Manchester Alive asks North Manchester for $15,000 to support downtown coop and summer festival

Heather Cruz, director of Manchester Life, asked the North Manchester Town Council on April 1 for $15,000 in annual funding to support downtown economic-vitality programs and operations.

Cruz told the council the Coop, a small-business incubator and retail space the organization built, is near or at full occupancy and has generated more than $125,000 in revenue for participating businesses since opening. She described events and programs intended to drive tourism and downtown activity, including a four-day festival planned for July 30–Aug. 2 that would avoid closing Main Street and instead activate parks and other downtown spaces.

Cruz said Manchester Life recently secured a $100,000 USDA grant and an impact-investment loan from a community foundation to complete phase two of the Coop, which will add conference rooms, meeting spaces and co-working offices intended for remote workers and visiting professionals. She asked the council to consider an annual $15,000 contribution and thanked the council for ongoing partnership; staff and councilors asked clarifying operational questions but did not vote on the request at the April 1 meeting.

Cruz closed by noting plans to pursue additional fundraising tools (Patronicity campaign) and to return to council with further event and road-closure requests as plans firm up. The council said requests are considered at the meeting they are submitted and a determination will be made at the following meeting.

The town did not take a funding vote on the request during the transcript excerpt provided.