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Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams
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At the Opening Plenary at the Main Street Now Conference in Richmond, Virginia, Patrice Frey shared lessons and reflections from her past nine years at Main Street. Today, we are pleased to share a written version of her speech that offers up additional words of advice and wisdom on how Main Streets can chart a prosperous path ahead. Please join us in thanking Patrice for her years of service as our President and CEO! If you haven’t already, please view her parting words to the Network here.
One of the most exciting things I’ve seen over the last decade is the way in which perceptions about the value of Main Street’s work are changing – and for the positive.
Since my earliest days on the job, I’ve found that Main Street’s work can sometimes be dismissed as being a bit frivolous and unimportant to a community’s larger economic development effort. I bet many of us have encountered it, the belief that Main Street programs are just about putting on fun events or saving pretty, old buildings.
I think of this as getting the Church Lady Treatment – the dismissive arched eyebrow that says "Well isn’t that special. But that’s not real economic development." It’s maddening.
During these last two years, Main Street leaders proved their mettle in rallying to the defense of small businesses and to the support of communities during an unimaginably difficult time. I have heard from so many of you that you felt the pandemic was the first time your communities truly understood what you do, and why it matters so much.
The pandemic-fueled revaluation of Main Street programs coincides with another powerful force – and that is the profound way in which the nature of economic development itself is changing, making what we do in creating quality of life and supporting local business more – not less – important.
No one speaks more eloquently about the nature of changing economic development than Main Street America’s Chairman Emeritus, Ed McMahon. Last month, Ed penned an op-ed in the Richmond Times-Dispatch which eloquently explains this change. He notes that in a world where people and capital are footloose, the quality of the community is of critical new importance in economic development. I encourage you to check out his other thought leadership pieces on this topic here and here.
The quality of the community is what attracts and retains jobs. The quality of the community is what attracts visitors. And Main Street is in the quality-of-life business.
Our challenge is to accelerate those changes in perceptions. I want to come back to one very specific request about how to do that at the end.
Sometime toward the beginning of the pandemic, when things were especially tough and scary, I put a Post-it Note next to my computer with a reminder. It was a simple thought that had popped into my mind: “Ask for what you need.”
As non-profit leaders, we often try to “make do” with what we’ve got or what we’re offered, which is almost never equal to what we need to effectively do our jobs. I’ve tried to be more mindful about asking for what is needed to succeed, what we as an organization must have to be effective.
Sometimes that has meant asking funders to provide considerably more administrative support than they would normally offer, which many are reluctant to do. Or it’s meant telling partners that we can’t accommodate an aggressive timeline, and asking for more time. I wish I could say that I’ve been 100% successful – sometimes the answer is "no". Yet irrespective of the outcome, I’ve felt better about trying to establish boundaries, and about speaking honestly about what is needed, rather than scraping by with what’s on offer.
So, take a moment. Grab a pen. What’s the first thing you think of when you hear “ask for what you need?”
Write it down…and then make the ask. Repeat for best results.
Re-evaluate Your Events
I was once accused of not liking events. I’d like to correct the record – I love a good event!
But here’s the thing. In so many of our Main Street communities, we see Main Street Directors who feel obligated to put on annual/monthly/weekly events that require a tremendous amount of time and resources, and don’t always deliver the needed strategic impact.
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Your time as a Main Street leader is your most valuable resource. Guard it fiercely.
As you’ll see below, there are an ever-increasing number of demands on this time, an ever-expanding number of issues that require your leadership.
So, take a few moments to think about those events. Which are really, truly aligned with the strategies you’ve developed to bring people and prosperity to your Main Street? Which are not? For the latter, are there other organizations who might take that event(s) for you? Or could you switch the cadence to every other month/year so it requires less of your time?
Or maybe it’s time to let it go altogether…
Main Streeters are Change Agents – we come to the profession wanting to support the transformation of places that we love. But change is hard.
A few years back, I was introduced to what I think is one of the most important guidelines for change management, the 20-60-20 Rule.
Before I get into that, however, I want to make one important point. Our role as Main Street leaders, of course, is never to unilaterally decide on a path of change. The core of Main Street is working collaboratively with stakeholders to develop a shared vision of change….and then working with partners to implement that vision.
Many of us are drawn to non-profit work because we care deeply about people, we’re naturally “helpers.” And so, it can be challenging – to say the least – to go through the process of collaborating to build a vision for change, and then realize that, inevitably, some people do not embrace this vision.
