At June's West Side Business Coalition meeting, WSCO's Interim Associate Director Coco Elizabeth shared a presentation introducing the City of Saint Paul's new Commercial Corridor Organization Assistance Program. Business owners had the chance to learn about the program and give their input on how the limited funds should be used to support the West Side’s economic growth. Watch the video below to hear the ideas shared by local business owners.

As part of the 2025 budget, the Saint Paul City Council set aside $1.4 million in Economic Development STAR funds to jumpstart this initiative. The goal is to provide streamlined funding to partner organizations—like WSCO—that have a strong track record of supporting local corridors.

WSCO has been selected to manage the West Side’s allocation, which must be spent within one year. Eligible uses for the funding include:

• Corridor beautification and public art

• Marketing campaigns to promote the corridor

• Planning and development efforts that can be implemented within 2-3 years

• Business sub-grants and community events to boost local visibility

• Strategic property acquisition for economic development

To stay up to date on future West Side Business Coalition meetings and events, sign up for the newsletter at mnwsbc.org