District Bridges

District Bridges is a community development nonprofit and the first organization to manage multiple Main Streets in DC. We manage the Chevy Chase (CCMS), Columbia Heights|Mount Pleasant (CHMPMS), Cleveland Park (CPMS), Logan Circle (LCMS), Lower Georgia Avenue (LGAMS) and U Street Main Street (USMS) grants. Our organization was established in 2005 as Columbia Heights was rapidly developing. Residents saw the diversity and unity that had long defined the neighborhood was at risk. So to maintain the neighborhood's unique character, Columbia Heights Day was born. To keep the event inclusive and sustainable, the first board of directors formed the Columbia Heights Day Initiative (CHI). In 2015, CHI's Board hired executive director, Brianne Dornbush. Under her leadership, the CHI developed into a robust organization serving the community year-round. In 2016, CHI was awarded the CHMPMS grant and rebranded as District Bridges (DB) with the vision to develop a multi-Main Street model that would increase capacity, create economies of scale, and build sustainability into DC Main Streets. The following year, DB was awarded the LGAMS grant and then in 2019 CPMS, LCMS, and USMS. As the first multi-Main Street organization in DC, our model enables the rapid launch of new Main Street programs through streamlined operational setup, increased staff capacity to serve local businesses, and a holistic approach to community development that works to address the critical needs of each community. Our approach develops strong partnerships with community stakeholders to ensure our work is always community-focused, community-supported, and community built.