That’s where the 20-60-20 Rule is helpful.
In any sort of change management situation, you can generally expect 20 percent of people will be enthusiastic supporters, eager to embrace the new vision. These are your change champions, your most highly engaged and ardent supporters. This 20 percent will inspire the next tranche – the 60 percent– to support that change effort as well. That 60 percent will tend to hang back a bit first, and then be swayed by the positive momentum of your early supporters.
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And then there is that final 20 percent, the constituency that will focus on their fears and their doubts. In short, these are the folks who are unlikely to ever support the change in question.
Our job is to first and foremost seek to understand and be curious about those voicing their concerns. Is there something these folks see that we do not? Some valuable piece of information we’ve missed or disregarded? If so, we’d be wise to adapt.
Or perhaps, as Alabama Main Street Coordinator Mary Helmers describes them, these folks are simply your Grumpies. We all know them, folks who are most happy when they’re a bit unhappy. And that’s when it’s important to remind yourself:
Your job is not to make 100% of people happy, or 100% of people comfortable.
Your job is to lead the 80%. Your job is to lead change.
In many ways, it might be more difficult to be a small business owner today than in previous times. The competition – especially online – is thick. The technology needed to run a business is complex. Breaking through information overload online to effectively market your business can itself feel like a full-time job. Labor is scarce. Capital is in short supply for small business – especially for people of color and those in smaller markets
If we are to create a downtown or district in which commerce thrives, Main Street leaders increasingly must be able to support their small business owners – or would be entrepreneurs – with the resources needed to navigate this thicket of questions and uncertainty. And the pandemic only intensified this need, as small businesses experienced economic pressures unlike anything in recent memory. In recent years, led by our Chief Program Officer Matt Wagner, we've begun to think of Main Street programs as connectors at the heart of entrepreneurial ecosystems. Main Streets are well-positioned to step up in new ways on behalf of their businesses.
What does it mean to be a connector in this sense? It’s a natural extension of the role Main Street organizations have always played. Fortunately, leading an effective Main Street program doesn’t mean you have to be able to offer detailed advice on point-of-sale systems, pro forma development, or any other subject; it does mean that it’s essential you know who in your community, region, and state can help business owners as they grapple with tough questions and you can connect folks needing service to those providing it.
With thanks to the Kauffman Foundation and other partners, we have some terrific resources on our website to help you learn more about entrepreneurial ecosystems, and your role as a connector. We also have an amazing field services team that can help you build on these.
There’s another way I believe we’re called on to be connectors – that is making connections with those in our communities who historically may not have felt welcome downtown or who have not been included in local economic development activity.
The exclusion of people of color and other individuals who have been traditionally underrepresented has played out in lots of different ways in this country over time. For much of our country’s history people of color have not felt welcome downtown or in their commercial districts, were excluded from becoming business owners, and in some cases were only allowed to shop on certain days or times.
We like to think that those days are behind us; but if we look around today, our business owners, shoppers, boards and volunteers, and visitors are not always reflective of our communities.
This is where Main Street leaders again have the opportunity to forge new connections that help grow strong Main Streets, and offer economic opportunity and quality of life to everyone.
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While building a truly equitable and inclusive Main Street takes a lot of collective effort and intention, there is important work going on in our network to support Main Streets that points to a path forward. Danville, Virginia is a terrific local example of a community that is doing intentional work to support equity and community wealth building by identifying people of color who have an interest in opening a business and then providing a pathway to funding that can help to make it happen. The work in Thomasville, Georgia, is yet another example. Through community-led initiatives, Thomasville successfully preserved the culture, fabric, and stories of The Bottom, a neighborhood that was once at the heart of the African American community. Learn more this remarkable community preservation effort here.
Every single Main Streeter is a leader, and every single person has the opportunity to take steps to make their Main Street as welcoming and as inclusive as possible.
Efforts to build diversity, equity, and inclusion in your organizations or communities will look very different depending on your local context and background, but the first step is recognizing the role you can play and starting the conversation.
This country faces the interrelated crises of housing affordability and supply – our recent survey results show that availability of housing downtown for Main Street Directors is a major issue, with 87 percent reporting that they were concerned about the state of housing in their Main Street districts.
