Blog
Latest News
Shop The Block Pilot Permitting Program
The City of Austin is committed to employing innovative measures that increase resiliency for small business owners and their employees, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and has a new pilot program to expand the space businesses have to use to encourage social distancing. The Shop the Block program was proposed by council member Pool and
City Council Approved Grant Funding for Austin’s Small Businesses
Good news: federal funding from the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act is coming to Austin in the form of grants for small business! After some discussion a revised spending framework was approved by City Council in early June. AIBA advocated for keeping the original amount of $23M on the grounds that small
Music and Creative Space Grant Program Application Dates
The City of Austin Economic Development Department announced two grant programs to support and sustain local creatives and organizations facing extreme hardships due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic: the Austin Music Disaster Relief Fund ($1.5 million in $1000 grants) for immediate emergency needs of Austin’s most vulnerable musicians and the Austin Creative
Turn Excess Inventory Into New Customers With Bargainer
Those at Bargainer know it’s a tough time for local businesses, and Bargainer wants to lend a hand. They are an Austin based startup app that lets local retailers use their excess inventory to find, and be found, by new customers in their community. Retailers simply post their items on the app and customers in
Texas Governor Announces Phase 2 of Opening Texas
Governor Abbott today announced Phase 2 of his Open Texas plan. Under Phase 2, restaurants may increase their occupancy to 50% beginning May 22 and additional services and activities may open with restricted occupancy levels and minimum standard health protocols laid out by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). This includes child care
New Color Coded Risk Guidelines
From the City of Austin: Austin Public Health (APH) has published a color-coded chart to help residents of Austin-Travis County understand the stages of risk and provide recommendations on what people should do to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new risk-based guidelines set out five distinct stages of risk, from the lowest threat,
