Central Atlanta Progress

What Central Atlanta Progress does

Central Atlanta Progress (now operating as Downtown Atlanta Inc.) is a nonprofit urban development and advocacy organization founded in 1970 and headquartered at 84 Walton Street NW, Suite 500, Atlanta, Georgia. The organization serves as the unified voice and primary coordinator for Downtown Atlanta's economic, cultural, and civic vitality, serving member businesses, commercial property owners, residents, workers, and visitors through advocacy, programming, and direct operations.

Its core offerings fall into three buckets: (1) public space operations, notably stewardship of the 6-acre Woodruff Park under a 2007 Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Atlanta, plus management of the Broad Street Boardwalk; (2) the Arts & Entertainment Atlanta program, encompassing digital signage art, murals, Downtown Windows AR installations, MAP Rover mobile projections, ART in the PARK rotations, and ArtSwap ATL; and (3) economic development and planning initiatives including The Stitch, the Downtown Atlanta Master Plan, Opportunity Zones support, and the Downtown Pop-Up Opportunity Fund. Underlying assets are content platforms (atlantadowntown.com, art.atlantadowntown.com), the State of Downtown Report, and an event programming calendar. The technology stack is minimal — websites and digital signage are the only software surfaces; there is no proprietary technology product.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining recurring membership dues from Downtown Atlanta businesses and property owners (organized into defined tiers with leadership structures) and grants/corporate sponsorships from foundations and companies such as Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, NCR, and Mailchimp. Membership pricing is not publicly disclosed. In 2025, the organization unified CAP, ADID, ATL DTN, and Woodruff Park under the Downtown Atlanta Inc. brand. Headcount is reported in the 11–50 range.

Name

Central Atlanta Progress

Legal name

Central Atlanta Progress

Website

https://atlantadowntown.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Central Atlanta Progress (Downtown Atlanta Inc.) is a nonprofit urban development organization that advocates for, programs, and manages public spaces across Downtown Atlanta, serving member businesses, property owners, residents, workers, and visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Development and Community Revitalization

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (925120)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Arts, Culture & Creative Placemaking Enterprises (BPAGALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG, Place-Based Initiatives) (BPAIANAE), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI), Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

Keywords

• Urban development
• Downtown revitalization
• Public space management
• Arts and culture programming
• Membership-based advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

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. Membership Dues: Central Atlanta Progress operates as a membership-based organization with defined membership tiers, benefits, and a leadership structure. Businesses, property owners, and organizations in Downtown Atlanta join CAP to gain advocacy representation, economic development resources, and collective marketing benefits.
2. Grants and Sponsorships: CAP receives grant funding from foundations and corporate sponsors to fund specific programs and initiatives. Notable examples include the Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community grant ($200,000 in 2016) and subsequent $100,000 Phase II grant in 2018. The organization also receives sponsorship support for events and public space improvements from entities such as Mailchimp, Delta Air Lines, and NCR for specific programming.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Central Atlanta Progress is a nonprofit membership organization that drives economic development, advocacy, public space management, and arts and cultural programming for Downtown Atlanta. The organization manages the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District (ADID), operates Woodruff Park (a 6-acre urban park), and runs placemaking, public art, and community initiatives on behalf of downtown businesses, property owners, and stakeholders. The organization recently unified its entities (CAP, ADID, ATL DTN) under the brand Downtown Atlanta Inc.

Product overview

Central Atlanta Progress operates as a downtown development organization managing a portfolio of community programs, public spaces, and digital platforms. The core offerings include the Downtown Atlanta website (a content/information portal for tourism and community resources), Woodruff Park (a 6-acre urban recreation space), and the Art & Activation program suite (which encompasses Public Art Programs with digital art displays, murals, Downtown Windows, and rotating installations; ART in the PARK; ArtSwap ATL; and archived programs like PRISM: Winter Lights). Supporting initiatives include the Heart of the Community placemaking program, Native Plants & Wellness Initiative, and Community Messaging Campaigns. The organization recently rebranded from CAP, ADID, and ATLDTN to unified Downtown Atlanta Inc. The portfolio is primarily community-focused rather than technology-product based.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program A tiered membership offering for Downtown Atlanta businesses, commercial property owners, and stakeholders that provides collective advocacy, economic development resources, marketing benefits, and participation in leadership and planning initiatives for Downtown Atlanta.
• Woodruff Park A 6-acre urban park in the Fairlie-Poplar district of Downtown Atlanta, stewarded by ADID under a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Atlanta. Hosts free community programming, events, and recreation for residents, workers, and visitors.
• Public Art Programs Creative public art programming across Downtown Atlanta including the Digital Art Program (outdoor digital gallery), MAP Rover mobile projection program, Downtown Windows augmented-reality and whimsical installations, murals and permanent installations, and temporary installations.
• ART in the PARK Monthly rotating art installations in Woodruff Park featuring engaging and often interactive artworks, accompanied by opening parties with live music and activities.
• ArtSwap ATL

