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Downtown Oregon City Association reports membership growth, sponsorship gains and budget pressures
Summary
The Downtown Oregon City Association (DOCA) told the commission it has expanded board participation and raised record sponsorships but still faces budget pressures; DOCA reported a 2026 operating budget of about $228,000 and noted city support totals $72,000 (about 32% of DOCA's budget).
Juliana Allen, executive director of the Downtown Oregon City Association (DOCA), told the Oregon City Commission on Aug. 5 that the group has expanded its board and deepened business partnerships over the past three years.
"It's been an incredible privilege to serve downtown Oregon City for the past 3 years," Allen said, summarizing DOCA's progress as she prepares to leave the post. She said the board grew from roughly seven to 14 active members, the organization added two ex-officio seats and now runs four active committees. Allen said DOCA's social-media following has climbed to about 4,400 and that staff and volunteers track thousands of volunteer hours for Main Street accreditation.
Allen presented event and financial figures to illustrate DOCA's trajectory. Using elevator-count data, she said First City attendance rose about 18% from 2023 to 2026. She reported record sponsorship revenue so far in 2026 of $34,000, up from $21,000 the prior year and about $16,000 the year before that. Allen also provided a high-level budget summary: DOCA's 2026 operating budget excluding the elevator and restroom contract is about $228,000; city contributions (including $12,000 in city event grants) total $72,000, which Allen said equates to roughly 32% of the annual budget compared with a 50% target in the MOU with the city.
Commissioners praised DOCA's outreach and partnership-building. Commissioner comments highlighted DOCA's increased engagement with business owners, collaboration with city staff and improved public events.
The presentation included a discussion of program challenges: rising event costs (Allen said the city-supported First City event cost about $50,000 in 2026 after trimming expenses) and broader nonprofit fundraising pressures that could limit future programming. Allen asked the commission and community partners to consider those budgetary constraints as DOCA transitions leadership.
