Main Street New Jersey Awards District Branding and Digital Design Service Grant

note: the following press release was issued by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in relation to a contract recently awarded to Glerin through a competitive bid process. Both Downtown Westfield Corporation and Main Street Vineland received grants to work with Glerin.

Main Street New Jersey Awards District Branding and Digital Design Service Grant (Westfield)

TRENTON, NJ –The Main Street New Jersey program administered by the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced that Downtown Westfield Corporation has been awarded a District Branding and Digital Design service grant. The grant will allow Westfield Downtown Corporation to create a new brand for its district, as well as a specially designed website developed by Glerin Business Resources, Inc. of Halifax, VA.　

Through the Main Street New Jersey program, the DCA partners with 19 local Main Street nonprofit organizations throughout the State to reinvigorate traditional downtowns and neighborhood business districts. They all share a common goal of improving their commercial districts to help make them better places in which to live, shop, work, and do business. Over the past several years, Main Street New Jersey has included more services related directly to small business and business district branding to help traditional commercial districts market themselves more effectively.

Main Street New Jersey expects to assist additional businesses in becoming more successful through the District Branding and Digital Design service grants, which allow experts to identify the community's strengths and weaknesses and develop a target market and brand strategy. This technical assistance service grant also enables the district to gather input from Main Street stakeholders through surveys, online conferences, and webinars. Twenty service grants for Business Branding & Digital Design, through a separate initiative, will be given to small businesses based on applications submitted from designated MSNJ communities.

"These service grants are vital tools for developing downtowns," said DCA Commissioner Charles A. Richman.　 "It is our hope that this branding initiative will help to stimulate the revitalization, growth and development of the Downtown Westfield area, and help this community serve as a business attraction model to enhance the local economy."

In addition to developing a new website, the grant will aid in developing a comprehensive brand message. The final message will derive from a number of suggestions that will be created and refined according to feedback from Main Street stakeholders. Included will be appropriate geographical or locational language which will support the brand, logo development, branding for social media platforms, and development of a tailored style guide and templates on the proper usage of the Main Street branding and logos.

"Downtown Westfield Corporation put forth an excellent application, scoring above 94%, it has the organizational capacity to see the District Branding & Digital Design service through to successful fruition," said Jef Buehler, Coordinator of the Main Street New Jersey and Improvement District Programs at the DCA. "We look forward to working with them and Glerin Business Resources, Inc. to enhance the brand of their Main Street community and events, as well as to support small business growth through a robust, cutting edge, and commerce-friendly website."

Vineland Main Street is also a recipient of a service grant.

The DCA Main Street New Jersey program, established in 1989, provides selected communities with technical assistance and training of proven value in revitalizing historic downtowns. The program helps municipalities improve the economy, appearance and image of their central business districts through the organization of local citizens and resources.