Quantifiable outcome

• The Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community grant ($200,000) enabled implementation of park improvements including movable furniture, planters, updated landscaping, and the Woodruff Park Game Cart, directly increasing park usage and activation.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• DashboardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Dashboard served as the curator for the PRISM: Winter Lights annual light art exhibition in Woodruff Park from 2019 to 2021. The three-month exhibits featured vibrant light-based sculptures by local and national artists. Additional support was provided by Delta Air Lines, NCR, and Mailchimp for different years of the program. Dashboard also provides ongoing project support for the Arts & Entertainment Atlanta digital exhibition program.
• Spark CorpscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Spark Corps, a local design firm focused on social impact, partnered with ADID in 2018 to engage students from Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School, The New School, and Georgia State University in co-design activities for Woodruff Park. The student-driven ArtSwap ATL project, designed through Design Thinking workshops, debuted in the park in 2019 and was funded through the second Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community grant.
• Project for Public SpacesflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2016Project for Public Spaces provided guidance and technical support throughout the Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community placemaking process at Woodruff Park in 2016. Their placemaking expertise helped CAP engage park stakeholders and build consensus for improvement priorities, resulting in the redesign of the southwest end of the park.
• City of Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural AffairscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Woodruff Park operates under a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Atlanta Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District, approved by the Atlanta City Council and Mayor in 2007. The MOU establishes ADID's stewardship of the park, including daily upkeep, programming, and funding for future development.
• Atlanta Police Department and Georgia State University PolicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPark Attendants patrol Woodruff Park in partnership with the Atlanta Police Department and Georgia State University Police force, covering grounds from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. each day. This security partnership ensures safety for park visitors and programming participants.
• Hope AtlantaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADID partnered with Hope Atlanta to fund a case manager position dedicated to connecting park visitors in need to social services. The partnership successfully connected numerous individuals with social services and permanent housing placements, supporting the social impact mission of the Downtown Improvement District.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Westside Future Fund: Atlanta-based nonprofit focused on equitable economic development and placemaking for Atlanta's Westside. Operates in the same metro and shares some programmatic overlap (placemaking, community development) but targets a different submarket and resident base.
• Buckhead Coalition: Membership-based organization focused on economic development, infrastructure, and quality-of-life issues in Buckhead. Competes with CAP for corporate member attention and civic influence within the Atlanta metro, operating a similar advocacy-plus-programming model but for a distinct submarket.

Direct peers

• Chicago Loop Alliance: Membership-based BID and advocacy organization for Chicago's Loop. Operates public-space activations, special service programs (cleaning, safety), and member benefits closely analogous to ADID and CAP.
• Midtown Atlanta Alliance: Direct local peer operating a Business Improvement District and membership organization for Midtown Atlanta. Offers a near-identical service mix (public-space management, advocacy, events, membership dues) for the adjacent submarket, making it the closest comparitor in Atlanta.
• Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership: Nonprofit management organization providing BID-style services, public space programming, and economic development advocacy for Downtown Pittsburgh. Comparable scale and service portfolio to CAP.
• Downtown Denver Partnership: Membership-based downtown advocacy, economic development, and public-space organization serving Downtown Denver. Mirrors CAP's combination of BID-style services, programming, and city-facing planning work.
• Alliance for Downtown New York: One of the largest Business Improvement Districts in the U.S., running a membership program, public-space management, marketing, and advocacy for Lower Manhattan. Closest direct peer by organizational model and scope.
• Central City Association of Los Angeles: Member-driven advocacy and economic development organization for Downtown Los Angeles. Comparable in its policy advocacy and downtown-revitalization mission, though operating in a larger and more politically complex urban environment.
• Downtown Partnership of Baltimore: Nonprofit management organization for Downtown Baltimore's district, providing security, maintenance, marketing, and advocacy services. Highly comparable in mission, structure, and downtown-revitalization orientation.

Others

• International Downtown Association: Industry association for urban place management organizations and BIDs globally. Not a direct competitor, but the network CAP participates in and a benchmark for industry practice and member benchmarks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/atlantadowntown
• Instagraminstagram.com/woodruffpark
• Xx.com/downtownatlanta
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-atlanta-progress

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Central Atlanta Progress