Rediscover Downtown Peru outlines funding, rebrands events and appeals for clearer city coordination

Terry Smith, president of Rediscover Downtown Peru (RDP), told the council the organization has distributed more than $218,000 in facade improvement grants since 2015 and levered roughly $1.6 million in private investment into the downtown district.

"We contribute just above $60,000 per year in volunteer hours," Smith said during a detailed packet review, and he described RDP's four committees—economic vitality, design, organization and promotion—and a data-driven transformation strategy that found a net promoter score of minus 22 for the Rediscover Downtown Peru brand.

Smith told council members that the city annually allocates a $15,000 promotions reimbursement fund and that RDP also receives match and TIF-based funding to support façade and activation projects. He said the group aims to diversify funding beyond a few city sources and noted recent awards and pending facade projects.

"We're pivoting to try to diversify our funding and to make better programs and bring more people downtown," Smith said, adding the group plans a downtown business mixer Aug. 28 at the Ollie Olsen Theatre to solicit broader input from local business owners.

Councilors pressed for clearer accounting of how city, Makita and grant dollars are used and suggested RDP return to the council during budget season for a deeper review. The presentation closed with an invitation for council members to attend RDP meetings and said the organization will refine its events and messaging in 2027 to improve return on investment for city funds.