Heart of Biddeford Resident Priorities Survey

Heart of Biddeford (HOB) is facing a change in funding and may need to focus our work differently this year. We want your voice to guide those decisions. Please complete the survey by midnight on May 22, 2026.

This 3-minute survey helps us understand what matters most to the people who live, work, and spend time here — and along the way, you may discover more about opportunities with HOB!

HOB is a nonprofit. Currently, about 1/3 of our budget comes from the City of Biddeford; the rest we raise through grants, sponsorships, donations, and events. Your input will directly shape how we invest the funds we receive.

Complete the survey for a chance to win a $100 downtown Biddeford gift card.

1. Awareness Check. Before today, which of these did you know Heart of Biddeford organizes or leads?

Signature events like River Jam, Oktoberfest, Creepy Crawl on Halloween, Merry & Bright Night, Holiday Stroll on Small Business Saturday (with BiddeBuck$), Restaurant Week — bringing thousands of people downtown each year

Parades (Veterans Day, Memorial Day) — coordinated with schools, veterans groups, and community organizations

Community and cultural events like Pride, Juneteenth, Menorah Lighting, and Story Colliders — often in a support role for community-led events

Art of Biddeford — arts programming, exhibitions, Maker Markets, Art Walk, Fringe Fest, and a monthly newsletter about arts events and in support of local artists and creative businesses

Small business support — the downtown map and kiosks, HOB’s website with online business directory, weekly business-owner newsletter with grant and other opportunities, light pole banners, open signs, business trainings, and a weekly business newsletter

Downtown beauty and aesthetics — holiday lighting that HOB coordinates each year (coordinating about 670 hours of volunteerism), plus park clean-ups, murals, facade improvements, and historic preservation work

Tourism and regional visibility — Biddeford's presence on MainStreetMaine.org, weekly summer cultural walking tours for visitors, Maine Craft Weekend, and regional marketing at the state's Visitor Information Centers and on TV/Radio that draws people from 50+ miles radius

Weekly newsletters — a Monday events digest, a Weekender with curated picks (something free, something family-friendly, something to eat or drink), and the AOB arts newsletter

Volunteer and civic engagement programs — Days of Service for Biddeford middle and high schoolers, UNE student placements, community service opportunities, and programs that help people build job skills, social capital, and pathways to local leadership

2. Overall Value. How important do you find HOB's work to Biddeford overall?

A

Essential: HOB plays a key role in building the kind of downtown I want to be in.

B

Very important: HOB’s work has a noticeable positive impact on my experience of Biddeford.

C

Somewhat important: I’m aware of and appreciate HOB’s work, though its impact on my life feels limited

D

Not very important: I haven’t personally experienced much direct impact from HOB’s work

E

I don’t know enough about HOB’s work to say

3. Which 3 of these are MOST important to you as a resident or visitor?

Signature events like River Jam, Oktoberfest, Creepy Crawl on Halloween, Merry & Bright Night, Holiday Stroll on Small Business Saturday (with BiddeBuck$), Restaurant Week — bringing thousands of people downtown each year

Parades (Veterans Day, Memorial Day) — coordinated with schools, veterans groups, and community organizations

Community and cultural events like Pride, Juneteenth, Menorah Lighting, and Story Colliders — often in a fiscal sponsor or coordinating role for community-led events

Art of Biddeford — arts programming, exhibitions, Maker Markets, Art Walk, Fringe Fest, and a monthly newsletter about arts events and in support of local artists and creative businesses

Small business support — the downtown map and kiosks, HOB’s website with online business directory, weekly business-owner newsletter with grant and other opportunities, light pole banners, open signs, business trainings, and a weekly business newsletter

Downtown beauty and aesthetics — holiday lighting that HOB coordinates at a cost of roughly $10,000 in staff and volunteer time each year, plus park clean-ups, murals, facade improvements, and historic preservation work

Tourism and regional visibility — Biddeford's presence on MainStreetMaine.org, weekly summer cultural walking tours for visitors, Maine Craft Weekend, and regional marketing that draws people from 50+ miles radius

Weekly newsletters — a Monday events digest, a Weekender with curated picks (something free, something family-friendly, something to eat or drink), and the AOB arts newsletter

Volunteer and civic engagement programs — Days of Service for Biddeford middle and high schoolers, UNE student placements, community service opportunities, and programs that help people build job skills, social capital, and pathways to local leadership

4. If HOB had to reduce programs or services due to budget constraints, which 3 would you consider the lowest priority to maintain?