The Central Falls Roadmap for Growth and Opportunity is more than an economic plan building prosperity by investing in people, celebrating strengths, and shaping a future full possibility.
The Central Falls Roadmap for Growth and Opportunity is more than an economic plan — it is about building prosperity by investing in people, celebrating strengths, and shaping a future full of possibility.
Economic development in Central Falls touches every part of our community from our schools, the strength of our workforce, the health of our families, and the future of our neighborhoods are all connected. When we work together to strengthen our economy, every resident has more opportunity to succeed. A thriving economy is not just about paychecks. It means safe streets, good schools, local businesses that grow with us, and a future where our children have opportunities close to home.
This roadmap is built on the belief that when we work together, every resident has the chance to succeed. That is why community voice and participation matter: because the Central Falls we build must reflect the pride, resilience, and unlimited potential of the people who call it home.
Central Falls is a city defined by its cultural richness, strong sense of community, and determination to rise above challenges. Residents, business owners, and leaders share a deep pride in the city’s history and diversity and a common hope for a stronger economic future.
At the same time, we know that opportunities are not always evenly shared. Barriers such as limited space for growth, unclear systems, and restrictive policies can hold back both residents and businesses.
This roadmap highlights the strengths we can build on and the opportunities we must address together. By lifting up the voices of local leaders, community members, business owners, families, and youth, it creates a shared understanding of where Central Falls stands today and a clear path toward inclusive growth tomorrow.
In this section, you’ll see how we arrived here: the strengths and opportunities, and voices from the community that reveal the city’s current economic story. We highlight the disruptors that shape the local environment, from demographic shifts to industry change and regional dynamics. Together, these insights set the stage for understanding where we are today and what forces will shape our future.
Through community conversations, surveys, focus groups, and discussions with small business owners, local leaders, and residents, we gathered a clear picture of what drives and shapes the city’s economy. What follows is a summary of what we heard, including the strengths we can build on, the challenges we must address, and the opportunities that matter most to our community.
Central Falls Public Schools are entering a new era of hope and progress. A new high school is underway, partnerships with Rhode Island College are expanding dual and concurrent enrollment, and programs like PrepareRI are broadening experiential learning opportunities.
Central Falls has taken important steps on housing, producing its first citywide report and expanding resources that create opportunities for affordable homes, safer neighborhoods, and new investment.
Local employers are deeply committed to hiring and training Central Falls residents. Some are beginning to connect with workforce partners, signaling an openness to new collaboration.
Central Falls has a diverse mix of businesses, from long-standing family-owned shops to new immigrant-owned ventures, reflecting the city’s entrepreneurial energy.
The city has an opportunity to reclaim local control of its schools and expand partnerships that connect education to careers and civic life, creating pathways that empower youth and strengthen Central Falls’ future.
The city and community must advance housing solutions that expand affordability, improve quality, and protect tenants. Aligning policy, funding, and partnerships will create safer neighborhoods and give families a secure foundation to thrive.
The city has an opportunity to build a connected workforce system where employers and partners work together to hire and train talent, helping businesses grow while creating stable jobs for residents.
Businesses often operate in isolation, limiting visibility and voice. By strengthening networks and communication, Central Falls can help them share resources, advocate together, and build a stronger economic foundation.
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Strength Opportunity
Many organizations and partners are engaged in economic development work, each bringing valuable expertise and resources.
Community partner roles are not always clear, slowing progress. To achieve this, Central Falls must coordinate better and define responsibilities so every partner’s strengths contribute to greater impact.
Strength Opportunity
Central Falls’ immigrant community brings energy, resilience, and a strong work ethic, fueling both culture and commerce.
Federal restrictions limit immigrant participation in the workforce. By removing barriers and creating inclusive pathways, Central Falls can unlock skills that strengthen businesses, families, and the local economy.
Strength Opportunity
Central Falls is home to a multilingual workforce, positioning the city as globally connected and culturally dynamic.
Limited English skills make it harder for residents to connect with employers or advance. By expanding bilingual resources, Central Falls can bridge gaps, connect residents to jobs, and help businesses tap into local talent.
Strength Opportunity
The city’s commercial corridors are lined with immigrant-owned restaurants, bodegas, salons, bakeries, and convenience stores. These businesses are a source of pride and cultural identity.
Many small businesses operate informally, limiting access to resources and capital. With support, training, and the fully resourced Business Center, immigrant-owned businesses can scale successfully and drive economic growth for the city.
Central Falls is where community, business,
and opportunity grow together.
Strength Opportunity
Young people in Central Falls bring creativity, resilience, and a strong desire to contribute to their community.
The Mayor has been a visible and trusted connector, playing a critical role in bringing people and organizations together.
Economic pressures and limited supports make it harder for youth to finish school and build careers. By expanding mentorship, education, and career pathways, Central Falls can unlock their potential as future leaders and innovators.
The community has an opportunity to broaden leadership by engaging more partners to carry forward the City’s vision. Expanding shared responsibility will ensure continuity, strengthen collaboration, and sustain progress for the future.
Central Falls does not exist in isolation. The city’s economy is shaped not only by local decisions but also by larger trends happening across Rhode Island, the nation, and the world. These forces of change affect how we work, live, learn, and do business. By paying attention to them, the community can prepare, adapt, and make sure growth is inclusive and sustainable.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation are changing the types of jobs available, replacing some roles while creating new ones.
• E-commerce and Delivery Platforms are reshaping how we shop, with more online ordering and fewer traditional retail jobs.
• Data Privacy and Cybersecurity matter more as businesses and residents rely on digital tools
— protecting information is now a necessity.
