The Brief

• Umatilla has opened applications for its business incubator program offering below-market retail and office space for new businesses

• The incubator is housed in the renovated former post office building, now called the Umatilla Business Center, near Village Square Park

• The project received $1.8 million in state funding plus additional COVID relief and federal EDA grants, with first tenants expected this spring

UMATILLA — The city of Umatilla is looking to spur local business growth in its downtown area through a new business incubator program that will offer retail and office space at below-market rates for new and emerging businesses.

The city currently has applications open for its business incubator program, with spaces located in the Umatilla Business Center, a redevelopment of the city’s former post office building that is nearing completion as part of a larger effort to bring more activity to the downtown core near Village Square Park.

City officials say the goal is to give entrepreneurs a place to get established, build a customer base and reinvest in their businesses while keeping startup costs manageable. The city hopes to have its first tenants move in when the business center opens later this spring.

City Manager David Stockdale says the project has taken years of planning and coordination to bring together, with funding coming from multiple sources.

“In the 2021 legislative session we were able to get with the help of Representative Smith and District 57 we were able to get 1.8 million dollars from the state legislative funds that gave us the initial seed money to leverage that against our COVID money our ARPA funds and then we also went and got another grant from federal EDA,” Stockdale said.

The incubator is designed to help small businesses strengthen their operations, create local jobs and bring more economic activity to the community. Plans for the building include several smaller incubator storefronts on the main floor, along with additional long-term spaces for established tenants upstairs.

“Yeah so the main floor will house our incubator program its going to be three businesses then our permanent space upstairs is set up for two three more as well those are going to be your traditional anchor tenants that are here in the building,” Stockdale explained.

City staff say the support won’t stop at providing space. The program is also intended to connect entrepreneurs with training, professional guidance and opportunities to collaborate with other local businesses.

“Will also be hosting monthly and quarterly events whether its seminars lunch and learns for not only our business patrons within the business center but businesses around Umatilla to learn network and grow their business,” said N. Zach Ratkai, community development coordinator for the city of Umatilla.

City leaders say business incubator projects like this can play a major role in helping smaller communities grow their local business culture. Other nearby communities, including Irrigon, are also working on similar projects aimed at supporting small business development.

“We’re really excited for Irrigon and what they got going on and they are going to have a good facility at the end of the year for small town like us this is one of the best local economic development tools that we can have,” Stockdale said.

City leaders say they hope the new business center will attract entrepreneurs, increase foot traffic downtown and create long-term opportunities for growth. Officials say the incubator program runs on a three-year timeline, and they’re hoping to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony in early May.

The Umatilla Business Center represents a significant investment in downtown revitalization, combining state, federal and local funding sources to create opportunities for small business development in the community. The project reflects broader efforts across smaller Oregon communities to support entrepreneurship and economic diversification.