Riverworks Newsletter - November 2022
Greeting Friends and Neighbors:
Coming into the holiday season, wrapping up the year for 2022, and looking forward into 2023, Riverworks Development Corporation is buzzing with programs and engagement opportunities; for one, we look forward to celebrating and supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs at the 53212Marketplace: Holiday Edition on Saturday, December 3rd (see flier below)!
We are still reeling from the amazing turnout and participation at the Beerline Celebration Series - Music on the Beerline and the Beerline Shuffle - last summer. The photos are in, and you can check them all out to see our neighbors and our community celebrating the Beerline Trail by clicking the buttons below.
As you may know, we have been celebrating Riverworks' 30th Anniversary throughout 2022. As the year winds down, we want to sincerely thank all of our partners, supporters, and residents who participated in sharing their stories. Check out the final installment of our 30 Stories for 30 Years campaign below, and click the button to see all of the stories.
Finally, we have recently launched our 2022 Annual Appeal. You can help us aid people in financial crisis, increase home ownership, improve property conditions, ensure streets are safe and clean, provide healthy recreational opportunities for families, and help small businesses get back on their feet and grow. Please consider a donation to Riverworks Development Corporation to help us achieve these goals. Gifts can be made online here.
30 Stories for 30 Years: This year marks 30 years of Riverworks Development Corporation's efforts to support residents and businesses in Harambee, Riverwest, and the surrounding communities. We have been honored to be at the table with a great variety of local and national partners and supporters, and look forward to continuing to serve this community with you all for many years to come. Please follow along with us throughout 2022 as we share stories and memories from the past three decades. .
Small Business & Entrepreneurial Resources
The BounceBack Grant Program Offers $10,000 Grants to Milwaukee Businesses
For many entrepreneurs, a crucial step in the process of launching their business is finding a brick-and-mortar location. As a part of the small business and entrepreneurial resources Riverworks' Business Development HUB offers, we have provided letters of support to 60 small businesses for the BounceBack Grant (BBG) program. The BBG program offers a $10,000 grant for the purpose of covering rent of a previously vacant commercial space that is 400 square feet or larger and has a minimum lease term of one year. The application process is quick and easy, run through an online portal where you can submit the application materials. The BBG program has made the dream of having a brick-and-mortar location a reality for dozens of small business owners. The deadline for the BBG program is 12/31/22. If you are interested in receiving support for this application, please contact Serah.
Creative Placemaking on the Beerline Trail
Artists and Residents Collaborate in Making an Art Guide
Riverworks, in collaboration with local artists, residents and stakeholders, are working to build a strategic Art Guide for creative placemaking projects for the Beerline Trail and the Harambee and Riverwest neighborhoods. This guide will steer creative conversations, visions, and installations within the community. Riverworks will be hosting facilitation events that will lean on artists’ and residents’ voices to create a comprehensive guide on best practices for working together - ultimately bringing creative assets to the forefront of community development. If you are interested in learning more about this guide or how to get involved, please contact Amy.
Extraordinary Care from the Financial Clinic
Work with the Financial Clinic to Improve Your Financial Well-Being
The IRS reports that 70% of Americans expect a tax refund every year. For many families, this is a significant financial celebration each year, especially for residents with income below the poverty level, which is a staggering 24.6% of City of Milwaukee residents. Tax refunds offer a financial opportunity for many people to bolster their savings, but also create a potential threat for those who fall victim to predatory lending companies and establishments. While some people focus on saving and establishing their emergency funds for a rainy day or the start of their retirement funds, others are tempted to splurge on cars, clothes, furniture, and vacations. Take your money to the next level by investing in yourself and your quality of life through homeownership, business opportunity, emergency funds, savings or retirement accounts, or fixing your credit. To learn more about how you can use your tax refund toward improving your financial well-being, contact Riverworks’ Financial Clinic.
Shout Out to Our Supporters!
Riverworks would like to thank our partner and supporter, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, for their generous contribution toward development and maintenance of the Beerline Trail, as well as all of the exciting work they are doing in Southeast Wisconsin as part of the Route of the Badger project. This important work focuses on connecting the communities of urban Milwaukee with the surrounding suburban and rural communities - encompassing over 700 miles of trails! To learn more out more about their mission and projects, check out railstotrails.org