Our community investments are focused in workforce development, affordable housing, small business, and social equity.
11th Street Bridge Park Investments & Accomplishments
Below are investments secured by the 11th Street Bridge Park and our equity partners.
Community Program & Partner
Community Impact
Investment
Anacostia River Festival
Attracts 9,000+ people to Anacostia Park to celebrate communities, parks and artists east of the river, and connects residents on both sides of the Anacostia River with the waterfront and to each other.
$220,000
(annually, on average)
Building Bridges Farms
20,586 pounds of produce harvested and $20,000 earned by community farmers from THEARC Farm and our 6 Bridge Park Plots
$630,000
Black Love Experience
(in partnership with Nubian Hueman)
1,000+ people celebrated Black excellence and love through expressions of music, art, wellness, creative commerce and unity
$25,000
Community Leadership Empowerment Workshops
92 community members equipped with community organizing, leadership and neighborhood planning tools to more actively participate in public decision-making
$47,636
Community Supported Agriculture
366 local families received subsidized shares of fresh fruits and vegetables for 6 or more weeks
$32,000
Construction Training
(in partnership with Skyland Workforce Center)
267 residents of Wards 6, 7 & 8 completed construction training, earning their OSHA-10 or OSHA-30 credentials, and 70 have been placed in full-time jobs
$400,000
Douglass Community Land Trust
(in partnership with City First Enterprises)
Hired an Executive Director, filed articles of incorporation, established a board of directors, developed a pipeline of 252 housing and commercial units and acquired 65 rental units in Ward 8 (preserving permanently affordability) to stand up a new resident-led community land trust
$2,694,000
EduSaveDC
(in partnership with Capital Area Asset Builders)
31 children in Ward 8 to enrolled in college savings accounts, receiving a 5 to 1 match for every dollar contributed (up to $1,800) towards post-secondary education
$165,000
Individual Development Accounts
(in partnership with Capital Area Asset Builders)
50 families in the Ward 8 Homebuyers Club will be enrolled in Individual Development Accounts and receive a 4 to 1 match (up to $6,000) towards down payment assistance and home repairs
$350,000
Small Business Assistance
(in partnership with the Anacostia BID & Washington Area Community Investment Fund)
218 small businesses in Wards 7 & 8 supported through Wacif’s technical assistance and $657,103 in loans, and 21 businesses in Anacostia received pro-bono accounting support that helped secure $205,500 in emergency COVID-19 relief
$1,014,000
Mobile Kiosk “The Bridge Spot“
(in partnership with River East Design Center, the Anacostia BID & Accenture)
The Bridge Spot, a collaborative effort with the River East Design Center, the Anacostia BID and Accenture, has revolutionized local business dynamics by creating a mobile vehicle for eight Black owned East of the River businesses. This innovative initiative offers these entrepreneurs a one-month residency at locations across the DMV, providing visibility, exposure, and the chance to test products. Moreover, the added mentorship opportunities from our partners at Accenture ensure that these businesses thrive during their residency and continue to grow long after.
$193,000
Small Business Preservation Pilot
(in partnership with Anacostia BID & Booz Allen )
The Small Business Pilot has been a catalyst for economic empowerment within our community. By offering pro bono tailored technical assistance, mentorship, and direct funding to budding entrepreneurs, we’ve witnessed the growth of local enterprises that, in turn, has boosted employment and economic stability.
$130,000
Ward 8 Homebuyers Club Closing Cost Assistance Program
(in partnership with MANNA)
Through our Geico Closing Cost Assistance Program, executed in partnership with the local affordable housing non-profit MANNA, we’ve empowered Ward 8 renters to realize the dream of homeownership. The provision of $2,500 grants for home purchases offers financial aid and a strategic investment in building generational wealth within the community.
$400,000
Taste of the Harvest
1,000+ people celebrated the end of the farming season, learned about healthy eating, and shared food stories with their neighbors virtually at Taste of the Harvest, Homestyle
$36,682
(annually, on average)
Ward 8 Artist’s Market
(in partnership with Manna)
10 artists in Wards 7 & 8 earned $9,290 through the Anacostia River Festival Artist’s Market
$5,125
(annually)
Tenants’ Rights
(in partnership with Housing Counseling Services)
2,059 residents of Wards 6 & 8 were informed about tenants’ rights through workshops and door-to-door engagement
$30,000
Anacostia Unmapped 2.0
(in partnership with We Act Radio & Karen Baker)
Supported 13 local artists in sharing work that captures the essence and stories of Anacostia through the production of the exhibition’s opening event
$2,618
Mobile Front Porch
(in partnership with Double Nickels Theater)
Provided capital to build Mobile Porch, as well as programming support to document and preserve the memories of east of the river residents through 13 performances across Wards 6, 7 & 8
$52,400
295 Freeway Underpass Installation
(in partnership with Anacostia Arts Center)
Improved Anacostia residents’ access to the river, Anacostia Park, and the future Bridge Park through the installation of display cases for rotating photography and art exhibitions in the 295 Good Hope Road underpass
$94,242
Anacostia Riverwalk Installation
(in partnership with 8 Arts & Culture, Ballou and Eastern High School)
Produced an art installation along the Anacostia Rivertrail honoring the rich history of the river and region
$25,000
Bridging DC: Arts and Civic Interventions at the 11th Street Bridge Park
1000+ people participated in programs that showcased and cultivated local creative talent, amplified Ward 8 residents telling their stories, and fostered meaningful connections, dialogue, and trust among residents, artists, and stakeholders. Programs include: Lantern Walk, District of Dance, Frederick Douglass Family Day, East of the River Film Series, Arts Education in Ward 8 schools, and Blues Speakeasy (in partnership with Washington Performing Arts)
$100,000
Navy Yard Art Installation
(in partnership with US Navy Museum & Capitol Riverfront BID)
Transformed the static Navy Yard Wall on 11th Street SE with giant images from the US Navy Museum’s collection
$25,000
*In addition to the above investments, LISC DC is investing $50 million in the one-mile walkshed surrounding the Bridge Park. Learn more about the LISC DC Elevating Equity initiative.
Generating Income for Local
Residents & Businesses
As we continue to document the impact of the Bridge Park’s equity investments, we worked with researchers at the Urban Institute to estimate how much income the 11th Street Bridge Park’s equity strategies generated between January 2018 and September 2019. Data provided by our partners at the Washington Area Community Investment Fund, Building Bridges Across the River’s Skyland Workforce Center and other Bridge Park programs revealed that our equitable development activities:
- Created 125 direct and indirect jobs, providing workers with a high-end estimate of $345,000 in monthly income and induced about $172,000 in monthly spending
- Helped fill 31 construction jobs, leading to a high-end estimate of $125,000 in monthly direct income and $63,000 in induced monthly spending
- Were associated with a high-end estimate of $3.5 million in total direct income for residents through wages and event income
High-end estimates of total income generated, both through direct income and induced spending, are summarized below.
Area Of Impact
Direct Income
Induced Spending
Small business jobs created or maintained
$1,096,802
$548,401
Construction jobs filled
$956,722
$478,361
Generic jobs filled
$1,302,931
$651,466
Artist income from River Festival
$6,747
$3,374
Total
$3,552,744
$1,776,372
*Note: Because some these outcomes would likely have occurred anyway, the above summaries are likely slight overestimates.
Learn More-Do More!
Learn more about strategies from our Equitable Development Plan and explore tools to create your own community-driven plan.
Special Thank You To Our Community Equity Partners
We are grateful to our supporters for making these investments in our community possible
Measuring the Impact of our Equitable Development Investments
