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Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams
Trabajamos en colaboración con miles de socios locales y líderes de base de todo el país que comparten nuestro compromiso de fomentar la prosperidad compartida, crear economías resistentes y mejorar la calidad de vida.
Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street
Formadas por pueblos pequeños, comunidades de tamaño medio y distritos comerciales urbanos, las miles de organizaciones, personas, voluntarios y líderes locales que componen Main Street America™ representan la amplia diversidad que hace que este país sea tan singular.
Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America
¿Busca estrategias y herramientas que le ayuden en su trabajo? Sumérgete en el Centro de Recursos de Main Street y explora una amplia gama de recursos, entre los que se incluyen nuestro extenso Centro de Conocimientos, oportunidades de desarrollo profesional, ofertas de servicios sobre el terreno, apoyo a la promoción y mucho más.
Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo
Su ventanilla única para conocer las últimas historias, noticias, eventos y oportunidades -incluidas subvenciones y programas de financiación- en Main Street.
Kendall Whittier - Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street
Únase a nosotros en nuestro trabajo para fomentar la prosperidad compartida, crear economías fuertes y mejorar la calidad de vida en los centros y distritos comerciales de los barrios.
Transportation infrastructure plays an important role in Main Street communities. © Hawkeye Aerial Services
Investing in infrastructure is crucial for revitalizing Main Streets and enhancing community connectivity. As places evolve, local infrastructure often struggles to keep pace, resulting in outdated systems that hinder economic development and social connectivity. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) offers multiple grant opportunities that can support this important work. Programs like the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program and the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) grant program offer vital opportunities for Main Street communities to address these challenges. By leveraging these resources, Main Streets can upgrade their infrastructure to support residents, attract businesses, and foster vibrant, equitable environments.
Learn how Main Streets can tap into federal resources to improve transportation infrastructure, take down barriers, and improve access to key services.
This month, the Government Relations team, representatives from USDOT, and representatives from Decatur, Alabama, and Harrisonburg, Virginia, convened to discuss two programs that can transform communities through streetscape improvements and increased connectivity. Our webinar highlighted two federal grant opportunities for Main Streets: the RAISE grant program and the RCP grant program. Main Street America is grateful to the USDOT, including our colleagues on the Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (ROUTES) team, for their help with this important webinar.
During the webinar, Kimberly Bathrick, Transportation Policy Analyst at USDOT, described the RAISE grant program, which provides funding for communities to invest in critical infrastructure, like roads, trails, and rails. Kris Reisenberg, Community Planner at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), described RCP grant program, which provides funding and technical assistance for communities to improve access to daily needs such as jobs, education, healthcare, food, nature, and recreation.
Additionally, Danielle Gibson, President/CEO at Decatur Morgan County Tourism, discussed her involvement in the RCP grant award in Decatur, Alabama, which is meant to connect Old Town with the riverfront via the Dr. Bill Sims Hike-Bike Way on the Singing River Trail. Representing Harrisonburg, Virginia, Andrea Dono, Executive Director of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, discussed the RAISE grant award which her community won to transform the Liberty Street streetscape and create a multi-modal, pedestrian-friendly space. Danielle and Andrea both underscored the importance of working together with other organizations and listening to the needs of the community.
You can watch the complete webinar recording here, and read below for more information on each of the grant programs covered in the webinar.
Streetscape improvements can make a big difference for Main Streets. © Grant Harper
USDOT’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant is a key opportunity for Main Street communities looking to improve infrastructure in and around the commercial corridor to create a more vibrant, livable, and economically thriving district. The RAISE program funds surface transportation projects with local and regional impact by enhancing safety, accessibility, sustainability, and economic growth. With increased funding availability through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Main Street organizations should be aware of the program and its potential to advance community infrastructure priorities. The next round of RAISE grants is anticipated to open for applications this fall, so now is the time to prepare.
Many Main Street communities have done extensive community planning including city-wide and downtown master plans, Complete Streets design, and accessibility and walkability studies. Often, these plans collect dust on the shelf waiting for the right funding opportunity to be able to complete implementation. Sound familiar? The RAISE program offers a solution to this conundrum, with a flexible approach that centers on your community goals. RAISE grants focus on:
While applying for a federal grant can be a substantial undertaking, many Main Street projects and local goals waiting to be fulfilled fit within the framework of a RAISE grant. Read on to learn more about how to plan for the next round.
