Souly Austin Tools
The Souly Austin program provides interested business districts with valuable tools to assist in the formation of their merchants associations, district strategy development and project implementation. Below is a sample of the available strategies and tools available to our merchants associations:
Public Improvement Districts
Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) serve as an economic development tool to fund public improvement and/or municipal services in a defined geographic area. PIDs, which are created only at request of land owners via petition, are funded by special assessments apportioned and paid by land owners that benefit from the public improvement and/or services.
Capacity Building
Souly Austin identifies capacity building as a key component of developing sustainable merchants associations. Through district trainings, Souly Austin hopes to strengthen the skills and abilities that both the businesses and forming organizations require to adapt and thrive in the community. On-going trainings on association formation, management, fundraising and sponsorships and contracts and intellectual property are just a few of the trainings available for participating districts.
Placemaking
Through district placemaking, Souly Austin provides an additional resource to assist in the beautification and enhancement of business districts. The goal of Souly Austin placemaking is to promote the Souly districts, increase pedestrian activity and encourage patrons to experience the businesses and services found in Austin’s unique and vibrant business districts. Through direct collaboration with a placemaking consultant, Souly Austin districts develop placemaking projects that positively impact the economic vitality of businesses within the commercial area and are visible to the public.
Speaker Series
The Souly Austin Speaker Series exposes merchants associations’ success stories to the business community in Austin. Through this speaker series, Souly Austin targets businesses within the community that are, or would like to be, involved in the process of forming a merchants association and creating an organized business district. Previous speaker series included the “Imaginative Merchants”.
District Trainings
Souly Austin provides a series of on-going trainings designed to assist with the development of sustainable merchants associations. The district trainings focus on strengthening the skills and building leadership within the merchants association. Trainings include, but are not limited to, merchants association formation and management, contracts and intellectual property, recordkeeping and taxes, and association leadership.
Activation Award
Business districts who successfully form a merchants association and go through the Souly Austin process are eligible to receive a monetary activation award to be used for district activation. The award serves as an opportunity to collaborate in the development and implementation of a public facing project that positively impacts the community and attracts individuals to the district.