NoMa

What NoMa does

NoMa Business Improvement District (NoMa BID) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization established in 2007 by the DC Council to enhance and promote the NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood in Washington, D.C. The organization is funded primarily through mandatory special assessments levied on commercial property owners within its 35-block district, supplemented by corporate sponsorships and grants (including a $50,000 matching public art grant from the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities). It serves property owners, residents, workers, and visitors through a hybrid service and programming model.

NoMa BID's core offerings are neighborhood management services rather than technology products: a uniformed Safety Ambassador Program that patrols the district, daily cleaning and streetscape maintenance, management of eight parks and public spaces (including the 2.5-acre Alethia Tanner Park and Swampoodle Park, both delivered via its affiliated NoMa Parks Foundation established in 2012), economic development advocacy, and a portfolio of signature annual events including the NoMa in Color Mural Festival (145+ murals over a decade), CiNoMatic outdoor movies, PumpkinPalooza, and a weekly Farmers Market operated with FRESHFARM. Lightweight digital programs — the NoMa Neighbors Card (free 10% discount pass for ZIP 20001/20002 residents and workers) and the Metropolitan Beer Trail (mobile passport across 14 venues) — extend engagement onto consumer devices via the Bandwango platform, but these are community-program tools, not a technology stack.

The district covered by NoMa BID contains 14.2 million SF of office space (anchored by the U.S. Department of Justice, NPR, and Harris Teeter), roughly 10,200 residential units (6,400 apartments), and 662,000+ SF of occupied retail, representing over $1 billion in cumulative private development investment and plans for more than 20 million additional SF. The organization operates from its headquarters at the Uline Arena building (1140 Third Street NE), is governed by a developer-led board chaired by Toll Brothers with MRP Realty as Vice-Chair, and is led by President & CEO Maura Brophy (appointed January 2021).

Name

NoMa

Legal name

NoMa Business Improvement District

Website

https://nomabid.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NoMa Business Improvement District is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit that funds and delivers cleaning, safety ambassador, parks management, public art, and community event services for a 35-block commercial district in Washington, D.C., financed primarily through mandatory property owner assessments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Improvement District Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925), Lessors of Nonresidential Buildings (except Miniwarehouses) (53112)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Mixed-Use Community Association Management (BPAJAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Association Maintenance, Vendor & Capital Project Management (BPAJAHAM), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Business improvement district
• Neighborhood services
• Public space management
• Community event programming
• Economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Assessments: Special assessment collected from NoMa's commercial property owners to fund BID operations, services, and initiatives. This is the primary funding mechanism for the organization.
2. Sponsorships and Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships for events and programming, including multi-event packages, branded activations, digital integration, and community partnerships.
3. Grants: Grants from District government and arts organizations, such as the $50,000 matching public art grant from D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NoMa BID is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit Business Improvement District that provides neighborhood services across a 35-block district in Washington, D.C. Its offerings include public safety ambassador patrols, daily street cleaning, public art installation and curation, parks and public space management (including Alethia Tanner Park and Swampoodle Park), community events programming (farmers market, mural festival, outdoor movies), and economic development and marketing support for commercial property owners, businesses, residents, and visitors.

Product overview

NoMa BID (Business Improvement District) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization that provides core services to enhance and promote the NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) neighborhood in Washington, D.C. The organization operates as a service-based entity rather than a technology product company. Its portfolio includes community programs such as the NoMa Neighbors Card (a digital discount pass) and Metropolitan Beer Trail (a craft beverage passport), along with management of public spaces including Alethia Tanner Park (2.5 acres) and Swampoodle Park. NoMa BID organizes signature annual events including the NoMa in Color Mural Festival, CiNoMatic outdoor movies, and PumpkinPalooza. The organization also provides daily public safety ambassador services, street maintenance, and economic development support for the 35-block district encompassing over 25 million square feet of new development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Metropolitan Beer Trail: A collection of bars and breweries connected by the Metropolitan Branch Trail, featuring 14 stops across DC neighborhoods.
• NoMa in Color
• CiNoMatic
• PumpkinPalooza
• NoMa Farmers Market
• NoMa Neighbors Card

Products and services

• NoMa Neighbors Card Free all-digital card app designed for residents and workers in NoMa (ZIP codes 20001 or 20002), offering 10% discounts at participating local businesses. Users register and receive the card via email and text message.
• Metropolitan Beer Trail A mobile-exclusive passport connecting 14 of DC's breweries and bars along the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Participants check in via GPS to earn points and unlock exclusive prizes. Free digital pass delivered via text and email with no app download required.
• Safety Ambassador Program Uniformed ambassadors who patrol the neighborhood to assist visitors, enhance safety, and provide a welcoming presence throughout NoMa's district.
• Alethia Tanner Park A 2.5-acre community park at 227 Harry Thomas Way NE featuring an expansive green lawn, children's playground, dedicated dog park, bioremediation meadow with boardwalk, cafe space, and connections to the Metropolitan Branch Trail. Hosts CiNoMatic outdoor movies and farmers market.
• NoMa in Color Mural Festival Annual fall mural festival celebrating art in NoMa. Over the past decade, more than 145 murals have been created, transforming NoMa into DC's Mural Capital. Partners include WMATA's Art in Transit, The Morrow Hotel, and Lime.
• CiNoMatic Free outdoor movie series at Alethia Tanner Park featuring musicals, comedies, and feel-good movies under the stars. Runs June 3-July 1 with food trucks and community gatherings.
• PumpkinPalooza Fall celebration at Alethia Tanner Park featuring a pick-your-own pumpkin patch, live music, food, costumed characters, and free pumpkins for attendees.
• NoMa Farmers Market at Third Street