RAISE grants are available to a wide range of applicants, including state and local governments, transit agencies, and tribal governments. If the program sounds familiar, you may know it by another name: RAISE was previously known as the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grants. Under each of its iterations, the program’s goals have shifted slightly. RAISE aligns with Main Street needs, prioritizing projects that promote economic growth, enhance quality of life, and address equity concerns by improving transportation options for underserved communities. This can include walkability, accessibility, and multimodal transit design. With the additional $7.5 billion in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the RAISE program has increased reach to support transformative projects across the country.
There are two types of projects awarded through the RAISE grant program: capital grants and planning grants. Capital grants range in size, with a minimum of $1 million in rural areas or $5 million in urban areas, and a maximum size of $25 million. Capital grants can fund highways, bridges, public transportation, intermodal projects, culvert replacement, and a variety of other transportation priorities. Planning grants have no minimum amount and can fund the needed elements of a potential project: planning, preparation, design, community engagement, benefit cost analysis, and other pre-construction activities.
Eligible applicants for RAISE grants are states, territories, local governments, public agencies or special purpose districts, or a combination of these groups. Main Streets, specifically those that are nonprofit entities, should consider opportunities to collaborate with local and regional partners to advance projects under this program. For more detailed information on eligibility, check out the FAQ here for more information.
The next application for RAISE grants is yet to open, but it is anticipated in Fall 2024. That means you have time now to prepare for the upcoming opportunity. We suggest that you:
Note: The next round of grants may include changes from the previous NOFO. Be aware of the possibility of changes and be flexible in your planning until the NOFO is released.
Transportation infrastructure that once divided communities, like this overpass in Birmingham, Alabama, can be transformed into vibrant public spaces. © Alicia Gallo
USDOT’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) program is a transformative initiative aimed at addressing the adverse effects of transportation infrastructure that have historically divided communities. The RCP program is awarded on a competitive basis for projects that reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating highways or other transportation facilities that create barriers to community connectivity, including to mobility, access, or economic development. Importantly for Main Streets, the grant can be used for conversion to Complete Streets to improve pedestrian access, safety, and promote multi-modal transportation. The Notice of Funding Opportunity has been released, and applications are accepted until September 30, 2024.
Main Streets, which often serve as the economic and cultural heart of communities, can greatly benefit from the RCP program. By removing or retrofitting barriers like highways, these grants can be used to transform Main Streets into more accessible, safe, and vibrant spaces. Example projects include:
By investing in these types of improvements, the RCP program helps create Main Streets that are more functional and serve as vibrant hubs of community, fostering economic growth and social cohesion.
The RCP program is designed to fund planning and capital construction projects that aim to restore community connectivity by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating transportation facilities like highways and rail lines that have created barriers. This initiative recognizes the importance of inclusive and equitable urban planning, ensuring that all communities, particularly those historically marginalized, have access to the benefits of modern infrastructure.
Some of the goals of the RCP program include:
The RCP program provides grants to a diverse range of applicants, including state and local governments, tribal entities, metropolitan planning organizations, and nonprofit organizations. Projects eligible for funding include:
An eligible facility is a highway or other surface transportation facility that creates a barrier to community connectivity, including barriers to mobility, access, or economic development due to high speeds, grade separations, or other design factors. Eligible facilities include limited access highways, viaducts, any other principal arterial facilities, and other facilities such as transit lines and rail lines.
Applications are due Thursday, September 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
Main Street organizations interested in applying for the RCP program grants can find detailed application guidelines and deadlines on the USDOT website. Additionally, explore the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods StoryMap for more information on past projects and potential uses in your community.
Before submitting your materials, you must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number in order to apply. To request a UEI, please visit SAM.gov. Note that this may take up to 30 days.
Valid Eval is a third-party web-based evaluation platform used by USDOT and other Federal programs to support program evaluation. Applicants will submit their applications via Valid Eval. You must apply through Valid Eval. Grants.gov will have the RCP opportunity posted, but you cannot apply through Grants.gov.
