YOUNGSTOWN — Rebooting the future of the downtown is the intent of a $100,000 plan jointly funded by the state’s private economic development corporation and the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber Foundation.

The money — $50,000 a piece from the foundation, the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber’s charitable arm that supports economic and workforce development initiatives in the region, and JobsOhio — is to implement ways “aimed at positively reshaping” the future of the city’s downtown district, according to a news release.

Lake to River to Economic Development, the seventh and final network region of JobsOhio that was announced in April, “championed the funding of the revitalization plan,” the release states.

The money from JobsOhio is a pre-project planning grant, part of a program that helps communities take a project from an idea to implementation “and to attract future investment, business activity, and jobs as a result,” the release states.

The grant earmarked for downtown revitalization is the largest of its kind awarded by the agency since it launched the program in 2019.

According to J.P. Nauseef, president and chief executive of JobsOhio, the grant is “intended to lift downtown Youngstown in the short term while empowering a local vision that can catalyze future economic success.”

The chamber will co-lead the project by engaging and gathering data from stakeholders in the downtown area.

“Emphasis will be on creating a locally tailored plan, promoting advocacy for incentives and business attraction, and identifying sector gaps for future growth,” the release states.

Local organization Economic Action Group developed the “Reboot Strategy / Re-Envision Plan” and will facilitate its execution. The plan is organized into two parts.

Phase one, the reboot strategy, involves engaging with businesses and other stakeholders, prioritizing addressing immediate needs to restore confidence and activating downtown through focused programming with existing assets.

Phase two, the re-envision, is where EAG will develop a comprehensive long-term vision and action plan “to build a vibrant, resilient downtown through strategic investments in people, place-making and sustainable programming, while continuing to build on existing assets,” the release states.

The plan also involves seeking additional funding sources to cover the costs of implementation.

“To achieve sustainable, long-term success for our downtown district, it first requires a comprehensive strategic plan that involves broad representation and input from our stakeholders, which is what this project will include,” Stephanie Gilchrist, director of economic development for Youngstown, said. “We’re appreciative of the collaboration, timely action and funding commitments from JobsOhio and the Regional Chamber Foundation, and we’re excited about the prospects of identifying additional investment sources when it comes time to execute this plan.”

Lake to River, the release states, used its local and state-level connections to emphasize the reboot plan’s importance as a first step toward a needed resurgence of economic development in the city.

“This project is the first of what we believe will be many wins in coming months, not just for Lake to River, but for the local business and community leaders who lobbied for our own JobsOhio region,” Alexa Sweeney Blackann, Lake to River interim CEO, said.

Additional support for the project was provided by the Downtown Revitalization Committee.