Hi, we’re dNB Inc!
We’re here to spread the word about our hip, historic downtown in New Bedford, Massachusetts! We’re a 100% volunteer-run, community-funded, 501c-3 non-profit organization. We provide marketing, place-making, and advocacy for downtown’s stakeholders. Our mission is to bring more people downtown every day to shop, eat, and explore all our community has to offer!
What We Do:
MARKETING
Through print and digital marketing, dNB Inc. amplifies the unique voice of downtown New Bedford – on our social channels, in our print collateral, and through community engagement and events. We produce the dNB Guide & Map, a favorite resource for locals and tourists alike! We also share all things dNB in our bi-weekly e-blasts and through our social media platforms.
EDUCATION
Our website, social media, and email marketing provide constant and consistent information and resources for both visitors and stakeholders alike. We also produce educational workshops on topics like property taxes and Instagram marketing, and we host after-hours events for local business owners to mingle and talk shop. We also create the much-loved print product, the dNB Guide & Map, a useful listing all dNB’s historic attractions and points of interest. Our 2021 digital version will soon be available here at downtownnb.org!
ADVOCACY
Through our partnerships with New Bedford Economic Development, the city of New Bedford, and One Southcoast Chamber, dNB Inc. is a powerful voice for the concerns of our community. We championed the #digdNB campaign, creating colorful friendly signage and helping to organize free parking spots around areas in dNB most affected by the 2018 Union Street construction project. We also collaborated with the city on new signage for the extended meter times parking zones, and 15-minute pickup spots for restaurants and shops, during the pandemic.
PLACEMAKING
dNB Inc produces FREE family-friendly events like Holiday Stroll and All Treats, No Tricks. We also help to market small business with events like the Shop Small Crawl, which encourages the community to hit up all the unique shops & restaurants in dNB! These events include live music, performers, activities for kids, and creative collaboration among small businesses in New Bedford and surrounding communities. On average, we produce 3-4 events annually, and each one draws hundreds of people downtown, and increases small business sales up to 60%!