[OMS_MANAGERS] Downtown Dollars

Mon Jul 13 14:41:40 PDT 2020

Great thread! I’ll be exploring the gift card ideas listed in this thread. Thank you for the info. Our program is good for what we use it for, but not if you’re looking to encourage purchasing big-ticket items. Ours is more of an Albany Downtown Association promo and appreciation tool at the moment. - Lise

Here’s what we’re doing in Albany…

We’ve had a Downtown Dollars program for a couple of years. I wanted something that felt old fashioned and fun. It started with an event hosted by City of Albany. Participants were given a Downtown Dollar for providing feedback at a booth.

We had wooden nickels made in $1 and $5 increments. When a customer redeems one the business simply calls me, and I wander by to cash them out. We have a petty cash pouch for this project. It’s pretty low key. It’s pretty simple and no fees are taken out, so I haven’t received pushback from merchants. My only issue is getting them to bother to call for me to bring them their money :)

I like handing out Downtown Dollars to volunteers and random strangers on the street. The expense comes out of the budget associated with the project. For example, the Dollars I gave out to families who did their own Self-Guided Downtown Clean-Up are charged to Design. We usually buy cinnamon rolls and beverages for the big volunteer group.  This year we canceled the group event due to COVID and went on FB to ask family groups to work independently. They just take a before and after photo and tag us on FB and I send them some Downtown Dollars. We’re getting the clean-up done with appropriate social distancing, and I don’t have leftover treats. Other Downtown Dollars we hand out are charged to Promo and Economic Vitality. 

We haven’t pushed the Downtown Dollars too much except at the holidays. Albany Visitors Association bought a stack of $5s to give to their volunteers as part of their appreciation event back in January (pre-COVID).  Albany Farmers’ Market uses wooden nickels for folks that want to use a CC. If our Dollars get used there, we just cash them out, too.

Here are a couple of photos. The Downtown Dollars have serial numbers but I edited that out on any photos I share publically. I doubt anyone would counterfeit them, but it’s my node to that possibility. 

Thanks,

Lise

From: OMS_MANAGERS [mailto:oms_managers-bounces at omls.oregon.gov] On Behalf Of Kelly Haverkate
Sent: Thursday, July 9, 2020 2:27 PM
To: Oregon Main Street program managers <oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: Re: [OMS_MANAGERS] Downtown Dollars

We tried our "Dayton Dollars" program and found it pretty tedious.  The biggest problem with selling something up front, is that you have it as a liability hanging out  there on your books.  Forever, if they don't get redeemed!

I purchased a "card" from McMinnville Downtown Assoc and they seemed to have a system that would have worked much better!

Check with them!

Kelly

Kelly Haverkate

Program Manger

Downtown Dayton

On Thu, Jul 9, 2020 at 12:08 PM W Darin Rutledge, Executive Director <darin at downtownklamathfalls.org <mailto:darin at downtownklamathfalls.org> > wrote:

Looking forward to hearing from others – I did some research a while back but we haven’t had the capacity to pull the trigger on anything yet. I did find one program that seemed to be a good model in terms of reasonable administrative lift, technology, and a “credible” look and feel. Details are here: https://downtownsantacruz.com/downtowndollars

There’s always the old school method – print the $, get businesses on board, then simply have them submit for reimbursement when the certificates are tendered. There’s a lot to be said for that, however; programs like the above require a business to be on board with not only the concept, but also with an additional point of sale process, up front registration, etc. 

Let me know what you settle on!

W. Darin Rutledge

Executive Director

Klamath Falls Downtown Association

 <mailto:darin at downtownklamathfalls.org> darin at downtownklamathfalls.org

541.539.6212

From: OMS_MANAGERS <oms_managers-bounces at omls.oregon.gov <mailto:oms_managers-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> > on behalf of <director at coosbaydowntown.org <mailto:director at coosbaydowntown.org> >
Reply-To: Oregon Main Street program managers <oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov <mailto:oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov> >
Date: Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 11:55 AM
To: "oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov <mailto:oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov> " <oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov <mailto:oms_managers at omls.oregon.gov> >
Subject: [OMS_MANAGERS] Downtown Dollars

Hello,

I was hoping that some of you have worked with "Downtown Dollars" in your downtowns. If so, could you let me know how your program works? We are wanting to have some downtown dollars made for the holiday season that we have printed and then customers can get an extra 10% off when they use them at stores. How are you doing this? Any information is welcome. 

If it is easier to call me you can reach me on my cell: 541-294-2349.

Thanks,

Holly

Holly Boardman

Executive Director

Coos Bay Downtown Association

320 Central Ave. Suite 410

Coos Bay, Or 97420

541-266-9706

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