Potential applicants who are interested in pursuing a reconnecting type project but are not prepared to submit funding requests within 90 days can submit a request for technical assistance through the Reconnecting Communities Institute. Many reconnecting projects are also eligible for funding under formula programs or eligible discretionary grant programs. More information can be found on DOT’s Discretionary Grants Dashboard.
Music has a unifying power to bring people of all generations, backgrounds, and cultures together for creative expression. Let’s explore how accessible, family-friendly music experiences can strengthen Main Streets across America to build stronger communities, one concert at a time!
Main Street America is pleased to announce the launch of a $1.8 million sub-grant program as part of our partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT) Thriving Communities Program.
Beloit, Kansas © Shane Hampton
Construction projects can put a lot of stress on your downtown. From preparation to completion, Brooke Prouty at Iowa Economic Development Authority shares best practices to help your Main Street thrive during construction.
Creating real change in business ownership starts with local communities leading the way, backed by strong partnerships and collaborations.
At the heart of thriving Main Streets are vibrant public spaces that unite people of all ages and backgrounds and enrich community life. And what better way to activate public spaces than through the power of free, live music?
Middlesboro, Kentucky © Levitt Foundation
Main Street America is proud to announce the release of a new resource to help Main Streets and commercial district organizations better prepare for and respond to more frequent and severe disasters.
Marion, IA © Uptown Marion
This Boston Main Street installed an innovative street mural to highlight crosswalks and improve pedestrian safety.
These seven Main Streets have implemented innovative, exciting, and fun programs to help welcome dogs to their downtowns.
MSA President and CEO Erin Barnes explores how a holiday market in a public park brought a new focus on growing humanitarian needs in downtown city centers.
The RAISE program funds surface transportation projects with local and regional impact by enhancing safety, mobility, sustainability, and economic growth.
Streetscape improvements can make a big difference for Main Streets. © Grant Harper
Learn how Main Street America's work with the DOT's Thriving Communities Program is supporting transformative efforts with community partners like the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe.
Apply for federal funding to remove, retrofit, or mitigate transportation infrastructure that creates barriers to community connectivity.
Art is a powerful tool for community change. Learn how the arts can improve community engagement, boost economic development, and connect with the Main Street Approach.
Streets play an important role in our downtown districts. Learn more about Main Street America's recent work with the Department of Transportation to promote vibrant and sustainable downtown roadways.
Learn how the Safe Streets and Roads for All program is providing grants to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.
Streetscape in Denison, Texas. © Mel Climer — Climer Design
REV Birmingham y Woodlawn United comparten cómo trabajan para revitalizar espacios y lugares en Birmingham (Alabama) mediante proyectos de infraestructuras cívicas en los históricos corredores comerciales de la ciudad.
Descubra cómo esta ciudad de Luisiana ha dado prioridad a la accesibilidad para construir una comunidad acogedora e integradora.
Centro de Ruston, Luisiana. Fotografía de Henry McCoy.
Descubra cómo el barrio Little Five Points de Atlanta utiliza este singular programa de murales para celebrar San Valentín y recaudar importantes fondos para su obra.
Aprenda cómo la micromovilidad puede aumentar el acceso, la equidad y la inclusión en su calle principal con ejemplos de programas locales de toda la red.
Washington Main Street anima a la gente a enfrentarse al tiempo lluvioso con su programa gratuito de reparto de paraguas.
El aparcamiento es un problema difícil para muchas calles principales. Analizamos los argumentos a favor y en contra del aparcamiento gratuito, así como un método para realizar un inventario del aparcamiento en el centro de la ciudad.
Miami, FL © Matt Alaniz
Descubra cómo la Asociación del Centro de Bainbridge Island aprovecha su conexión con el ferry para crear un centro de la ciudad transitable y lleno de vida.
Bainbridge Island, WA © Anna Carson
Un innovador proyecto artístico da nueva vida a los callejones de Billings, Montana.
Billings, MT © Alianza Downtown Billings
Tanto en las grandes ciudades como en los pueblos pequeños, la gente se enfrenta a peligros cada vez mayores cuando se desplaza a pie. Como defensoras de unos centros urbanos conectados y transitables, las calles principales desempeñan un papel crucial en el aumento de la seguridad de los peatones.
