Marin IJ Article: San Rafael inks deal with chamber for business support
The City of San Rafael recently approved a renewed agreement with the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce to continue managing and supporting the Downtown San Rafael Business Improvement District (BID). Under this one-year agreement, the Chamber will receive $140,000. The City’s $140,000 agreement with the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce (including approximately $65,000 from BID assessments) is intended to expand business support both Downtown and citywide. Under the contract, the Chamber will provide business outreach and advocacy, act as a liaison between businesses and the City, administer and manage the Downtown BID (including budgeting, financial reporting, and board support), promote BID events and programs, and develop at least one new business support or expansion initiative based on business feedback, ensuring coordinated economic development, marketing, and accountability during a period of reduced assessment revenue.
Despite lower assessment collections over the past year, the BID delivered a robust slate of programs and events in 2025. Under this director, the BID Programming successfully raised $73k in additional funding through event fundraising and arts grants, allowing the district to sustain and expand programming beyond what assessments alone could support. These funds helped power community events, arts activations, marketing campaigns, and beautification efforts that brought visitors Downtown and supported local businesses.