• Smart City Technology and Drones could help with traffic, deliveries, and city services, but they also raise questions about cost and safety.
Technology changes affect what jobs are available, how we shop, and how safe our information and neighborhoods are. why this matters
• Short-Term Rentals can bring in visitors and revenue but may reduce the supply of affordable housing for residents.
• Adaptive Reuse Challenges make it hard to convert older buildings into modern housing or business space.
• Zoning Rules and NIMBYism (“Not in My Backyard”) can slow or block new housing or businesses.
• Housing Crisis continues to affect affordability and stability for families.
• Climate Change and Adaptation bring rising costs for infrastructure, flooding prevention, and housing safety.
These forces shape whether families can find affordable homes, whether businesses have space to grow, and how safe our neighborhoods are from climate risks. why this matters 6
• Remote Work is changing commuting patterns and reshaping demand for office space.
• Demographic Shifts and Retirements mean an older workforce is leaving the job market, creating gaps in skills.
• Reskilling and Training Demands are urgent as jobs evolve with technology.
• Gig Work and the Freelance Economy are rising, but they often lack benefits or protections.
• Mental Health Challenges are affecting both students and workers, influencing attendance, productivity, and long-term well-being.
• Labor Shortages put stress on businesses and limit growth potential.
These shifts influence what kinds of jobs are available, what skills people need, and how healthy and the workforce is. why this matters
• Trade Disruptions and Tariffs can increase costs for small businesses and consumers.
• Global Conflicts may impact supply chains and local industries.
• Federal Funding Stability is uncertain, making local programs vulnerable to shifts in Washington.
• Immigration Policy Changes directly affect Central Falls, where many residents are immigrants or first-generation Americans.
• State Preemption Laws can limit what local governments are allowed to do, slowing down community-driven solutions.
Policies and laws made outside of Central Falls affect the cost of goods, access to funding, and families’ ability — especially immigrants — to thrive. why this matters
• High Interest Rates make it harder for residents to buy homes or for small businesses to borrow money.
• Budget Pressures strain local and state governments trying to meet community needs.
• Inflation and Construction Costs slow housing and business development.
• Bank Consolidation and Closures reduce access to local, community-focused banking and lending.
Financial pressures affect household budgets, city services, and the ability of businesses and families to grow and invest in their future. why this matters
In this section, we introduce the four pillars that Central Falls can build on and how success is defined in building a stronger economy. The four pillars are Workforce & Education, Entrepreneurship & Small Business, Land Use & Real Estate, and Participation & Power. These pillars reflect what matters most for creating opportunity, guiding investment, and ensuring that growth in the city is both inclusive and sustainable.
COORDINATING ACTION FOR CENTRAL FALLS’ PROSPERITY
Central Falls’ path to prosperity depends on moving forward together. Education and workforce development, land use and real estate, small business growth, and community voice are not separate issues, but parts of the same story. When they advance together, they create lasting opportunity for residents and long-term strength for the community.
Preparing residents with the skills to thrive in a changing economy only works if there are businesses ready to hire them, affordable housing for families to stay, and safe transportation to connect people to work. At the same time, unlocking redevelopment opportunities and attracting investment requires a strong base of local entrepreneurs and a community that is actively shaping the future alongside decision-makers.
That is why coordination and participation matter. The city can actively align city departments, schools and colleges, community partners, and private-sector stakeholders, while elevating resident voices at every stage to ensure every investment reinforces the others. The result is a cycle of growth where businesses succeed, residents prosper, and the whole community thrives.
Central Falls has a young and diverse population full of potential. Preparing residents for success means equipping them with the right skills, credentials, and real-world experiences to thrive in today’s economy. But this doesn’t happen in isolation. Workforce success depends on safe housing, reliable transportation, and strong connections to local employers.
With limited land and space, Central Falls faces real constraints. Yet those same challenges push the city to be creative. Redeveloping underutilized properties, reimagining older buildings, and leveraging the new train station can bring new housing, businesses, and community spaces. And when redevelopment is done strategically, it supports workforce and business needs simultaneously.
Central Falls is defined by its entrepreneurial spirit, visible in its immigrant-owned restaurants, shops, and services that bring life to the city’s corridors. With training, resources, and access to capital, these businesses can move from surviving to thriving. When small businesses grow, they create the jobs that local residents are training for, closing the loop between workforce and education, real estate, and entrepreneurship.
Prosperity encompasses both programs and investments, as well as community members having a voice in the decisions that affect their lives. Power and participation mean residents can shape their schools, neighborhoods, and local economy, rather than just being informed after decisions are made10.
Success for Central Falls is about creating a city where residents feel they belong, can thrive, and have a real voice in shaping the future. The following goals outline what success looks like when we put people and community at the center of economic growth.
1. Turn the New High School into a Launchpad
The new high school should be a place where students not only learn but also prepare for careers and civic leadership. With career pathways, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship programs tied to local business needs, the school can become a true launchpad for future success.
2. Connect Local Talent to Local Jobs
When residents gain the right skills and connect to good jobs, families are more stable, businesses grow stronger, and the community becomes more resilient.
While local businesses seek employees for various positions, thousands of workers commute out of Central Falls every morning. With a stronger emphasis on connecting employers with willing employees, Central Falls can keep talent local and income in the community.
3. Make Central Falls Talent Known Regionally
Many Central Falls residents are highly educated and multilingual, yet their skills often go unrecognized, such as foreign-trained nurses working as hotel staff or teachers driving Uber. By creating innovative strategies to accelerate recognition of education and credentials, the city can unlock this hidden talent pool and position Central Falls as a leader in the regional and global economy.
