Announcement: Commercial, Multifamily and Industrial Business Development Fund changes coming June 1


Revisions to the current Existing Buildings, New Buildings, Commercial and Industrial Lighting and Multifamily Business Development Fund (BDF) will go into effect on June 1, 2019. The revisions below will offer some new reimbursement options including the following:

General changes:

  • Increased reimbursement rates for rural, minority-owned and women-owned businesses
  • Increased reimbursement rates for bilingual advertisements
  • Updated annual maximum

Newly eligible BDF projects:

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Yelp
  • Native advertising
  • Advertorials
  • Conferences and training

Discontinued project types:

  • Yellow Pages/Dex advertisements for the Portland Metro region
  • Website development costs
  • Apparel and embroidery of the Trade Ally of Energy Trust logo (you are welcome to use the logo on your apparel, but we will no longer provide reimbursement)

Details (effective on June 1, 2019):

Reimbursement requirements

Standard Trade AllyMBE, WBE, VBE1 and Rural2 Trade Allies
Annual maximum: $3,000
Amount reimbursed: 100% up to annual maximum
• Training maximums removed
• Reimbursements eligible up to annual maximum
Annual maximum: $4,000
Amount reimbursed: 100% up to annual maximum

• Training maximums removed
• Reimbursements eligible up to annual maximum
Minimum reimbursement:
• $75 for marketing
• $75 for training
Minimum reimbursement:
• $75 for marketing
• $75 for training

1Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women Business Enterprise (WBE) designate minority-owned and women-owned businesses. Rural businesses are designated as businesses that serve rural customers.

More information with links to the guidelines and a new application form will be included in the May Insider issue. For questions, please contact Ashley Prentice, trade ally project manager, at 503.459.4070.