Lansing, Michigan © Lansing 5:01
Infórmese sobre cómo puede participar en el programa Comunidades prósperas como capacitador o cómo puede recibir apoyo del programa.
Para celebrar el Mes Nacional de los Parques y las Actividades Recreativas, exploramos tres proyectos y colaboraciones innovadores e interesantes basados en los parques de las comunidades de Main Street.
Waterloo, Iowa, comparte consejos y lecciones aprendidas de su programa de e-scooter.
Aprenda a aprovechar los principios y estrategias de diseño para crear un centro de la ciudad más fresco y acogedor.
Main Street America ha recibido 5,9 millones de dólares para apoyar a 20 comunidades de la Main Streets Community of Practice a través del Thriving Communities Program del Departamento de Transporte durante los próximos dos años.
La ciudad de Leeds, AL dio la bienvenida a un nuevo mural en el centro de la ciudad durante las vacaciones que ha traído un sentido de entusiasmo y anticipación para los esfuerzos continuos para centrarse en el distrito del centro de Leeds.
Leeds, AL © Jeremy Dove
¿Qué hay más típico de Iowa que convertir los graneros en arte público? Descubre cómo Main Street Coon Rapids creó estos hermosos murales para celebrar el centro de la ciudad.
Coon Rapids, IA © Main Street Coon Rapids
Los jardines de polinizadores son una forma fantástica de aumentar los espacios verdes, fomentar la sostenibilidad y educar a la comunidad sobre el medio ambiente local.
El programa AARP Community Challenge concede subvenciones de acción rápida para activar espacios públicos. Conoce algunas de las Main Streets subvencionadas este año a través del programa.
Metuchen, NJ © Alianza Downtown Metuchen
Learn how these outdoor microspaces can contribute to more vibrancy in our public spaces.
Chairman Emeritus Ed McMahon explores the power of place in creating spaces people love.
Boise, ID © christiannafzger
To support Georgia Main Streets throughout the recovery process and position them for long-term sustainability, Main Street America launched the Georgia Main Street Innovation Grant Program, made possible through generous support from The Williams Family Foundation of Georgia.
Thomasville, GA © Thomasville Main Street
Intentional placemaking has had many unexpected benefits for this Alabama town.
Wetumpka, AL © Jenny Sue Stubbs
We heard from organizations across the nation about the incredible impact their markets have had on community engagement, entrepreneur and small business support, and keeping their district vibrant.
Hopewell, NM © Hopewell Downtown Partnership
Mount Airy Downtown, Inc., celebrated the return of their Market Street Arts and Entertainment District (MSA & ED) last weekend, as part of their pandemic recovery efforts.
Mount Airy, NC © Robbie Curlee
A vacant storefront is the perfect stage to creatively promote the available space or to showcase other businesses and events in the area.
Interested in creating a StoryWalk in your downtown commercial district? Read on to learn more about installing a successful story walking trail.
In remembrance and in honor of Dr. Marin Luther King Jr., over 900 streets in the United States were named after him. Many are located predominantly in African American communities.
Milwaukee, WI © Historic King Drive BID
Dubbed the Blues Alley, the Ripley Main Street program plans to install murals of local pioneering Black blues artists, cutout guitars painted by local art students, and blues lyrics painted on the walls.
Ripley, MS © Ripley Main Street
Wayfinding guides people to places they seek but it also brings awareness to places they may have otherwise missed.
Since 2013, Try This West Virginia has sought to improve health environments in local communities as a collaboration of organizations working together to combat the health challenges facing West Virginians.
Main Street America partnered with OneMain Financial to create Made on Main Street.
Creating a historic or art walking tour is much more than simply a collection of pictures and descriptions.
Over 300 attendees enjoyed a family-friendly block party that celebrated the community and showcased Prosser's upcoming streetscape improvement project.
Cambridge was the first Main Street community in Maryland to install public chargers.
The Downtown Newton Development Association (North Carolina) partnered with the City of Newton on a temporary tactical urbanism project to demonstrate how their permanent streetscape improvements will benefit downtown.