4. Create Rich Out-of-School Opportunities
Education does not only happen during the school day. Experiences like internships, dual and concurrent enrollment, and workforce programs through the Rhode Island College Workforce Hub can prepare Central Falls’ youth for careers while supplementing their public education with real-world experiences.
1. Support Every Kind of Business
From family-run shops to new immigrant-owned ventures, success means giving every business the tools they need — from bookkeeping and digital marketing help to access to capital and coaching. When small businesses thrive, jobs and pride stay local.
2. Celebrate Central Falls as a Culinary and Cultural Hub
Central Falls is already known for its food, culture, and diversity. The city can build on this strength by hosting food festivals, promoting nightlife, and attracting visitors. The city can shift its narrative and grow as a safe, vibrant destination.
3. Advance Business Practices to Compete in Today’s Economy
To strengthen operations and access to capital, small businesses need to modernize. That means embracing technology, building formal banking relationships, and adopting systems that make businesses more resilient and ready to scale.
4. Diversify Beyond Food and Services
Restaurants and multi-service shops are part of Central Falls’ identity, but the city also needs CPAs, doctors, dentists, pet care, and other professional services. Attracting this broader mix of businesses will create a more complete and balanced local economy.
5.Improve Streetscapes and Build a Business Association
Thriving business corridors require clean, safe, and welcoming spaces. A local business association can help pool resources to improve storefronts, lighting, parking, and beautification, while building a culture of pride and shared responsibility for Central Falls’ commercial areas.
Entrepreneurship is one of the most powerful engines of local economic growth. Small businesses generate jobs and keep wealth circulating in Central Falls.
why this matters
Where people live, work, and gather directly shapes the health of the community. Smart, connected land use provides housing stability, attracts investment, and creates room for businesses to expand.
Every piece of land in Central Falls is valuable. Success means reusing abandoned and blighted properties, adapting old buildings, and ensuring that new development reflects community needs — more housing, more business space, and more places for residents to gather.
Blighted and abandoned properties across Central Falls can be transformed into assets for the community. By reusing vacant lots and neglected buildings for housing, small business space, or mixed-use development, the city can turn challenges into opportunities, creating safer neighborhoods, new jobs, and spaces that reflect community pride.
3. Make the Train Station a Gateway for Growth
The train station should be more than a stop — it should be a gateway. By improving access, attracting small businesses, and encouraging transit-oriented development, the station can connect Central Falls to the region while bringing new life to its neighborhoods.
1. Protect Identity and Ensure Inclusion
Growth must strengthen, not erase, what makes Central Falls unique. Success means celebrating cultural heritage, preventing displacement, and ensuring that residents have a real voice in shaping development decisions.
2. Build a Clear Front Door to Resources
Residents and business owners should know exactly where to go for help. A clear entry point — both online and in-person — will connect people to programs, grants, and services, making it easier for everyone to access the opportunities they deserve.
Participation can take many forms
Informing: Sharing clear information about what’s happening.
Consulting: Asking residents for input before decisions are made.
Involving: Listening to hopes and concerns alongside planning.
Collaborating: Designing solutions together with the community.
Devolving: Placing decisions directly in the hands of residents.
When residents feel heard and empowered, they invest in their community’s success. Power and participation strengthen belonging, build trust, and make every strategy more effective because solutions are created with, not just for, the community.
In this section, we connect what we heard from the community with actionable strategies for each pillar. We begin with key findings from our engagement process, highlighting the voices, priorities, and challenges that matter most. We outline strategies designed to move Central Falls toward its vision of success. These strategies provide a roadmap for advancing Workforce & Education, Entrepreneurship & Small Business, Land Use & Real Estate, and Participation & Power in ways that are practical, impactful, and grounded in local needs.
Through focus groups, interviews, and surveys with residents, employers, and community partners, several common themes emerged about education and workforce development in Central Falls.
After 35 years under state control, Central Falls schools will return to local governance in 2026. With Mayor Maria Rivera’s leadership, a new community-led school board marks a fresh start — and a renewed commitment to student success.
1The new high school will be a strategic asset.
Stakeholders see the new high school as more than just a building. It is a chance to raise student achievement and connect young people directly to careers. People want to see real-life experiences built into learning including internships, technical training, and dual-enrollment opportunities, that prepare students for jobs in growing industries.
There is demand for skills related to a variety of trades.
Not every good job requires a four-year degree. There is strong interest in training for trades and technical fields that offer career pathways and stability. Employers and workforce agencies want to partner with schools to ensure students have access to these opportunities.
There are workforce shortages and job mismatches.
Many businesses say they have the demand to grow but cannot find enough qualified workers. This gap between available jobs and available skills is one of the biggest barriers to reversing job loss and helping local businesses expand.
There is a desire for an inclusive approach to workforce development.
Central Falls is diverse, and stakeholders stressed that workforce and entrepreneurship pathways must reflect that diversity. Workers and entrepreneurs have different needs based on their backgrounds, education, and experience. A one-size-fits-all model will not work.
Civic and financial literacy are as critical as workforce foundations. Residents emphasized that success is not just about technical skills. Civic engagement, leadership, and financial literacy are critical foundations for long-term self-sufficiency. People want to see youth prepared not only for jobs, but also for participation in civic and community life.
There is a need for better connections to existing resources.
A recurring theme is that many residents and business owners simply do not know about the programs, training, or supports already available to them. Making resources easier to find and access will be key to building trust and participation.
Central Falls has a unique opportunity to use its new high school as more than just a school building. It can become a hub where education, workforce training, and community opportunity all come together.
