOP TENANT CHOSE NOT TO SIGN A LEASE DUE TO THE EMERGENCE OF COVID-19, WE SECURED A TENANT THROUGH THE CITY'S RUBBER CITY MATCH PROGRAM: SRINA TEA ROOM, A BLACK, FEMALE-OWNED BUSINESS THAT WILL OFFER ORGANIC TEA DRINKS AND NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO OUR COMMUNITY. SRINA PLANS TO PARTNER WITH KENMORE-GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL'S CULINARY DEPARTMENT AND WILL HIRE GRADUATES OF THE KNA-FUNDED JOBS PROGRAM. NOT ONLY WILL THIS RENOVATED PROPERTY HELP TO MEET A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY NEED, THE RENTAL REVENUE FROM THE BUILDING WILL PROVIDE APPROXIMATELY 13,200-14,400 PER YEAR TO SUPPORT KNA'S ONGOING SUSTAINABILITY. THE BUILDING IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN LATE 2021 THANKS TO FUNDING FROM THE KNIGHT FOUNDATION, HUNTINGTON AKRON FOUNDATION, GAR FOUNDATION AND AKRON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $21.7K

  • Program 3 [2020]

    SUPPORTED LOCAL MUSICIANS, BUSINESSES AND THE COMMUNITY BY HOSTING OUTDOOR EVENTS AND BY PROMOTING THE DISTRICT THROUGH PAID AND UNPAID ADVERTISING. WHILE OUR PROMOTION AND EVENTS COMMITTEES WERE EAGER TO BUILD ON THE ENERGY OF LAST YEAR'S KENMORE FIRST FRIDAY EVENTS, COVID-19 FORCED US TO ADAPT. IN MAY AND JUNE, WE HOSTED VIRTUAL FIRST FRIDAYS. STARTING IN JULY, WE PARTNERED WITH THE DRAGON'S MANTLE, THE KENMORE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND A VARIETY OF GENEROUS SPONSORS TO HOST SOCIALLY DISTANT DRIVE-IN CONCERTS IN THE KENMORE BOULEVARD SOUTH ALLEY PARKING LOTS. THEY FEATURED CARHOP SERVICE FROM LOCAL FOOD BUSINESSES AND MUSICAL ACTS LIKE JIM BALLARD, ZACH AND AMERICAN IDOL VETERAN MADELINE FINN. IN ALL, WE DREW MORE THAN 350 PEOPLE TO THE DISTRICT AT A TIME WHEN OUTDOOR LIVE MUSIC EVENTS WERE SCARCE IN SUMMIT COUNTY. IN ADDITION, WE LEVERAGED THE TALENT OF INTERNS TO SEND WEEKLY AND BI- WEEKLY EVENTS EMAILS TO LET RECIPIENTS KNOW WHAT KIND OF EATING AND SHOPPING SPECIALS AND AVAILABILITY WERE OFFERED ON THE BOULEVARD DURING THE THROES OF THE PANDEMIC. WE ALSO PROMOTED EVENTS AND BUSINESSES THROUGH UNPAID AND PAID MARKETING THROUGH OUTLETS LIKE 91.3 THE SUMMIT RADIO.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $19K