At the same time, the overall environment for Main Street businesses has become more challenging in recent years; among those challenges is the difficulty of getting people back inside bricks and mortar establishments when shopping behaviors were radically transformed during the pandemic. This is where the housing crises presents robust opportunity for Main Streets.
Working to direct housing downtown helps to alleviate the supply issue, and it helps to concentrate people (e.g. create density) in your core to support businesses. Multiple analyses by Donovan Rypkema and PlaceEconomics indicate that for each dollar spent on rent or other housing costs in a downtown housing unit, new downtown residents will contribute between $1.36 and $1.69 to the downtown economy in other ways. In other words, a couple spending $1,000 per month to live downtown will likely contribute about $1,500 per month to the downtown in non-housing related spending.
Main Street leaders have a real opportunity to lead on this issue – consider taking the following steps:
With thanks to the 1772 Foundation, you can see our terrific report on the state of housing in Main Street communities here. More resources will be added online in the coming weeks, including a new report for Main Street managers interested in getting started in prioritizing housing development, and a web-based resource for accessing housing data and learning about potential responses to common housing challenges.
Legislation passed by Congress over the last year provided an unprecedented amount of funding to support electric vehicles, specifically ensuring that there is a nationwide network of charging stations that will allow people to drive cross country and enable everyone (urban or rural) to convert to electric vehicle ownership.
This is especially big news for rural communities, as a number of federal Department of Transportation programs are designed to help support the development of charging stations specifically in small towns. There are great examples within the Main Street Network of early adaptors welcoming charging stations to their downtown. For example, Defuniak Springs, Florida is home to these handsome Tesla charging stations in the heart of their downtown. This is a huge win for Defuniak and other places. Charging takes a bit of time – typically a minimum of 30 minutes – in which that electric car owner is likely to pop across the street for a cup of coffee, visit a gallery…and perhaps decide to come back to stay awhile, which adds up to significant economic impact for local small businesses.
I can’t emphasize this enough; if I was leading a small-town Main Street, I would be focusing on collaborating with state and local partners to secure a charging station downtown – this is a boon to local Main Streets, and a boon to local economies. My fear is that these stations might easily end up at freeway exits next to McDonalds, the Hampton Inn, and the BP Station. That would be a massive, wasted opportunity.
Check out this great resource “Charging Forward” from the Department of Transportation, join a UDSA webinar on July 7, and stay tuned to MSA communication channels for more resources in future.
Main Street isn’t a red state issue. It’s not a blue state issue. Everyone has a stake in the health of their downtown and district. One of the most remarkable things I’ve seen in the last few years is the extent to which Republicans and Democrats see eye-to-eye on the need to support local economies, support small businesses, and support our Main Streets in particular. There are precious few other issues about which we can say the same.
Where elected officials know about their local Main Street programs, they are very often ardent champions of our work. The problem is, not enough of our federal elected leaders understand the work we do. And so, I end with this final request:
If you don’t yet have a relationship with your Senator and House Member, I urge you to reach out and invite those members of Congress to visit your Main Street this summer. Tell them what you do to support the local economy, what you do to support local business, and how you help create a better place to live, work and visit. Watch this recent webinar recording to learn about how to host a successful visit, review these tips, and ask them to support new legislation to build the capacity of business district programs through the Economic Development Administration.
Finally, reach out to Kelly Humrichouser, Main Street America’s Director of Government Relations, for help and support in making the connection with your elected officials. We are committed to collaborating with you to strengthen our movement and advocate for your work.
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That’s it folks. I’ll be cheering you on.
The Early Bird rate for the 2025 Main Street Now Conference expires on Tuesday, February 4. Act now to save up to $310 on registration to our movement's can't-miss event of the year!
Independence Hall © Sean Pavone/iStock
The Main Street Now 2025 mobile workshops offer something for everyone! Some have already sold out, but opportunities to enhance your conference experience and bring time-tested techniques and creative solutions back to your community abound with these great excursions.
We invite all local Main Street program directors, managers, and executive leaders to take our 2025 Main Street Directors Survey. Make your voice heard, gain valuable insights, and help shape the future of Main Street. Take the survey by February 6.
Raton, New Mexico © Patricia Duran
Learn about the early federal advocacy that advanced the Main Street Approach from a pilot program to a national initiative.
Have New Year's resolutions? Meet all your professional development goals and find the tools to achieve your organization's plans for the year ahead at the 2025 Main Street Now Conference!
