What Downtown Downers Grove Management does

Downtown Downers Grove Management Corp. is an independent 501(c) non-profit organization established in 1997 to promote business activity, tenant recruitment, and property values within the Special Service Area #2 of Downers Grove, Illinois. The organization is governed by an 8-member Board of Directors comprising elected commercial property owners and business owners, plus ex-officio members from the Village of Downers Grove, the Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation, and Chamber630. Its primary functional focus is producing and marketing events for the downtown district, including Ice Fest, the Fine Arts Festival, Sidewalk Sale, Wine Walk, and Friday Night Live, and operating district-wide promotional programs such as the Downtown Downers Grove Gift Card program (denominations of $5-$50), the Downtown Dollars fundraising program for schools and non-profits, and the Loyal to Local summer loyalty campaign.

The corporation is supported financially by assessments from SSA property owners rather than by selling products directly, and it operates with a lean staff of two (Executive Director Erin Venezia and Office Manager Ann Hattan). Its member business base exceeds 300 companies spanning retail, dining, entertainment, and services. Core service offerings beyond events include an online Business Directory, Available Properties Listings for commercial real estate, a Work in Downtown DG Job Board, and a Private Party and Catering Directory. Distribution is concentrated at the 933A Curtiss Street headquarters, supplemented by gift card sales at partner retailers Evelyn Jane Boutique and Orange & Brew, plus email outreach to approximately 2,100 recipients via a monthly Calendar of Events newsletter and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest).

Revenue mechanics are essentially a recurring property-owner levy rather than a transactional SaaS or product revenue model, and the entity is not a technology company: its technology footprint is limited to a WordPress website on downtowndg.org, a Constant Contact newsletter, and social media. The infrastructure underpinning the district includes a 791-space parking deck and mixed-use development completed in 1998 and a full downtown renovation completed in 2001 that earned the National Award for Historic Restoration/Preservation from the American Public Works Association.

Name

Downtown Downers Grove Management

Legal name

Downtown Downers Grove Management Corp.

Website

https://downtowndg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Downtown Downers Grove Management Corp. is a 1997-founded non-profit that promotes tenant recruitment, event production, and district marketing for 300+ businesses within Downers Grove's Special Service Area #2, funded by SSA property-owner assessments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Downtown District Management

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Convention Campus & District Operators (Integrated Venue Districts) (THAHAAAL)

Keywords

• Downtown district management
• Special service area administration
• Event production marketing
• Tenant recruitment services
• Business community promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

Downers Grove

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Special Service Area (SSA) Funding: The organization is financially supported by SSA property owners within the Special Service Area. Formed in 1997 for promoting development and expansion of business and increasing property valuation within the SSA.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Downtown Downers Grove Management Corp. is a 501(c) non-profit organization established in 1997 that manages and promotes the Downtown Downers Grove business district within Special Service Area #2 (SSA#2). The organization focuses on tenant recruitment, event production and marketing, business directory services, and promotional programs such as gift cards, the Downtown Dollars fundraising program, and the Loyal to Local loyalty campaign to drive foot traffic to member businesses.

Product overview

Downtown Downers Grove Management Corporation is a non-profit downtown management organization (established 1997) that operates a collection of programs and services rather than a unified tech product. The core offerings include: Downtown Downers Grove Gift Cards (plastic gift cards in $5-$50 increments accepted at participating businesses) and Downtown Dollars (a non-profit fundraising program sold at a discount). The organization also operates the Loyal to Local summer loyalty program, maintains a Business Directory of over 300 member businesses, provides Available Properties Listings for commercial real estate, hosts a Work in Downtown DG Job Board, offers a Private Party and Catering Directory, and maintains an Events Calendar. These programs collectively support the organization's mission of enhancing and promoting business in Downtown Downers Grove within the Special Service Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Downtown Downers Grove Gift Cards Physical gift cards redeemable at participating downtown Downers Grove businesses, available in fixed denominations of $5, $10, $25, and $50, sold at the management office and partner boutiques.
• Downtown Dollars Program A fundraising program that lets schools, churches, and non-profits purchase Downtown Dollars at $9 (valued at $10) and sell them to members for $10, directing revenue to participating downtown businesses.
• Loyal to Local Program A seasonal (June 1 – August 28) shopper loyalty campaign where participants collect stamps for every $10 spent at participating downtown businesses and are entered into weekly $50 gift card drawings plus a grand prize drawing.
• Business Directory Online directory of over 300 downtown Downers Grove businesses organized by category including Dining, Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Services, and Shopping.
• Available Properties Listings Listings of available retail, office, and commercial properties for lease or sale in downtown Downers Grove, including square footage and contact details.
• Work in Downtown DG Job Board Job opportunity listings from downtown Downers Grove businesses, featuring hiring businesses with descriptions of open positions and application information.
• Private Party and Catering Directory Curated directory of downtown restaurants offering private party spaces and catering services, including capacity information and contact details.
• Events Calendar Comprehensive calendar of downtown events including markets, concerts, festivals, live entertainment, author events, and community activities.

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Village of Downers GrovecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner providing infrastructure support, permits, and coordination for downtown development. The Village conducted complete renovation in 2001 including new storm and sanitary sewers, water mains, underground utilities, sidewalks, streets, signage, park benches and landscaping.
• Downers Grove Economic Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner working on business attraction and expansion in the downtown area. President & CEO Bryan Gay serves as ex-officio Board member.
• Chamber630coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber of commerce partner supporting downtown business community. President & CEO Brad Whitacre serves as ex-officio Board member.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Downtown Memphis Commission: A nonprofit district management organization that runs events, supports tenant recruitment, and coordinates infrastructure investment for a downtown commercial district — directly comparable structural model.
• Georgetown Business Improvement District: A BID that funds and coordinates district-wide marketing, events, and beautification for the Georgetown commercial district — same nonprofit BID governance and SSA-equivalent funding structure as DDGMC.
• Times Square Alliance: A larger and more established BID that operates and promotes a major urban commercial district through events, public space management, and tenant services — same structural model as DDGMC but at a much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Downtown Denver Partnership: A nonprofit business improvement district (BID) that manages and promotes downtown Denver through tenant recruitment, event programming, and district-wide marketing — the same core model as Downtown Downers Grove Management Corp.
• Magnificent Mile Association: A Special Service Area-funded nonprofit that manages and markets a major Chicago commercial district through events, tenant recruitment, and streetscape programs — directly comparable governance and funding model to DDGMC.
• Andersonville Chamber of Commerce: A Chicago-area neighborhood chamber that manages and markets a dense small-business district through events, a business directory, and gift card programs — closely comparable in scale, suburban/urban-adjacent context, and program mix to DDGMC.
• Lakeview Chamber of Commerce: A local chamber and district-promotion organization that runs signature events, supports member businesses, and markets a commercial corridor — a directly comparable suburban BID-style organization to DDGMC.
• Downtown Naperville Alliance: A nearby Illinois downtown management organization that promotes and programs a suburban main-street district, hosts signature events, and supports tenant recruitment — a close geographic and operational peer to DDGMC.
• Downtown Evanston: A suburban Chicago-area downtown organization that promotes local businesses, runs events, and curates a merchant directory — directly analogous in mission, scale, and suburban context to DDGMC.

Others

• International Downtown Association: An industry association whose members are downtown management districts and BIDs globally; provides benchmarking, advocacy, and best-practice sharing that directly relates to DDGMC's operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/downtowndg
• Facebookfacebook.com/DowntownDownersGrove
• Instagraminstagram.com/downtowndownersgrove
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/downers-grove-downtown-management

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Downtown Downers Grove Management