DC's Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development
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The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) is charged with executi Grow our technology and innovation employment sector.
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) is charged with executing the Mayor's economic development strategy. When it comes to economic development in the District, there are five priority goals that will help build the Pathway to the Middle Class. Our top priorities for this year include:
Increase affordable housing. Through partnerships with District housing
agencies, DMPED will look to continue to produce, preserve and protect affordable housing. Key initiatives include the Mayor’s Preservation Strike Force, Inclusionary Zoning updates, and continued investment in affordable housing through the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) and land disposition. DMPED will continue to support the diversification of DC’s economy through strategic partnerships and high-return investments in technology and innovation. DMPED sees inclusive and diverse innovation as a comparative advantage of the District and will seek to leverage this advantage for the future. Key initiatives include South by Southwest (SXSW), the Howard Hub, the Innovation & Technology Inclusion Council, innoMAYtion, 1776’s Challenge Festival, pitch competitions, and continued use of Qualified High-Tech Companies (QHTC) for key employers. Achieve significant progress on large-scale and neighborhood real estate development projects. This year DMPED will continue to make unprecedented process moving its real estate portfolio forward. Key large projects include The Parks at Walter Reed, St. Elizabeths East (infrastructure, Entertainment and Sports Arena, and Phase 1), DC United Stadium, New Communities, and McMillan Sand Filtration redevelopment. Create a vibrant and competitive place for job creation, relocation, and growth. This year, DMPED will continue our efforts to ensure that the District of Columbia is a place that is friendly to job creation. Key initiatives include corporate attraction and retention, international missions, institutional partnerships, regulatory review and improvements, and business support services. Make DMPED a more open and transparent agency. This year DMPED will continue its efforts to better engage residents, businesses, advocates, and other stakeholders through as many vehicles as possible. From community meetings to social media to open websites, DMPED will seek not only to continue to provide more information than ever, it will also seek to ensure its receives feedback. Key indicatives will include: OurRFP, Economic Intelligence Dashboard, public real estate pipeline, Affordable Housing Tracker, affordable housing primer, and our under-development Ward analysis tool.
05/27/2026
Matters Graph is growing in DC. Last year, the company opened its Dupont Circle headquarters with support from Mayor Bowser’s Vitality Fund, after outgrowing five offices in nine years.
Founder and Senior Partner Mark Stein says choosing Washington, DC was a no-brainer for the firm that advises private equity and M&A teams. Matters Graph’s success shows why DC remains the place to grow business, build a life, and a future.
05/21/2026
DC is home to more than 75,000 small businesses — more than 98% of all businesses in our city, and they employ nearly half of our private-sector workforce.
This month, DMPED is accepting applications for several grant programs designed to support business that are committed to investing in DC over the long term. Together these programs are working to diversify DC’s economy, strengthen key commercial corridors, and help businesses choose DC when considering where to start or expand their businesses.
05/20/2026
DC is an international city, and we’re proud of our rich community of chefs and culinary artists who bring global flavors to our neighborhoods. Through Bowser’s Chinatown Lease Incentive Grant DMPED has been able to support businesses like DAIKAYA, a Japanese restaurant known for its traditional Sapporo ramen.
Daisuke Utagawa, partner at DAIKAYA, shares his experience applying for grant funding and offers advice for business owners interested in applying.
The Chinatown Lease Incentive Grant is open until June 22. To apply or learn more, visit obviouslydc.com/business-funding-opportunities.
05/18/2026
DMPED is proud to release Washington, DC’s new Retail Strategic Plan — a data-driven strategy to reposition and strengthen DC’s retail market and position the District for long-term growth.
Developed under the leadership of Mayor Muriel Bowser in partnership with Washington DC Economic Partnership and Streetsense, the plan identifies opportunities to grow key retail categories like food and beverage, entertainment, fitness and wellness, and experiential retail while supporting walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods.
The strategy also highlights the importance of improving the District’s permitting and licensing environment, strengthening retail recruitment, and enhancing market intelligence to help retailers open and grow in DC.
This week, Deputy Mayor Nina Albert and the DC team are bringing these insights to ICSC Las Vegas to build partnerships and position Washington, DC for continued retail growth and investment.
Applications are now open for Mayor Bowser's Chinatown Lease Incentive Grant and Rhode Island Avenue Support Grant. These grants are designed to support small businesses and strengthen two commercial corridors. To learn more about these business funding opportunities, join us tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19, at 2 pm, for a virtual information session.
Applications are now open for Mayor Bowser's Chinatown Lease Incentive Grant and Rhode Island Avenue Support Grant. These grants are designed to support small businesses and strengthen two commercial corridors.
To learn more about these business funding opportunities, join us tomorrow, Tuesday, May 19, at 2 pm, for a virtual information session.
Twelve years ago, when Mayor Bowser took office, Skyland was little more than an empty parking lot. Since then, we’ve transformed this space into a vibrant community anchor.
And today, we celebrate another milestone: cutting the ribbon on a brand‑new community park — a place for neighbors to gather, play, and build memories for years to come.
05/12/2026
Small businesses are the backbone of Capitol Hill and every neighborhood across our city.
The Capitol Hill Construction Impact Grant program ensures that our small businesses and the jobs they support remain strong during this period of disruption.
To learn more about the program, join us Friday, May 15 at 12:00 pm, for a virtual information session.
To register and learn more about the program visit obviouslydc.com.
05/07/2026
Applications are now open for Mayor Bowser's Capitol Hill Construction Impact Grant — providing short-term financial relief for small businesses affected by DDOT construction near:
• Pennsylvania Ave SE & Potomac Ave SE
• 8th St SE between Pennsylvania Ave SE & Virginia Ave SE
Applications close on Friday, June 12, 2026, at 4 PM. Join us next Wednesday, May 13, at 12:00 pm for an in-person info session at 700 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. To learn more about the grant opportunity, apply at https://www.obviouslydc.com/business-funding-opportunities.
05/21/2026
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05/07/2026