The new high school will serve as an educational facility that will become a beacon of Central Falls' commitment to building skills and opportunities across all age groups. There are many decisions and programming features still to be determined, as the city aims to regain local control and construction of the high school is currently underway. As these decisions arise, it will be critical to follow the guiding principles of the Community Advisory Board, while using the latest data and engagement with employers to map out the evolving needs within the community.
There is also an opportunity to align training with the states’ targeted sectors, including advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, tourism & hospitality, marine trades and defense technology, life sciences, and offshore wind.
Opportunities for potential programming include adult education, hands-on skills training, and accessible upskilling opportunities.
Within each of these ventures, Central Falls reinforces the city’s long-term investment in homegrown talent.
Host Education & Workforce
Summit:
Convene the Office of Education Strategy, employers, and community-based organizations at the new high school to align training with real employer needs.
Pilot Short -Term Training Programs:
Launch a focused training in partnership with employers and community groups, for example: digital skills, a trade, or healthcare support roles.
Pursue State and Philanthropic
Resources for Local Impact: This is a prime opportunity for Central Falls to showcase the work that has been and make the case for how additional funds can jump-start economic impact.
I couldn’t be prouder. This new high school is a huge step forward for our city, and one of the best investments we can make. I’m grateful to everyone who helped us get to this monumental construction starting point and believed in Central Falls.
Mayor Maria Rivera April 2024
Central Falls has a powerful new anchor in the Rhode Island College Workforce Hub. This hub, which also houses the Central Falls Business Center, is designed to be a bridge between school, work, and community. It already offers dual and concurrent enrollment for high school students, contextualized ESL programs, and industry-driven workforce training. It also has the potential to accelerate credential recognition for foreign-educated residents, helping skilled professionals, like nurses or teachers, return to their fields.
But today, this resource is still underutilized. Many residents don not know what’s available, and many employers don’t realize how they can connect to local talent through the hub. The opportunity now is to make the Workforce Hub the clear, trusted front door for education, workforce training, and small business support in Central Falls.
Residents of all ages see the Workforce Hub as their go-to place for learning, training, and career support.
Employers know they can connect to a talent pipeline and get help with job postings, training, and partnerships.
The Business Center becomes a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs, small businesses, and job seekers and is known for being welcoming, accessible, and effective.
Community-based organizations serve as ambassadors, helping spread the word and engage disconnected youth, adults, and immigrant communities.
Pilot a Community Ambassador Program: Partner with trusted CBOs to identify 5–10 “Workforce Ambassadors” who can go into neighborhoods, schools, and community events to connect residents directly to available programs. Ambassadors will bridge the gap between institutions and hard-to-reach populations
Engage Employers Directly:
Invite local businesses to use the hub for job postings, training partnerships, and workforce planning.
Launch an Awareness Campaign: Host community events and listening sessions at the hub so residents know what’s offered and can help shape future programs.
Create a Central Access Point: Promote the Workforce Hub and Business Center as the primary entryway for workforce, education, and small business resources.
Build Stronger Communication Channels: Use clear, consistent messaging through schools, CBOs, and faith-based organizations to reach residents 18 where they are.
Central Falls has a talented, diverse, and multilingual workforce. To fully tap into this strength, employers need to adapt hiring and workplace practices to reflect the city’s cultural diversity and evolving labor force.
Employers that embrace inclusive practices, such as offering English language upskilling, recruiting from immigrant and refugee communities, or providing opportunities for justice-involved residents and people with disabilities will not only strengthen their businesses but also build loyalty and retention among employees.
with support from the City and partners
Simplify and translate job postings; recruit in multiple languages.
Highlight perks such as retirement plans, alternate schedules, or child care support.
Add bilingual signage, provide on-site interpretation, and hold job fairs in multiple languages.
Add bilingual signage, provide on-site interpretation, and hold job fairs in multiple languages.
Partner with businesses already using inclusive practices to share what works.
Partnerships with schools, the Rhode Island College Workforce Hub, and community-based organizations are key to creating more ways for youth and adults to explore careers through internships, job shadowing, and workplace visits. These connections build trust, open doors to untapped talent, and prepare residents for leadership roles. But success requires investing in leadership, elevating culturally diverse leaders, including Spanish-speaking managers, and training supervisors to lead multicultural teams, so Central Falls businesses can thrive in a competitive economy.
When education and training are demand-driven, we prepare talent not just for jobs, but for careers. By aligning in-demand skills with employer needs, we dramatically increase the odds of successful employment. At SkillsRI, nearly 75% of participants in employer-designed programs are hired — and retention rates are 40% higher in the first year.
Nina Pande, Executive Director Skills for Rhode Island’s Future
Through focus groups, interviews, and surveys with residents, employers, and community partners, several common themes emerged about entrepreneurship and small business development in Central Falls.
The city’s strong entrepreneurial spirit is rooted in diversity.
Many entrepreneurs begin with family or community-based financing, shaped by culture and values. To succeed, they need financial training that respects these roots while teaching the skills to access credit, meet lending requirements, and build confidence.
Culturally aware, personalized support empowers business owners to grow stronger and create lasting community wealth.
Central Falls has a vibrant and diverse small business community, driven largely by immigrant and minority entrepreneurs. This diversity is viewed as an asset and source of resilience that should be celebrated and supported through culturally competent policies and programs
There is a desire for an entrepreneurship pathway.
There is strong interest in developing a clearer and more supported pathway for entrepreneurship. This could include co-working space, mentoring, bilingual business assistance, access to financing, and opportunities to connect with larger supply chains or innovation ecosystems.