Over 500 people braved the misty rain this past weekend to come and celebrate Painesville and its Made on Main Street community transformation project.
Wilson Artsy Alleys is an initiative of the Wilson Downtown Development Corporation which takes the arts to new locations in forgotten places.
In October 2017, Main Street Ottumwa collaborated with local partners, Main Street Iowa, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Better Block Foundation to stop planning, talking, and wishing, and start doing.
Kelly Tompkins of Main Street Enid shares more about the Maker Trail project and how it inspired creativity and helped people discover downtown.
The Metuchen Downtown Alliance created a cool, family-friendly public gathering space in “the worst looking spot in town” with the help of just $2,500 in Edward Jones Placemaking on Main Challenge matching grant funds,
A collaborative effort launched between Laramie Main Street Alliance (LMSA) and vertical farming company, Plenty, looked to blank downtown walls as a canvas for growing food, creating conversation, and activating overlooked spaces.
From walkability and transportation connectivity, to access to nature and availability of fresh food, place is inextricably linked to achieving positive health outcomes in rural America.
Beautiful view of the Eiffel Tower fountain through Main Street Paris's new Love Lock Fence.
Kasey Drummond, Glenrock Main Street Director, explains how they brought the acclaimed graffiti artist ARCY to their Main Street and explores the work he produced in three additional Wyoming communities on his summer tour.
Karen Dye, Newkirk Main Street's program manager, was inspired to “make downtown more fun and festive” with painted water meter covers after learning about the practice at a recent Main Street Now conference.
Appealing to mobility-challenged shoppers yields benefits beyond the store.
In contrast, the Main Street Program in Laramie, Wyoming, is thriving, having successfully cultivated millions of dollars to help fill these vacant, blighted spaces with permanent structures.
In this article we’ll explore the process of planning, funding, installing, operating, and enjoying music on your Main Street.
In 2016, the North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center partnered with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Department of Interior Architecture (UNCG) to provide design assistance to Main Street communities.
Placemaking is a strategy that Six Corners Association has enthusiastically applied to our community development efforts because of its seamless integration with the Main Street Approach.
How one Wyoming Main Street implemented a free bike share program.
In 2015, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) partnered with the University of Wisconsin–Madison to engage Wisconsin Main Street organizations and farmers markets in the Metrics and Indicators for Impact – Farmers Markets (MIFI-FM) toolkit.
La organización local Main Street, Downtown Milford Inc., está intentando hacer frente a estos cambios demográficos creando un sentimiento de comunidad más integrador.
Esta es la historia de cómo una reunión de la Fundación Nacional de las Artes en Washington inspiró a los líderes de una pequeña ciudad de los Apalaches a conectar con los de Milwaukee para transformar un parque abandonado.
Las comunidades de Main Street de todo el país no son ajenas a la búsqueda de estrategias creativas para resolver sus problemas más acuciantes: edificios vacíos, comercialización del centro, refuerzo del comercio minorista, por nombrar algunos.
Este artículo es el segundo de una serie sobre los corredores y el importante papel que desempeñan en la revitalización de Main Street. El artículo anterior se centraba en los orígenes históricos de los corredores, los tipos de corredores y las funciones que desempeñan en nuestras comunidades.
La apariencia de las fachadas es un aspecto crítico del atractivo estético general y del carácter único del centro de la ciudad.
Aunque el programa Main Street no tome la iniciativa en la mejora de los corredores, puede ser un socio vital y un defensor de las mejoras en el aspecto general de la comunidad.
Las banderolas en los postes de las calles preservan el carácter histórico de las calles principales a la vez que fomentan la concienciación y el compromiso de la comunidad.
Con el firme apoyo de la comunidad, la Fundación de la Biblioteca consiguió recaudar más de 1,2 millones de dólares en donaciones privadas.
Para que un centro de ciudad funcione bien hacen falta muchos carteles, pero no todas las comunidades saben cómo es un buen sistema de señalización ni lo decisivo que puede ser para crear un centro de ciudad de éxito.
Uno de los principales objetivos del tranvía de Atlanta es atraer inversiones y revitalizar los barrios situados a lo largo de su trazado.
Atlanta, Georgia © Central Atlanta Progress
