Near Southside

What Near Southside does

Near Southside, Inc. (NSI) is a private, member-funded 501(c)(4) nonprofit redevelopment organization founded in 1996 in Fort Worth, Texas. The organization was created by a coalition of community leaders to reverse decades of post-war urban decline and to advance the Near Southside district as a vibrant, walkable, mixed-use neighborhood. NSI administers Tax Increment Finance District #4 on behalf of the City of Fort Worth (since 1997, with a 10-year extension secured in 2023) and operates under the Near Southside form-based development standards enacted in 2008, which provide expedited approvals for compliant projects.

NSI's core service offerings span four areas: (1) a tiered membership program (Sustaining Honor Roll through Bronze Legacy at $5,000 down to $250 annually) covering over 400 member companies and providing advocacy, board governance, development support, marketing, and networking; (2) community event production including Open Streets, ArtsGoggle (60,000+ patrons), Friday on the Green, and other festivals drawing 100,000+ attendees annually; (3) developer services including the Property Listings platform covering commercial, residential, mixed-use, and undeveloped land across six villages; and (4) TIF District #4 administration and public-improvement coordination (Fire Station Park expansion, Street Repair Program). NSI is supported by two affiliated nonprofits - Historic Southside, Inc. (501(c)(3) arts/event arm) and Near Southside Arts - and operates with a lean staff of 4-6.

The business model is diversified across recurring membership dues (the largest revenue tier, anchored by five major hospital Sustaining Honor Roll members: Baylor Scott & White All Saints, Cook Children's, JPS Health Network, Medical City Fort Worth, and Texas Health Harris Methodist), corporate event sponsorship for community festivals, and foundation grants (Amon Carter, VF, Meta Alice Keith Bratten, William E. Scott, The Ryan). The Fort Worth Medical District inside NSI's footprint hosts roughly $4.2 billion in annual healthcare economic impact and 39,000 healthcare-related jobs, making NSI's anchor segment heavily healthcare-anchored while its 400+ member companies span retail, restaurants, professional services, education, finance (Southside Bank), and creative industries.

Name

Near Southside

Legal name

Near Southside, Inc.

Website

https://nearsouthsidefw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Near Southside, Inc. is a member-funded 501(c)(4) nonprofit redevelopment organization founded in 1996 that administers TIF District #4 for the City of Fort Worth, manages a 400+ member coalition across the Near Southside district, and produces community events drawing 100,000+ attendees annually to drive mixed-use urban revitalization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Urban Redevelopment Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Professional Organizations (81392), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300), Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)

akta.pro primary industry

Urban Renewal, Brownfield Redevelopment & Land Reuse (BPAIANAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Urban redevelopment services
• Community revitalization programs
• Tax increment finance administration
• Member-funded district management
• Nonprofit economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Worth

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from over 400 member companies across North Texas, ranging from $250 to $5,000+ per year depending on membership tier. Dues provide critical financial support for ongoing organizational work and district revitalization programs.
2. Event Sponsorship: Revenue generated from corporate sponsors for community events including Open Streets, ArtsGoggle, Friday on the Green, and other Near Southside festivals. Sponsorship contributions are made to Historic Southside, Inc. (501(c)(3)) or Near Southside, Inc. (501(c)(4)).
3. Grants and Donations: Community fundraising and foundation grants support specific projects like Fire Station Park expansion. Includes major donors such as Amon Carter Foundation, Meta Alice Keith Bratten Foundation, William E. Scott Foundation, and grassroots contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Near Southside, Inc. (NSI) is a private, member-funded 501(c)(4) nonprofit redevelopment organization that operates as a coalition of more than 400 member companies to revitalize Fort Worth's Near Southside district as a vibrant, urban, mixed-use neighborhood. The organization administers Tax Increment Finance District #4 on behalf of the City of Fort Worth, produces signature community events including Open Streets, ArtsGoggle, and Friday on the Green, provides development support and standards guidance to property developers, and offers a property listings platform and member services including advocacy, networking, and marketing support.

