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Commissioners review recommendations for $250,000 community event grants; some applications found ineligible
Summary
County staff recommended $250,000 in community-based event grants for 2025 to support business districts; 16 of 21 applications were eligible and recommended for funding, two were rejected for eligibility reasons and commissioners asked staff to follow up with applicants that submitted deficient materials.
Kelly Adamson, county staff, presented recommended awards from the Board of Commissioners’ $250,000 appropriation for community-based event grants and said the program is intended to promote small-business districts and local economic activity.
Adamson said the program received 21 applications for 2025 totaling about $390,000; 16 were eligible and recommended for awards (grants are capped at $25,000). Recommended recipients include Blue Ash (Friday night concerts), Woodlawn (Juneteenth fireworks festival), Cleves (Christmas Walk), Madeira (Light Up Madeira), Newtown (Summerfest), Addison (Music in the Park), Wyoming (food and music festival), Norwood (art show), Loveland (food-truck rally), Forest Park (Jazz in the Park), Mount Healthy (Christmas in Mount Healthy), Silverton (Taste of Silverton) and Springdale (Pretzel Fest), among others.
Two applicants were not recommended: Golf Manor submitted three separate events in a single application, which violated the program’s single-event eligibility rule, and Colerain Township’s Diamond Dogs/Barktoberfest was not within close proximity to a business district, the staff report said. Adamson said the board will be sent a resolution on April 3 authorizing the county administrator to negotiate and execute grant agreements for the recommended awards.
Why it matters: the grants are designed to drive foot traffic and sales to small businesses in local business districts. Commissioners praised the program as a visible way to support struggling small businesses and town centers, but several asked staff to follow up with communities that did not supply required details.
Commissioner discussion focused on outreach and equity. Several commissioners asked why the West Side and many townships were underrepresented among awardees and urged staff to reach out and assist jurisdictions with applications. Several commissioners also asked staff to re-check Golf Manor’s application; commissioners who have attended Golf Manor events said the village’s events do appear to serve a business district and asked staff to confirm whether the submitted application lacked required economic-impact details or mischaracterized locations. Adamson said staff could reconvene with Golf Manor and return with a recommendation if the board directed it.
Next steps: a resolution will be drafted for the commissioners’ April 3 meeting authorizing the county administrator to negotiate and enter into grant agreements for the recommended events. No funding agreements were signed at the March 25 staff meeting.
