BID
RATEPAYERS
About the BID
The Downtown Spokane Business Improvement District (BID) is a self-financing mechanism providing services and improvements that enhance existing municipal services to more than 850 business owners and 350 property parcels inside the 80-block BID area. If you own a business or property in the 80 square block region of the downtown Spokane BID, you are a member of an exclusive club actively investing in making downtown Spokane the center for commerce, culture, and living in the Intermountain Northwest.
What Is a Ratepayer?
A Ratepayer is a business and/or property owner located within the 80-block boundaries of the Downtown Business Improvement District. Calculated on business size, square footage and location, Ratepayers pay an annual assessment to the City of Spokane who contracts with the Downtown Spokane Partnership to administer funds for management services based on oversight from the Ratepayer Advisory Board.
Benefits of Being a Ratepayer
BID programs focus on key areas making downtown a more desirable place for businesses, shoppers, residents and visitors. The Ratepayer Advisory Board decides how the money is spent and these allocations are reviewed annually. Similar to other BID’s across the country, the programs focus on clean, safe, marketing, transportation and economic growth.
Safety Resources
The City of Spokane provides resources to maintain public safety for all businesses and individuals that have chosen downtown Spokane as their neighborhood.
Beautification Resources
If you’re a small business, entrepreneur, developer, event planner or Spokane advocate, take advantage of programs and tools to help you succeed.
Boundary Map
Business Resources & Annual Management Plan
When you choose to do businesses in downtown Spokane, you are investing in a neighborhood that comes pre-equipped with a dedicated team of two dozen professionals passionate about your success, and passionate about the people who will be your customers.
Each fall, DSP staff gather to set goals and budget for the coming year to offer continued superior service and to respond to community needs. As a part of the planning and budget process, feedback is solicited from the Ratepayer Advisory Board. Once a satisfactory plan is achieved, the RAB makes a recommendation for approval by the board of the Downtown Spokane Partnership, who present the plan to City Council in December.
RAB (BID) Board - Meet Your Representatives
2026 Meeting Schedule
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Downtown Spokane Business Improvement District Ratepayer Advisory Board (“Board”), that meetings of the Board will be held according its contract with the City of Spokane. The purpose of the meetings are to conduct the semi monthly board meeting of the general ratepayer membership and to discuss other matters as reflected on the agenda listed below. The meetings will be conducted in-person and open to the public.
Get involved
Board membership consists of nineteen persons, all of whom must be Ratepayers in good standing, or representatives thereof. Board positions are designated by geography, business, and property type to ensure that the BID’s interests are well represented and served. Members of the BID Ratepayer Advisory Board provide a variety of skills and expertise, community connections, occupations, professional experience, and backgrounds. Applications for vacant positions are accepted each fall and approved by membership at the BID Annual Meeting the following February.