Product overview

Near Southside, Inc. (NSI) is a private, member-funded 501(c)(4) non-profit redevelopment organization, not a technology product company. It offers a unified set of community revitalization services centered around membership programs, community events, development support, and real estate resources. The organization manages TIF District #4, produces signature community events (Open Streets, ArtsGoggle, Friday on the Green), provides development guidance, maintains property listings, and offers member networking opportunities. The services work together to advance the district's revitalization as a vibrant, urban, mixed-use neighborhood.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NSI Membership Program A membership program offering advocacy, board service, committee leadership, development support, discounts, marketing and promotional support, networking opportunities, professional references, sponsorship opportunities, and visibility through member directory listings for member companies across North Texas. More than 400 member companies participate across tiers ranging from Bronze ($350) to Sustaining Honor Roll ($5,000+).
• Community Events (Open Streets, ArtsGoggle, Friday on the Green) Signature community events produced by Near Southside, Inc. including Open Streets (a six-hour event closing Magnolia Avenue to cars), ArtsGoggle (Fort Worth's premier festival of local arts with 1,000+ artists), and Friday on the Green (monthly concert series). The organization produces 8 of Fort Worth's largest festivals attracting over 100,000 attendees annually.
• Development Support Services Assistance to developers during planning, design, and construction phases, including guidance on development standards, the review process, incentive programs, and resources for projects advancing district goals. Available to property developers, builders, architects, and investors.
• Property Listings and Real Estate Resources A comprehensive property listing platform for the Near Southside district offering commercial, residential, mixed-use, and undeveloped land listings across various villages including Magnolia Village, South Main Village, Park Place Village, Evans and Rosedale, Vickery Village, and Medical Districts. Available to developers and businesses.
• Member Networking Events Regular member-exclusive events including weekly member breakfasts (120+ attendees), happy hours, development tours, and seminar series featuring case studies from redevelopment projects and entrepreneurial efforts. Available to member companies.
• Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District #4 Administration Administration of TIF #4 on behalf of the City of Fort Worth, which funds public improvements and supports private redevelopment projects within the Near Southside district boundary. The TIF received a 10-year extension in 2023.
• Near Southside Standards and Guidelines A form-based development code enacted in 2008 that promotes urban, pedestrian-oriented, mixed-use development complementing the district's historic character, with expedited administrative approval for compliant projects. Governs development standards for properties within the Near Southside district.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 member companies across North Texas
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• DickiesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 January 2022Dickies, the Fort Worth-based global workwear brand and original apparel of choice for skateboarders, partnered with Near Southside, Inc. for the Dickies Skate Plaza at Fire Station Park. Dickies announced construction of the 15,000 sq. ft. skate plaza as the showcase programmatic element within the larger Fire Station Park expansion project, hosting a community celebration event.
• Project for Public Spaces (PPS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2016Project for Public Spaces served as consulting partner for Fire Station Park master planning, leading the Envision Hemphill workshop process in December 2016 that engaged hundreds of community members. PPS delivered the first-draft concept design in December 2017 and an implementation report in 2018. The City of Fort Worth officially adopted the community-supported master plan in early 2019.
• City of Fort WorthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Fort Worth partnered with NSI to acquire land for Fire Station Park (2016), adopted the master plan and allocated $200,000 for phase 1 design (2019), pledged $600,000 matching funds (2020), and allocated additional $400k completing the overall budget at $1.6M. NSI administers TIF District #4 on the City's behalf. The City is also partner for Open Streets events.
• Magnolia Skate ShopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed grassroots fundraising contributions totaling $80,000 for Fire Station Park expansion, demonstrating community-driven support for the skate plaza feature.
• Historic Southside, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization managed by Near Southside, Inc. that presents Open Streets, Friday on the Green, and ArtsGoggle events. Sponsorship contributions made to Historic Southside are tax-deductible as charitable donations.
• Near Southside ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister nonprofit organization managed by Near Southside, Inc. that co-presents Open Streets and ArtsGoggle community events.
• Incremental Development AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization partnering with NSI for seminar series on small-scale real estate development. Held workshops providing attendees information on market research, creating sample pro forma, and financing tips for small developers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Better Block Foundation: Dallas-based nonprofit that helps communities temporarily redesign blocks to demonstrate walkable, mixed-use potential. Comparable in mission to NSI's placemaking work and form-based code approach, though operating at smaller project scale.

Regional players

• Magnolia Green Community Development Corporation: Neighborhood-level CDC focused on affordable housing and community revitalization. Comparable in mission to NSI's community development arm, though focused more directly on affordable housing rather than mixed-use urban redevelopment.
• Lower East Side Partnership (BID): Business improvement district for Manhattan's Lower East Side. Comparable in operating a member-funded district organization that administers district-wide services, sanitation, marketing, and advocacy for a historic mixed-use neighborhood undergoing redevelopment.

Direct peers

• Downtown Dallas, Inc. Private nonprofit that manages downtown Dallas's public improvement district, advocates for development, and produces programming. Comparable in mission, TIF/PID administration, and member-driven advocacy model to NSI.
• Deep Ellum Foundation: Dallas-based nonprofit redevelopment organization for the Deep Ellum entertainment/arts district. Directly comparable as a member-funded, community-led urban revitalization nonprofit focused on a single historic district with significant arts and small-business constituency.
• Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. The sister downtown management organization for Fort Worth's central business district. Directly comparable as a private nonprofit that administers TIF/public improvement districts, manages a member business coalition, and produces community events to drive downtown revitalization.

Others

• Project for Public Spaces: Nonprofit consulting organization that partners with municipalities and community groups on placemaking and public-space design. Directly comparable as NSI's consulting partner on Fire Station Park master planning.

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National community development financial institution that funds and advises local CDCs and district redevelopment efforts. Comparable in channeling foundation and corporate capital into community revitalization projects similar to NSI's Fire Station Park fundraising.
• National Main Street Center: National nonprofit that supports a network of local 'Main Street' revitalization programs across the U.S. Comparable as the umbrella organization whose methodology and training resources inform NSI's district-management approach.
• Greater Houston Partnership: Houston's regional chamber and economic development organization with a community development division. Comparable in advocating for district-level public-private revitalization partnerships, though operating at metropolitan rather than neighborhood scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nearsouthside
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/fortworthsouth
• Facebookfacebook.com/nearsouthside
• Instagraminstagram.com/nearsouthside
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/near-southside-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Near Southside