Beyond the Bell Tours
Associate Research Analyst Aoife Harte shares her experience attending the 2024 Community Transformation Workshop.
Join your peers from across the Main Street network and experts in commercial district stewardship for three days of connection, learning, and celebration in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 7-9. Get a jump start on your registration and hotel reservations today!
Independence Hall © Sean Pavone/iStock
Join us in celebrating the amazing achievements of the Maine Downtown Center!
We are excited to welcome Lynda Tran, Tyrone Rachal, and Mary Helmer Wirth to the Main Street America Board of Directors
Once you have you have your new transformation strategy, how do you put it into action? Learn how to adjust your work plans, align your budget, and get buy-in for a successful transformation strategy.
Join host Matt Wagner for his conversation with Mallory Dabney, owner of Heyday, a home goods store in Bozeman, Montana.
Join host Matt Wagner for his conversation with Patrick Jackowski and Matt Horne, the duo behind Firehouse Coffee 1881, a thriving coffee shop housed in a firehouse in historic Fort Monroe, a decommissioned military compound located in Hampton, Virginia.
Senior Program Officer Lisa Mullins Thompson shares her experiences attending the 2024 Next City Vanguard Conference.
In this episode, Matt reveals the data-driven trends that will define the 2024 holiday shopping season—and shows you exactly how to leverage them for your small business.
Join us in celebrating the incredible accomplishments of exceptional leaders shaping the Main Street Movement by nominating your organization’s stellar director, board member, or volunteer for the prestigious Mary Means Leadership Award. The nomination portal is open through Friday, December 6.
Mark your calendar for the 2025 Main Street Now Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from April 7-9! Join your peers from across the Main Street network and experts in commercial district stewardship for insightful education sessions, unique special events, immersive mobile workshops, and incredible experiences.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania © f11photo/iStock
Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes Kaycee McCoy, co-owner and creative lead at Pawsnickety Pets in Norfolks, Virginia. Kaycee and her best friend, Shizuka Benton, launched the all-natural and organic pet supply business in Norfolk at the start of the pandemic, but have used their combined talents to keep the business growing and thriving over the last four years.
Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes David West, director of Premier Retail Marketing and based in Adelaide, South Australia.
Meet the 2025 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalists! This year’s semifinalists demonstrate exceptional achievements in reenergizing their downtowns through inclusive, collaborative organizing and innovative economic development, arts and culture, and historic preservation initiatives.
It is important to make sure that the growth of your community does not result in displacement or marginalization. Putting equity at the core of your transformation strategy helps you work towards measures of success that benefit everyone.
Due to unprecedented demand, we've added an additional 5 spots and a waitlist for our Community Transformation Workshop in Iowa. Register today to take advantage of this opportunity to invest in your ability to develop solutions for your downtown and create transformation strategies that work.
Volunteers help make streetscape improvements in Nevada, Iowa. © Main Street Nevada
Don't miss this opportunity to celebrate your successes and inspire your peers by applying to become a speaker at 2025 Main Street Now Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! The deadline to submit proposals is Friday, September 6.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania © Ultima-Gaina/iStock
This summer, our archetypes intern explored different types of Main Streets and the unique challenges and opportunities that they face.
There are only a few spaces still available for this intensive high impact, hands-on learning experience for place professionals. Register today and join us in Des Moines & Nevada, Iowa, from October 15-16, to gain tools to develop real world solutions for your downtown district. Registration closes September 27, or once capacity is reached.
LaCrosse Community Pride shares how they use the Main Street Approach to make a significant impact in a town of less than 300 people.
Share your Main Street story at the 2025 Main Street Now Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania! We are looking for session proposals from new voices, experienced practitioners, and local experts in downtown revitalization. Don't miss your chance to inspire, engage, and lead—proposals are due by September 6.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania © Ultima-Gaina/iStock
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.
The deadline to nominate your community for the Main Street Movement's most prestigious award is Friday, July 26–just a few days away. Now is the time to put finishing touches on your application!
Main Street America and Pennsylvania Downtown Center invite local leaders and industry experts to submit session proposals for the 2025 Main Street Now Conference. Answer our call for engaging and practical sessions that speak to a broad variety of subjects, community demographics, and expertise levels, guided by the Main Street Approach today!
