DutchtownSTL, Dutchtown Main Streets, and the Dutchtown Community Improvement District are glad you’re a part of our community! Get to know our organizations and check out some of the ways we can work together to bring vibrant activity to Dutchtown and to your business.
Who Are We?
Join Our Facebook Group!
The Dutchtown Business Network is a group where business owners can chat, share resources, and get help from Dutchtown organizations. Join today!
We aren’t the city, government, or even a big business. We’re your neighbors and fellow business owners who volunteer our time to the neighborhood.
Specifically, Dutchtown Main Streets is a non-profit that aims to attract diverse ownership, promote places, spaces, and faces, and increase occupancy in the Dutchtown neighborhood. The Dutchtown Community Improvement District is a special taxing district that uses a small increase in property tax to work on making the neighborhood more safe, clean, and green. We market the neighborhood under one brand—DutchtownSTL.
Who Funds Our Efforts?
Our efforts are funded by a combination of money raised through taxes collected by the Community Improvement District as well as whatever individual donations, grants, and funding partnerships we can find. If you’d like to help support our work, you can donate to Dutchtown Main Streets.
What Do We Have To Offer?
Dutchtown organizations are coming together to help provide resources and information to our neighbors and local businesses.
For Dutchtown Businesses
For our Dutchtown businesses both new and established, we’re building lists of City, State, and Federal resources to help you through the processes of starting a business and staying current on permits, licenses, and taxes We’re also in the process of creating walkthrough guides to help you grow your business (check out our guide to getting on Google My Business [part one and part two] for examples of what we’re working on). Additionally, we can help promote your business at no cost to you—let us help spread the word about what you’re doing here in the community! Just get in touch with us.
We also regularly post on the DutchtownSTL blog when opportunities for assistance come along for our businesses. During the COVID-19 pandemic we’ve published a post to help you apply for Small Business Grants from the City of St. Louis, and we shared information on applying for Small Business Administration disaster loans and managing regulations under the Coronavirus Response Act. You can find more news and updates on DutchtownSTL’s Facebook page, on Twitter at @dutchtownstl, or in our Dutchtown Business Owners Facebook group.
For Everyone in Dutchtown
DutchtownSTL has compiled extensive lists of neighborhood resources, including contacts for local officials, utilities, and non-emergency services. We’ve also created guides to filing reports with the Citizens’ Service Bureau, working with your Neighborhood Improvement Specialist, and reporting problems to the St. Louis police.
How Do We Work?
As part of the UrbanMain initiative, Dutchtown organizations work under the Main Street 4+1 Point Approach. Five neighbor-led committees meet once a month and report to the Downtown Dutchtown and Dutchtown Community Improvement District boards. We recently hired a part time Dutchtown Growth Manager to help coordinate these activities, but the majority of our work has been volunteer driven.
Meet Our Dutchtown Committees
You can read all about our five committees and sign up to join at dutchtownstl.org/committees, or keep reading for an overview of what we do.
Design Committee
The Design Committee works on improvements to the neighborhood’s physical elements. We aim to improve both the appearance and functionality of the neighborhood and leverage the dense and historic built environment of Dutchtown. For storefront improvements or other physical enhancements, contact design@dutchtownstl.org.
Economic Vitality Committee
The Economic Vitality Committee seeks to attract investment and promote entrepreneurship and economic activity. We provide support for both new and established businesses in the neighborhood. Contact ev@dutchtownstl.org for investment opportunities.
Promotion Committee
The Promotion Committee is the marketing arm of Dutchtown. We manage this website and Dutchtown’s social media channels, and we want to spread the word about your business. For marketing ideas, events, or business promotions, contact promotion@dutchtownstl.org.
Organization Committee
The Organization Committee builds community in Dutchtown through both old and new partners. We seek to connect funding sources, community organizations, and volunteers to get the work done in Dutchtown. To help develop resources for our work, contact organization@dutchtownstl.org.
Safe Clean and Green Committee
The Safe Clean and Green Committee develops and implements strategies for beautification, maintenance, security, community justice services, and green initiatives. We work to improve both the perception and reality of Dutchtown to attract businesses, residents, and visitors. Contact scg@dutchtownstl.org to get involved.
How Can We Work Together?
Our organizations are only successful when we have our Dutchtown businesses and neighbors working together with us. Keeping Dutchtown wonderful, diverse, and vibrant requires hard work from all of us.
Join a committee, contact us with ideas, questions, or concerns, or just click around here on dutchtownstl.org to get to know us better and to find out more about all the great things happening in Dutchtown. We’re here to help build a thriving Dutchtown neighborhood for everyone!
