More than 25K awarded to community organizers at Pitch Night

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) – More than $25,000 was awarded to community event, activity, or program organizers at the Rochester Downtown Alliance’s Start-Up Event Grant Pitch Night Wednesday.

According to Rochester Downtown Alliance, ten community organizers presented their ideas in a shark-tank style pitch competition to a panel of judges that included Tiffany Alexandria of Choo-Choo-ca-Chew, Amber Bojji of Chez Bojji, Will Forsman of Café Steam, RDA board of director, Danielle Teal of Mayo Clinic and D’Angelo Tines of Popus Gourmet Popcorn.

Below are the recipients and the amount awarded:

$5,000: The Rochester Thaw Music Festival by My Town My Music
$4,000: UTSAV by Indian Cultural Association of Minnesota
$4,000: Family Fun Day: Sensory Sensitive Saturday by Autism Resource Guide
$3,500: Celebrating East African Culture by Pamoja Women
$3,000: Rochester Battle of the Bands by Treedome
$2,750: YMCA Sound Bowl Meditation by Rochester YMCA
$1,500: Broadway Nurse: A Musical Reading by Sam Buchl
$1,500: Families in Motion by the Rochester Art Center
$1,500: Art Battle Minnesota by Crayon Kelly
$1,000: Songwriters in the Round by Pat Egan Music

“I think everyone who watched the pitches left inspired by the creativity and vision of our grant recipients. We can’t wait to see these ideas come to life throughout 2023,” said Holly Masek, RDA executive director said.

As a last-minute surprise contribution, Destination Medical Center allocated an additional $2,750, bringing their total in Start-Up Event Grant funds to $12,750.

In all, $28,750 in Start-Up Event Grant funds from the RDA and DMC were awarded at Pitch Night.