Businesses are market-ready but constrained by capacity
Many local businesses have demand for their products and services but are limited by a lack of staffing, space, or technical assistance. Addressing these bottlenecks could unlock significant economic growth.
Entrepreneurs need to be connected to existing resources. Many resources exist at the state and regional levels, but Central Falls entrepreneurs often lack awareness or access. Better coordination, navigation, and outreach, especially in multiple languages, are needed to bridge this gap.
Different entrepreneurs have different needs.
Stakeholders emphasized that entrepreneurial needs vary significantly depending on background, business experience, and sector. First-time entrepreneurs may need support with licensing, permitting, or basic business planning, while more advanced business owners are looking for capital, workforce, or R&D opportunities.
Linkages between education and entrepreneurship are needed. Residents emphasized that success is not just about technical skills. Civic engagement, leadership, and financial literacy are critical foundations for long-term self-sufficiency. People want to see youth prepared not only for jobs, but also for participation in civic and community life.
The local economy is a cash economy.
The local economy largely operates as a cash-based economy, with many residents and small businesses relying on cash transactions rather than credit or formal banking systems. This reliance can limit access to finance tools, credit-building opportunities, and broader economic participation.
Central Falls has a strong foundation of local entrepreneurs and culturally driven business activity.
There is an opportunity to position entrepreneurship in numerous sectors as a viable and celebrated career pathway alongside traditional employment options.
Building on programs like E for All and Social Enterprise Greenhouse (SEG), the City can foster aspiring business owners and make them aware of available resources that are right for their particular business.
This strategy is a way to retain local talent and grow from within the community by aligning entrepreneurship efforts with workforce development messaging and outreach.
We heard loud and clear from immigrant and minority business owners they are proud to fuel Central Falls’ economy — but we need to provide fair access to financing and support to grow and succeed.
Federal Reserve's Small Business Credit Survey: Highlights the need for entrepreneurs and small business owners of color to receive customized business finance training.
Lower access to financial services: Hispanic -owned employer firms are less likely than white -owned firms to be fully approved for traditional financing such as loans, lines of credit, or merchant cash advances. Only 19% of Hispanic -owned applicants were fully funded, compared to 35% of white -owned firms,
Discouragement and lower application rates:
Firms owned by people of color were less likely to apply for financing, often because they expected to be denied. Only 26% of Hispanic-owned non-applicants said they already had enough funding, compared to 50% of white-owned firms.
Greater growth ambition, persistent funding gaps:
Startups owned by people of color are more likely than white-owned firms to plan on adding employees; yet, they're significantly less likely to be fully approved for the financing they seek.
Cohort-based models, particularly those organized around shared language, industry, or cultural background, offer a powerful structure for peer learning, mentorship, and entrepreneurial success. Central Falls and its partners can invest in growing these peer support systems, connecting entrepreneurs with each other and with outside mentors, and tracking their progress over time. With additional funding, the City can scale these models and share outcomes to encourage broader participation and investment. Creating safe spaces for shared learning will also help demystify business ownership and foster a culture of collaboration among local entrepreneurs.
Success means entrepreneurs learning and growing together in trusted, culturally responsive spaces. Cohort programs and peer-to-peer networks give business owners the chance to share real experiences, build confidence, and learn practical skills from one another.
Support is not limited to a few gatekeepers and instead, guidance comes from a wider circle of trusted leaders, community organizations, and peers who understand local challenges. By reducing over-reliance on just a handful of voices, Central Falls can create a stronger ecosystem where accurate, accessible advice is available to everyone.
When delivered this way, cohort and peer-to-peer support builds trust, overcomes barriers created by negative past experiences, and helps entrepreneurs feel empowered to take the next step in growing their businesses.
Create trusted, culturally responsive cohort and peer-to-peer programs: Designed to allow entrepreneurs to share experiences, build confidence, and strengthen practical business skills together.
Expand the circle of support beyond a few gatekeepers:
Engage trusted leaders, community organizations, and peers who understand local challenges, ensuring accurate and accessible guidance for all.
Launch an Awareness Campaign: Host community events and listening sessions at the Central Falls Business Center located at Rhode Island College Hub so business owners know what’s offered and how to access services.
Pair peer learning with mentorship opportunities: Connect entrepreneurs to experienced business owners who can offer guidance, encouragement, and real-world strategies for growth.
Provide ongoing follow-up and continuity of support:
Cohorts and networks evolve into lasting relationships that continue to share resources and problem-solve22 together beyond a single program.
Many Central Falls entrepreneurs are ready to grow but face barriers when relying on informal practices or limited financial knowledge. To compete in today’s economy, business modernization must be a priority. This means strengthening financial literacy, adopting better bookkeeping and tax practices, and navigating permits and lending with confidence.
with support from business service organizations
Encourage businesses to use accounting software and point-of-sale (POS) systems that improve recordkeeping, simplify taxes, and build credibility with lenders.
Support entrepreneurs in creating websites and using social media to reach new customers, showcase their brand, and compete in a digital marketplace.
Train business owners to use sales data, customer feedback, and financial reports to guide smarter decisions and plan for growth.
Offer workshops and one-on-one coaching that help entrepreneurs implement modernization tools step by step, ensuring they can apply changes directly to their businesses.
Education about the risks of operating primarily in a cash economy, combined with support for building stronger banking and digital systems, will help entrepreneurs formalize their businesses, access capital, and scale sustainably. By modernizing operations, small businesses can unlock new opportunities, strengthen credibility, and become more resilient drivers of local growth.
Partner with businesses already using modern technology and systems so others can see what works and build confidence to adopt new practices.
