On January 1, 2016, revisions to the current Business Development Fund offering went into effect. These revisions include updates to reimbursement amounts and qualifications, a yearly funding allotment instead of a quarterly cap, and a new web page detailing the offering.
Reimbursement changes effective January 1, 2016
| Project | Details | Reimbursement |
|---|---|---|
| Phone book ads | Discontinued in Portland Metro area (service regions 3 and 12); Will remain available outside of Portland Metro area | $2,000 annual cap per trade ally, follow cooperative marketing reimbursement guidelines |
| Tablets | Trade allies are eligible for a reimbursement toward the purchase price of a business tablet | 50% reimbursement, up to $200 |
| Billboards | Reimbursements for billboard ads will no longer be available in 2016 | Discontinued |
| Website development enrollment benefit | Newly enrolled trade allies (less than 12 months of participation) will be eligible for a web reimbursement to cover the cost of professional website development; This will replace the training reimbursement for newly enrolled trade allies | $250 web reimbursement |
| Minimum reimbursement | A minimum reimbursement amount per request will be implemented | $75 |
| Real estate ally reimbursement | Reimbursements for real estate allies will no longer be available in 2016 | Discontinued |
- Phone book ads—Reimbursements for phone book ads are no longer available in the Portland Metro area (service regions 3 and 12).
- Phone book ads outside the Portland metro area remain eligible for reimbursement.
- An annual cap of $2,000 per trade ally is available for phone book ad reimbursements.
- Tablets—Trade allies can take advantage of a tablet reimbursement and receive a 50 percent reimbursement up to $200 off the purchase price of a business tablet. Energy Trust encourages tablets for data entry in the field, online form submission and checking the trade ally portal for the status of applications.
- Billboards—Billboard ad reimbursements are no longer available in 2016.
- Enrollment benefit—The training reimbursement for newly enrolled trade allies (less than 12 months of participation) will be replaced with a $250 web reimbursement to cover the cost of professional website development for new trade allies.
- Minimum reimbursement—A minimum reimbursement amount is set at $75. This means that 3-star trade allies must submit a minimum invoice or bundled invoice of $150, and trade allies with 2.5 stars or fewer must submit a minimum or bundled invoice of $250.
- Real estate ally reimbursement—Reimbursements for real estate allies are no longer available in 2016.
Annual funding allotment effective January 1, 2016
An annual funding allotment replaced the quarterly cap for trade allies in 2016. Funds are still limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Remember to obtain pre-approval to reserve funds for your project.
| Star rating | Annual funds available | Cooperative marketing | Training and events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $8,000 | 50 percent reimbursement | 50 percent reimbursement; maximum of $250 |
| 2.5 | $4,000 | 30 percent reimbursement | 30 percent reimbursement; maximum of $100 |
| 2 | $1,000 | Projects must be pre-approved for logo usage, but are not eligible for reimbursement | 30 percent reimbursement; maximum of $100 |
| 1.5 or fewer | $400 | Projects must be pre-approved for logo usage, but are not eligible for reimbursement | 30 percent reimbursement; maximum of $100 per training, events are not eligible |
New Business Development Fund web page now available
A new Business Development Fund web page is now available. Trade allies can use this web page as an up-to-date source for all information regarding Business Development Funds, including project guidelines, reimbursement allotments and eligibility information. This web page will replace the Business Development Fund Guidelines PDF, which is no longer available as of January 4, 2016.
If you have any questions about these Business Development Fund changes, contact the Existing Homes program at 1.866.365.3526, option 8.