Stronger Together: District Alliances Explore the Power of Collaboration

August 5, 2026

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), and place management organizations may differ in size, structure, and geography, but one message rang clear during Downtown Colorado, Inc.’s inaugural Stronger Together international webinar: collaboration creates stronger districts and stronger communities. The planners and co presenters included:

  • Colleen Hawkinson, DC BID Council
  • Rachel Braithwaite, Ontario Business Improvement Area
  • Maggie Campbell, Downtown Arlington
  • Kat Correll, Denver BID Council
  • Moderated by Molly Alexander

The virtual discussion brought together leaders representing district alliances, statewide organizations, municipalities, and commercial districts from across the United States and Canada. Participants represented organizations ranging from long-established BID councils and provincial associations to newly emerging alliances exploring how collective action can strengthen advocacy, professional development, and operational effectiveness.

Before the webinar, participants completed a survey examining how BID alliances are organized and what they hope to accomplish. While every alliance has developed differently, several clear themes emerged.

Why Alliances Are Forming

Respondents consistently identified a common set of reasons for creating BID alliances:

  • Creating a stronger collective voice for advocacy
  • Sharing information and best practices
  • Professional development and peer learning
  • Building relationships among district leaders
  • Coordinating communications and marketing
  • Exploring shared services and operational efficiencies
  • Strengthening data collection and demonstrating impact

Enhancing the work of individual districts, alliances are helping organizations tackle challenges that are difficult to address alone.

There Is No Single Model

One of the most encouraging findings was that successful alliances come in many forms. Some operate as independent nonprofit organizations with dedicated staff. Others are hosted by statewide organizations, supported by government partners, or coordinated through volunteer leadership.

Regardless of structure, participants agreed that trust, consistent communication, and a shared purpose are more important than any single governance model.

Shared Priorities Across Borders

Although participants represented communities with different sizes, funding models, and governmental structures, their priorities were remarkably similar.

Current areas of focus include:

  • Government relations and legislative advocacy
  • Strengthening partnerships with municipalities
  • Professional networking and knowledge sharing
  • Modernizing operations and technology
  • Communicating the value of districts
  • Building stronger relationships among place management organizations

Many participants noted that collaboration has become increasingly important as organizations face staff turnover, funding pressures, and increasingly complex challenges in commercial districts.

The Greatest Benefit: A Collective Voice

Perhaps the strongest message throughout both the survey and the discussion was the value of working together. Participants shared examples of alliances helping influence legislation, improve relationships with government agencies, establish regular communication channels, and create stronger networks among district leaders. Others described how alliances provide trusted peer support, helping leaders solve problems more quickly and learn from one another’s experiences.

The discussion also explored future opportunities for collaboration, including shared purchasing, data collection, benchmarking, advocacy resources, and coordinated research.

Looking Ahead

The Stronger Together webinar is intended to be the first in an ongoing international conversation. Future sessions will expand the discussion to statewide downtown associations, collaborative redevelopment initiatives, and emerging opportunities for shared data, training, and advocacy. As districts continue to navigate evolving economic conditions and increasingly complex community challenges, one theme stood above the rest:

The future of place management is collaborative.

Downtown Colorado, Inc. looks forward to continuing this growing network of BID alliances, downtown associations, and place management organizations that are proving every day that we are, indeed, stronger together.