To sustain long-term growth in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, Central Falls must elevate the voices and needs of its business community at the state level. A standing advisory group of entrepreneurs or or association can serve as both a resource-sharing mechanism and a feedback loop for city and state-level partners. Maintaining a “wish list” of needs, ranging from affordable space and equipment to staffing and training, will ensure advocacy efforts are grounded in real-time needs. Simultaneously, tracking business starts, retention rates, and common barriers will help refine support efforts and inform future investment. Celebrating success stories and empowering entrepreneurs to share their journeys publicly is an effective way to inspire the next generation and build community-wide trust in entrepreneurship as a pathway to prosperity.
Plan for Action
1. Create a Standing Business Advisory Group
Establish a group of local entrepreneurs to provide ongoing feedback, share resources, and advocate for the needs of the business community at the city and state level.
When entrepreneurs speak with one voice through a business association, their needs are harder to ignore. Collective advocacy ensures resources, policies, and investments truly reflect the realities of Central Falls’ business community.
2. Track and Respond to Business Needs
Maintain a living “wish list” of priorities — from affordable space to training — while also monitoring business starts, retention, and barriers to ensure support and investment remain responsive and data-driven.
3. Celebrate and Amplify Success Stories
Highlight local entrepreneurs through storytelling and public recognition to inspire the next generation and strengthen community trust in entrepreneurship as a path to prosperity.
4. Strengthen Advocacy Channels
Create or partner with chambers, trade groups, and statewide coalitions so Central Falls entrepreneurs have a stronger collective voice in shaping policies and programs that affect small business growth.
5. Leadership Development for Entrepreneurs
Provide training, mentorship, and civic engagement opportunities that prepare business owners to take on visible leadership roles in advisory boards, commissions, 24 and statewide forums.
The Small Business Anti-Displacement Network (SBAN) Toolkit offers a selection of approaches to avoid the displacement of businesses based on a series of factors. As neighborhoods are impacted by new development, growth advancement, and factors for gentrification, engaging businesses and community advocates and exploring how to support new and existing businesses proactively will strengthen the overall business community. Central Falls can benefit from adopting these ideas locally by pairing national best practices with the city’s own assets - its strong cultural corridors, committed local leaders, and history of resilience. Incorporating SBAN principles would mean putting structures in place that make it easier for businesses to stay rooted
Commercial
Provide bilingual clinics and model lease templates so small business owners understand their rights, anticipate rent increases, and negotiate fairer terms. Tie Community Benefit Agreements to major redevelopment, requiring affordable commercial space, local hiring, or small business support.
Legacy Business Recognition
Celebrate and support long-standing local businesses through small stabilization grants, marketing support, and succession planning resources.
Create opportunities for entrepreneurs to test concepts in temporary or shared spaces with coaching, then help them transition into long-term storefronts. Piloting a vendor coalition to help food carts and market vendors with licensing, safety standards, and marketing.
Explore cooperative or land trust models that allow the community to control key commercial properties, keeping rents stable and storefronts available to local businesses. Allow residents and business owners to buy into shared ownership, building community wealth.
Encourage landlords to commit to transparent, fair practices in exchange for incentives like façade improvement funds. Ahead of development, set up a business impact fund (signage, marketing, or micro-grants for businesses losing revenue during construction).
The Small Business Anti-Displacement Toolkit is generated through the National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education at the University of Maryland. It includes examples from neighborhoods with distinct racial or cultural identities.
Through focus groups, interviews, and surveys with residents, employers, and community partners, several common themes emerged about land use and real estate development in Central Falls.
There are severe housing affordability challenges.
With just 1.29 square miles, every parcel holds valuable potential in Central Falls. By focusing on mixed-use development, identifying underused parcels, and ensuring that zoning aligns with community needs, the city will be in an advantage position to grow economic opportunities across many sectors.
Housing affordability is one of the most pressing issues in Central Falls. Stakeholders highlighted the strain on renters and homeowners, with limited availability of affordable and quality housing options. Rising rents and housing insecurity are ongoing concerns, particularly for lower-income families.
There is limited land availability and density constraints.
Central Falls is geographically small and already densely built out, leaving little room for traditional development. This necessitates creative infill development, adaptive reuse of vacant or underutilized buildings, and maximizing mixed-use opportunities.
Underutilized and transformative sites offer opportunities.
Sites like the future train station and vacant or city-owned properties are seen as critical assets for future development. These sites have the potential to catalyze new housing, commercial activity, and connectivity if planned strategically.
Zoning and planning must align with market opportunities.
Zoning and land use regulations should be updated to reflect current market conditions and community needs to support housing and commercial growth. This includes aligning the comprehensive plan with economic and real estate development goals.
There is a desire to retain community character amid growth.
As new development occurs, stakeholders emphasized the importance of preserving Central Falls’ sense of community and preventing displacement. There is a desire for equitable development that benefits existing residents and supports neighborhood cohesion.
Maintaining an inventory system of redevelopment opportunities shared across City departments critical to proactively aligning economic opportunity with land use availability. Over the next 12 months, the City can catalogue infill opportunities and transformational redevelopment sites through the Comprehensive Plan process. Due to the city’s proximity and borders with other jurisdictions, working with neighboring municipalities on a shared vision will be critical to amplifying local voices for state and/or federal resources.
Extract Information from the Comprehensive Plan:
Review the comprehensive plan to gather detailed information about the sites. This will help in understanding the current status and potential of each property.
Determine the Appropriate Inventory Tool:
Evaluate and select the most suitable inventory tool for maintaining the property inventory. Options could include a CRM system, an Excel spreadsheet, or an economic development mapping tool.
