MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — In 2025, Downtown Middletown Inc. will receive double the amount of annual funding from the city to support projects and events that help businesses and attract more visitors to the city.
The nonprofit organization is community-led and volunteer-driven, leveraging the expertise of residents and workers in the city. Downtown Middletown Inc. (DMI) works to revitalize historic downtown Middletown and make it a vibrant place for visitors to socialize, exercise, enjoy the arts, shop, and dine, the organization said.
“There is a lot of stuff going on. It creates a lot of excitement,” DMI Executive Director Jeff Payne said. “The benefit is to the city; people are spending money here.”
Funding for the organization comes from the city, events, corporate sponsors, business donations, and contributions from the city’s Main Street America designation, Payne said.
Since 2013, the council has provided DMI with $25,000 annually, but the amount was …