The Aubrey Group entered into a contract with PWI in 2022 for grant strategy, including research, writing, and administration. Client goals included increasing cleanliness and safety of the district through enhanced district services and infrastructure, such as street sweeping and lighting, beautification projects to “activate” public space with art and offer facade improvement grants, and increasing constituent services, including business technical assistance and marketing/advertising.

Successful projects include the City of Newark Neighborhood Investment Program, a program to solicit applications from community-based non-profit organizations to invest in neighborhood partners as a part of Action 4a of the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Plan. The Aubrey Group helped PWI develop its plan for a Pop-Up Retail Village for local business owners into a successful proposal that was awarded $115,000.00. The village, including a kick-off and closing event as well as technical assistance for business owners, took place over the summer of 2022.

The Aubrey Group also created a marketing plan proposal to advertise the robust calendar of events centered around the businesses within the West Ward to tourists, including Newark International Film Festival (NIFF) and the Christmas Winter Wonderland.

AG prepared an application for the FY2024 NJ Division of Travel & Tourism Cooperative Marketing Grant, and PWI was awarded $16,750.00 (along with a $4,187.50 match from the Urban League of Essex County) to hire an advertising firm to create a Marketing Plan for events and promotion of the West Ward.

PWI was also budgeted money from the City of Newark’s Urban Enterprise Zone Assistance Fund. The Aubrey Group assisted in developing a full budget and narrative for an expansion to the BID’s Facade Improvement Grant Program, which benefited local businesses and beautified the West Ward, as well as funding to hire a city planner to create an improvement and beautification plan for Orange Street. PWI was awarded $284,283.00 for these programs in September of 2024.

About the Client: Partnership West, Inc. has been the West Ward of Newark’s Business Improvement District (BID) since 2016, representing 19 square miles and 10 Commercial corridors in the West Ward. They lead a strong community that is a hub of cultural diversity at the center of a growing and remarkable region and provides invaluable services, including sidewalk cleaning and maintenance, public safety, beautification, and marketing and advocacy.

Photo Credit: Partnership West, Inc. Website