Enter Information into the Inventory Tool:
Once the appropriate tool is selected, enter all relevant information about the commercial and industrial properties into the tool. Ensure that the data is accurate and up-to-date
Engage Real Estate Community to Verify Market Data :
Realtors are important partners to consider in economic development efforts. They may be aware of properties that are not officially listed and have intelligence about business expansion opportunities.
Create Prioritization Around Opportunities by Site:
Develop a prioritization framework to identify and rank opportunities by site. This could involve assessing factors such as location, potential for development, and alignment with strategic goals.
A proactive Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program can help Central Falls strengthen relationships with local employers, identify at-risk businesses, and align future development with the city’s long-term vision. Through a structured and recurring engagement process, the City can maintain trust within the business community while gathering actionable insights on space needs, workforce challenges, and growth potential.
This BRE initiative should be place-based and collaborative, with the Planning Department and partner organizations co-leading outreach and information-sharing. It should also serve as an early warning system, tracking businesses that may be downsizing, relocating, or closing, and help the City proactively prepare for site turnover and redevelopment.
Form a BRE Team:
Bring together city officials, business leaders, and trusted partners to guide the effort.
Listen to Businesses:
Use surveys, site visits, and conversations to identify needs and “red flags.”
Provide Direct Support:
Connect individual businesses to resources in workforce, financing, permitting, and training.
Track and Share Data:
Maintain a central database of business needs, properties, and opportunities.
Develop Shared Strategies:
Use survey results and community input to design solutions that benefit multiple businesses.
Celebrate and Communicate:
Share progress and success stories with the community to build trust and momentum.
Conducting regular site visits and business interviews to understand current needs and future plans.
Using insights to identify properties at risk of vacancy and coordinate with planning and economic development staff to prepare those sites for redevelopment aligned with the City’s goals.
Maintaining a database of information collected from the business engagement process, including a process for updating the property inventory dataset and creating a centralized database of commercial and industrial properties that are available or may become available.
Providing direct connections to workforce, financing, permitting, and expansion support resources
Sharing relevant data back with the business community to support collaborative problem-solving and demonstrate 28 accountability.
Strategy 3: Integrate Economic Development Priorities into the Comprehensive Plan Update.
As Central Falls is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan, it is a timely opportunity to align the City’s land use, housing, and economic development goals. This means taking a proactive approach to planning and zoning that supports business success, increasing density and mixed-use opportunities in strategic locations, and preserves the vitality of commercial corridors.
Allow greater density where appropriate to create more housing options for families at different income levels.
Advance housing projects that include retail, services, and community amenities, so neighborhoods are lively and meet residents’ everyday needs.
Encourage mixed-use development along main streets, bringing in new customers, strengthening local businesses, and maximizing housing potential.
Create corridors that are safe and welcoming to walk, bike, or ride, and better connected to nearby neighborhoods.
Align land use and development with emerging opportunities, ensuring Central Falls is ready to attract investment, meet resident needs, and grow sustainably. There is incentive to capture new and growing markets as visitation and tourism in the area growth due to national events and forthcoming development.
How we use land shapes how we live. Smart land use means more homes, thriving businesses, walkable streets, and connected neighborhoods — creating a Central Falls for everyone.
Economic development is strongest when powered by people. In Central Falls, pride runs deep in our city, our families, and our shared future. Real progress means creating space for every voice to be heard and every resident to help shape the path forward. Lifting up community voices and giving residents a platform to influence change will not only build an economy but also builds belonging, trust, and a future defined by the people of Central Falls themselves.
For Central Falls, building power through participation means ensuring that residents, business owners, and community leaders all have a voice in shaping the city’s future. Expanding opportunities for engagement in the city can strengthen trust, create more equitable outcomes, and make sure decisions reflect the lived experiences of those most impacted.
With 40% of residents foreign-born and a median age under 32, Central Falls has the chance to grow the next generation of leaders who reflect the city’s culture, energy, and values. Leadership should not be limited to a few voices. It should be open and accessible to people from every background.
Expanding leadership opportunities includes simultaneous approaches such as hosting training programs and embedding leadership development into education, workforce, and civic life. Students can learn civic leadership through the new high school’s programs; adults can build leadership skills through the Workforce Hub and employer partnerships; and small business owners can step into leadership roles through the Business Center and merchant associations.
Opportunities should also be tailored and visible with intentional pathways for women, young adults, and employees of color who are interested in management, civic roles, or community leadership. Mentorship, networking events, and peer-to-peer connections can help residents see themselves not just as participants, but as decision-makers.
Residents see clear pathways into leadership roles in schools, businesses, nonprofits, and city government.
Leadership development is built into existing systems — the high school, Workforce Hub, Business Center, and city-led programs.
Underrepresented groups feel invited, supported, and celebrated as leaders, shaping the future of Central Falls.
Central Falls can look to models like a Mayor’s Leadership Academy as inspiration. These programs invite residents, business owners, and students into the inner workings of local government, making municipal processes more transparent and easier to understand. They help participants see not only how decisions are made but also how they can play a role in shaping them.
Central Falls has the chance to go further to build a cross-sector leadership pipeline that extends beyond government and into business, education, and community life. This means:
In Schools.
Embedding civic leadership and financial literacy into the new high school curriculum, so students begin to see themselves as future leaders early on.
Offering intergenerational leadership development where adult learners and working professionals build confidence, public speaking skills, and advocacy tools alongside their workforce training.
Using the Business Center and merchant associations to help entrepreneurs not only strengthen their businesses but also step into roles as community leaders and advocates.