Quantifiable outcome

• Events attract 50,000+ attendees annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WMATA Art in TransitcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 September 2026Partnership with WMATA's Art in Transit program for the 2026 NoMa in Color Mural Festival. Collaborates on public art installations at Metro stations and transit areas, enhancing the visual appeal of the neighborhood's transit infrastructure.
• The Morrow HotelminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 September 2026Partner for the 2026 NoMa in Color Mural Festival. The Morrow Hotel provides support for neighborhood events and arts programming.
• LimecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 September 2026Official Micromobility Partner of NoMa BID. Lime provides scooter and bike sharing services that complement the neighborhood's walkability and connection to the Metropolitan Branch Trail.
• FRESHFARMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partner for the NoMa Farmers Market at Third Street. FRESHFARM operates the weekly Sunday market featuring 12+ vendors with seasonal produce, farm-raised meats, baked goods, and prepared foods.
• NoMa Parks FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Established nonprofit affiliate organization dedicated to creating parks and public spaces in NoMa. Manages park development projects including Alethia Tanner Park, Swampoodle Park, and underpass art installations. Works closely with DC Department of Parks and Recreation.
• Metropolitan Beer Trail Partner BreweriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of 14 breweries and bars participating in the Metropolitan Beer Trail, including metrobar, Wunder Garten, Lost Generation Brewing Company, Red Bear Brewing Co., Right Proper Brewing Company, Crooked Run Fermentation, and others. The trail connects venues along the Metropolitan Branch Trail from Union Station through NoMa, Eckington, and Brookland.
• Eckington Parks & ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that maintains the dog park at Alethia Tanner Park. Collaborates on park programming and community events.
• D.C. Department of Parks and RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity agency that owns and oversees parks in NoMa, including Alethia Tanner Park. Works with NoMa Parks Foundation on park management and event permitting.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mount Vernon Triangle Community Improvement District: A DC Community Improvement District covering a dense mixed-use neighborhood directly adjacent to NoMa, offering comparable services (cleaning, safety, events, marketing) funded by property assessments. It is one of NoMa's closest geographic competitors for tenants, residents, and visitors.
• Georgetown BID: A DC Business Improvement District serving the Georgetown commercial district with the same operating model as NoMa BID: special assessments on commercial properties funding ambassadors, sanitation, marketing, and events. Comparable scale of operations and stakeholder model despite different neighborhood character.
• Downtown DC BID (Golden Triangle): A DC Business Improvement District that provides the same core services as NoMa BID — public safety, streetscape, marketing, and economic development — funded through commercial property assessments. It serves a larger but comparable urban mixed-use district, making it the most directly comparable peer operating model.
• Capitol Riverfront BID: Another DC Business Improvement District operating in a comparable mixed-use neighborhood adjacent to the Anacostia River. Like NoMa, it provides ambassador services, public space management, events, and economic development support funded by commercial property assessments; a former Capitol Riverfront BID staffer (Guillermo Carcamo) now works at NoMa BID, underscoring direct comparability.
• The Hollywood Partnership BID: A Los Angeles BID that manages the Hollywood commercial district, including the Hollywood Walk of Fame. NoMa BID's VP of Public Space Operations Ruben Lechuga previously led public space operations there, making it a directly comparable operating model in a different but similarly entertainment- and pedestrian-oriented urban district.

Others

• International Downtown Association (IDA): The industry association for Business Improvement Districts and downtown management organizations globally. NoMa BID operates within the IDA member ecosystem and benefits from its peer benchmarking, training, and best-practice resources, making it a thematic rather than direct competitive peer.

Emerging players

• Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation: A nonprofit that manages and activates a large mixed-use urban district (industrial, office, retail) with similar placemaking, public space management, and tenant-services functions. While not a BID, it is structurally comparable as a private nonprofit operating a defined urban district.

Regional players

• Anacostia BID: A Washington, D.C. BID serving the Anacostia commercial corridor with the same assessment-funded operating model as NoMa BID, though operating at a smaller scale and in a different neighborhood context. Directly comparable structure for benchmarking revenue and service delivery.
• Bethesda Urban Partnership: A nonprofit urban district management organization for downtown Bethesda, MD, that delivers ambassador services, marketing, events, and public space programming funded by property assessments. Similar operating model and suburban-urban mixed-use district profile to NoMa BID.
• Silver Spring Downtown BID: A Maryland BID serving downtown Silver Spring, just outside DC, with a comparable mix of assessment-funded services, events, and public space activation. Geographic proximity and similar urban-suburban mixed-use character make it a useful comparable for NoMa BID's operating economics.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/noma.bid
• Facebookfacebook.com/NoMaBID
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NoMaBID
• Xx.com/nomabid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/noma-business-improvement-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NoMa