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The Small Business Anti-Displacement Network (SBAN) is soliciting proposals for funded case studies of efforts to preserve small businesses in gentrifying neighborhoods. We are particularly interested in efforts to preserve small businesses owned by immigrants and people of color. Case studies will examine how public, private, and nonprofit organizations are employing innovative and effective small business anti-displacement strategies. They will highlight exemplary efforts and offer lessons for organizations on how to advance promising anti-displacement policies and practices within and beyond their metropolitan areas.

SBAN is a project of the University of Maryland’s National Center for Smart Growth Education & Research. SBAN’s mission is to establish and sustain a network of organizations that work to prevent the displacement of small businesses owned by immigrants and people of color in gentrifying neighborhoods. SBAN seeks to build the capacities of network members to engage in effective anti-displacement advocacy and assistance; to identify, assess, and disseminate promising small business anti-displacement practices and policies; and to encourage adoption of impactful small business anti-displacement strategies. It is the first national project focused on small business displacement in gentrifying neighborhoods.

The selected case studies will highlight promising anti-displacement policies and practices deployed by organizations inside and outside the SBAN network. This is an opportunity to highlight the efforts of organizations doing impactful small business anti-displacement work and to share lessons to a wide audience.

We seek 10 to 12 case studies from across the United States and internationally that provide examples of a range of strategies and tools related to areas such as, small business preservation, property improvement, local hiring, and entrepreneurial support. We are particularly interested in those addressing commercial property and community ownership, commercial tenant protections, zoning, and form-based codes. Examples of potential topics include:  

• Legacy business programs
• Access to capital and technical assistance 
• Inclusionary commercial zoning policies
• Formula business ordinances
• Commercial rent control or stabilization
• Affordable workspace policies
• Community land trusts
• Real estate or community investment cooperatives and trusts
• Commercial condominiums

Please refer to the Small Business Anti-Displacement Toolkit for a list of potential strategies and tools. This list is not exhaustive and we welcome proposals to study anti-displacement efforts not listed in the toolkit. We encourage submissions from individuals and teams working at small and large organizations in the public, private, and non-profit sectors (including universities). We particularly invite submissions from organizations led by immigrants and people of color and from SBAN members.

An outline of a case study narrative is provided below. SBAN will work with grantees to prepare a 15- to 20-page narrative in addition to data, graphics, photos, and other visual material about the case. This includes a description of the individual or organization submitting the study, a description of the community context, the specific anti-displacement tool(s) or strategy deployed, and recommendations for organizations and metropolitan regions that wish to advance similar tools or strategies.

Case study awardees will have the opportunity to learn from other case study teams, receive consultant support from SBAN experts, and present their work to the SBAN network and broader audiences of stakeholders at SBAN convenings. Grantees will be invited to participate in three individual and two group meetings, held virtually, to engage and learn with other grantees and SBAN staff. During these meetings, an SBAN consultant will work with each grantee to build frameworks for analysis, enhance their capacity to conduct policy-relevant research, and develop a robust distribution strategy to share lessons about advancing anti-displacement strategies with stakeholders in and beyond each grantee’s metropolitan areas. SBAN will provide limited copyediting and graphic design support to ensure that the findings are available in formats that can easily be shared with multiple audiences. SBAN will invite grantees to present their work at select meetings, including webinars and the SBAN national conference in Fall 2023. SBAN will cover funding for travel to the national conference and any other in-person convenings.

Each selected applicant or team will receive $20,000 for their participation. Payments will be made to teams upon according to the following schedule:

• ⅓ upon draft work plan and outline submission;
• ⅓ upon first draft submission;
• ⅓ upon final draft submission and approval

Applications should be submitted by Friday, June 10, 2022 at 11:59pm EST at https://antidisplacement.org/sban-case-study-application/. Interested applicants are invited to attend a pre-proposal information session to answer any questions or concerns about submissions on Tuesday, May 17 2022 at 3:00pm EST. Register on here for this event. Attendance at pre-proposal information session is not mandatory. A timeline for the application and completion of the case study is presented below.

All applicants must fill out an application, which can be accessed at https://antidisplacement.org/sban-case-study-application/. The following information is required in the application:

• Information about the organization, project leaders, and staff, including the roles and resumes of key project members.
• A narrative description of the anti-displacement tool or strategy, including existing evidence of impact or contribution to advancing anti-displacement policies and practices, and proposed documentation strategy (maximum of five pages).
• A narrative description that provides evidence of capacity to complete the proposed study scope, relationships with the community in which anti-displacement efforts are taking place, and evidence of related experience, including references (maximum of three pages).
• A budget and budget narrative for all expenses, including staff time (rates and hours), consultant fees, and any indirect costs.

Reviews will be completed by SBAN’s senior leadership and staff using the following criteria:

• The quality of response, including the case study approach and significance;
• The respondent’s capacity to complete the proposed scope, including technical and staff capacity; and
• The respondent’s relationship to the community, including business, public sector, and community-based organizations that can inform the work.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the SBAN Team at sban@umd.edu).

• Title and Author(s)
• Executive Summary
• Introduction
  • Purpose and challenges
  • Case study approach and data collection
  • Significance to advancing anti-displacement policy and practice

• Leading Organization(s)
  • Brief history (highlighting role in community and/or anti-displacement efforts)
  • Mission
  • Leadership and organizational structure
  • Programs (highlighting role in anti-displacement efforts)

• Neighborhood Context
  • History of neighborhood change
  • Current context of gentrification
    • Demographics
    • Economics and business characteristics
    • Market and policy trends
  • Small business strengths, challenges, opportunities, and threats

• Anti-Displacement Tool(s) or Strategy
  • Description of tool(s) or strategy
    • Conceptualization, including logic and intent of the case study
    • Design and data, including indicators to measure or define effectiveness or impact
    • Implementation
  • Evaluation of tool(s) or strategy
    • Outcomes and impacts, including short-, medium-, and long-term indicators

• Analysis and Recommendations
  • What worked and could be improved?
  • Assumptions and limitations
  • Key lessons learned
  • Recommendations for advancing the tool(s) or strategy
    • Organizational considerations
    • Policy considerations
    • Geographic considerations

• Appendices (Optional)
  • Interviews and surveys
  • Data, such as neighborhood maps, small business data, or gentrification indicators.