Opening pathways for underrepresented residents — women, young adults, and foreign-born leaders — to take on appointments to boards, commissions, and other positions of civic influence.
By connecting these opportunities, Central Falls can create a seamless pipeline of leadership that starts in school, grows through workforce and business experiences, and ultimately results in more diverse voices in positions of influence across the city.
Strategy 2: Establish a Central Falls Micro-Grant Fund.
A neighborhood micro-grant program is a way for residents to pool and direct funds for the benefit of their own community. Instead of decisions being made far away, resources are governed locally — by the people who live in Central Falls. Over time, this model can grow into a powerful tool for housing, small business support, and cultural investments that keep wealth rooted in the neighborhood. This initiative builds on the participatory budgeting pilot that was undertaken by the Central Falls School District in 2019. Known as “Voces Con Poder,” the effort expanded in 2021 with $100,000 that could be allocated to community-led ideas.
Micro-Grant Program: Launch $500–$1,000 grants for residentled projects like block events, safety initiatives, public art, cleanups, or emergency needs
Community Review Panel: Create a neighborhood committee to review applications and decide which projects to fund, ensuring decisions are made by and for residents
Keep it Simple: Use an easy, accessible application process so anyone can participate.
Build Trust, Build Momentum: Small grants show quick wins and build confidence in community decision-making, laying the foundation for a larger neighborhood trust
By starting small and growing steadily, Central Falls can create a democratic, transparent, and self-sustaining way for residents to invest in their own future.
Community Empowerment:
Shifting funding decisions to residents builds self-determination and leadership skills.
Effective Solutions:
Community-designed projects reflect real needs and strengths, making outcomes more relevant and impactful.
Increased Engagement:
Offers new ways to participate, especially for residents facing barriers to traditional civic processes.
Deeper Relationships:
Strengthens connections among residents, organizations, and funders.
Greater Equity:
Prioritizes lived experience and helps counter historical inequities in traditional grantmaking.
The Awesome Foundation is a global community advancing the interest of awesome in the universe, $1000 at a time.
Each fully autonomous chapter supports awesome projects through micro-grants, usually given out monthly. These micro-grants, $1000 or the local equivalent, come out of pockets of the chapter's "trustees" and are given on a no-strings-attached basis to people and groups working on awesome projects.
The Forge AHEAD Center is excited to launch the Community Micro-Grant Program, designed to support community organizations in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi that are working to reduce differences in health outcomes across populations in diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. This program is part of our Community Engagement Core (CEC) and is funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).
The Nine Neighborhood Fund is a participatory budgeting process in which community members directly decide how to allocate a pot of money. Participatory budgeting is a democratic process in which community members directly decide how to spend part of a public budget.
The goals are to improve community health & well-being, and build more civic engagement in 02908 & 02909.
The “What If…” Mini Grant program is designed to help City of Syracuse residents foster growth in neighborhoods, strengthen their capacity, and improve the safety and wellbeing of their community.
Successful grants will make positive changes in their neighborhood while increasing community participation, awareness, and partnerships.
Imagine a Neighborhood Microgrant Program right here in Central Falls. Residents could apply for small grants of $500–$1,000 to fund projects that make a visible difference in their neighborhoods — like block cleanups, youth-led art installations, safety lighting, community gardens, or cultural events.
A community review panel of residents, small business owners, and local leaders would decide which projects to support, ensuring that funding choices reflect the voices of the people who live here.
The process would be simple and accessible, lowering barriers so anyone can apply. Over time, these projects would33 not only improve neighborhoods but also build leadership, pride, and trust — showing that Central Falls residents have the power to shape their community’s future.
Establish an advisory structure that reflects the needs, aspirations and strengths of Central Falls to shape the future of school programming. Through student-centered councils and specialized advisory groups, the community will have a role in guiding decisions on priority areas such as career pathways and entrepreneurship learning opportunities, culturally responsive teaching and bilingual supports, integration of arts, music, and local culture, and work-based learning, internships, and certifications.
Pilot a “Student & Parent Listening Series”:
Host a series of 90-minute sessions at the beginning and midway through the school year. Adapt the format and style as conversations evolve and priorities are established by residents.
Create mini -grant stipends for student -led projects: This could be tied into Power and Participation Strategy #2’s Neighborhood Micro-Grant Fund.
Launch a Student Ambassador Program:
Designed for high school students to serve as liaisons between peers, the advisory council, and school leadership, ensuring youth voices are consistently represented in decision-making.
Create a “Living Curriculum Lab”:
An incubator space where students, parents, and community partners can propose and test new learning experiences — like pop-up entrepreneurship projects, bilingual maker-spaces, or micro-internships with local businesses. The best ideas could be piloted quickly within the school year, giving the community a direct hand in shaping education innovation.
This report was created through a collaborative effort led by the City of Central Falls, and Camoin Associates with direct input from residents, community partners, business owners, elected officials, and local organizations. It reflects the voices, ideas, and aspirations of those who live, work, and invest in Central Falls.
Mayor Maria Rivera
RJ Kermes
Joshua Magnone
Fabiola Ortiz
Lorraine Qunitero
Jim Vandermillen
Half Street
Rhode Island College Workforce
Development Hub
Tatiana Baena
Mario Bueno
Adriana Del Carmen Rios
Carmen Diaz-Jusino
Tony Fonseco
Sarah Friedman
Jenifer Giroux
Gaetan Kashala
Greg Pilgrim
Karen Ramirez
Alberto Rivas Lugo
James Toomey
Annisha Vasquez
Frank Wasylyk
Monika Zuluaga