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania © Ultima-Gaina/iStock
Join us in Des Moines & Nevada, Iowa, from October 15-16, for this intensive high impact, hands-on learning experience for place professionals and boost your ability to lead catalytic projects in your community. Space is limited! Registration closes September 27, or once capacity is reached.
Events create opportunities for the community to gather in downtown Nevada, Iowa. © Linda Wendt
With just two weeks until applications are due, now is the time to gather images, edit responses, and rewatch the informational webinar. Seize this moment to apply for the Main Street Movement’s greatest honor! The application portal is open through Friday, July 26.
Learn how the 2024 GAMSA winners celebrated this exciting achievement and the impact that the Great American Main Street Award has had on their work and their communities.
Join us for a three-part webinar series revisiting some of the most popular sessions from the 2024 Main Street Now Conference. Experts from across the network will share their knowledge and practical information on a range of perennial Main Street topics.
Speakers kick-off a session at Main Street Now 2024. © Alicia Gallo
Last year, we announced upcoming changes to the Main Street America Institute. We are excited to provide an update on those changes and a sneak peek at what you can expect in the future.
Join us for free webinars revisiting some of the most popular sessions from the 2024 Main Street Now Conference. Experts from across the network will share their knowledge and practical information on a range of perennial Main Street topics.
How to Measure Downtown Impact session at Main Street Now 2024 © Molly Alexander
Registration for this high impact, hands-on learning experience for place professionals interested in gaining tools, skills, and techniques necessary to address complex revitalization initiatives will open in July. Read to learn more and add the 2024 Community Transformation Workshop in Des Moines & Nevada, Iowa, to your calendar.
Has your Main Street program made significant strides in realizing your community’s vision for its downtown? Do your projects and programs serve as models for comprehensive, preservation-based commercial district revitalization? If this sounds like you, then you could be a candidate for the 2025 Great American Main Street Award! The application portal is open through Friday, July 26.
Macon, Georgia © Mike Young Photography
Jackie Swihart spoke with Abby Huff at Indiana Main Street about their recent experience utilizing Main Street America's transformation strategies workshops.
The MSARP credential is the highest level of achievement offered through the Main Street America Institute, requiring dedication to completing a rigorous curriculum. Join us in celebrating eight Main Street leaders who have most recently achieved this prestigious credential!
Erin Barnes shares her reflections from the 2024 Main Street Now Conference in Birmingham, Alabama.
Main Street America is proud to recognize NewTown Macon, Madison Main Street Program, and Monroeville Main Street as 2024 Great American Main Street Award winners. All three organizations serve as exemplary models for reenergizing downtown districts through collective action that fosters vibrant downtowns through grassroots economic development, preservation with a purpose, and creative problem solving
Main Street Alabama is thrilled to welcome Main Streeters to Birmingham for Main Street Now 2024. As you build out your personal agenda, make sure to also make time to explore our amazing host city. Check out this roundup of some local favorites for you to explore between conference sessions, activities, and celebrations.
“It’s Nice to Have You in Birmingham” mural by Creighton Tynes © Bham Now
We are proud to announce that 1,188 programs have achieved designations as Main Street America programs in recognition of their commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™, and that local programs generated $5.68 billion in local reinvestment in 2023.
In just two weeks local leaders will convene in Birmingham, Alabama, for the 2024 Main Street Now Conference from May 6-8. Online registration at the regular rate ends on Friday, April 26. Act now to secure your spot and keep reading to get the latest recommendations for an unforgettable experience.
Urban Impact Inc., harnesses strategic investments and collaborative efforts to foster a vibrant and sustainable future, from visionary adaptive reuse ventures to transformative development grants for small businesses and property owners in Birmingham, Alabama's historic 4th Avenue Black Business District.
Online registration and the regular rate are available through Friday, April 26. Download the conference mobile app, sign-up for the attendee webinar, grab some Shop Main Street merch, get recommendations, and more!
With just a little over a month to go until we convene in Birmingham, Alabama, for the 2024 Main Street Now Conference from May 6-8, we are excited to announce that the full schedule is available online and the mobile app is ready for download.
From budgets and staffing to programming priorities and the myriad of backgrounds that bring people to Main Street, the insights and key findings from this year's trends survey provide a snapshot of the state of the Main Street Movement.
REV Birmingham and Woodlawn United share how they work to reenergize spaces and places in Birmingham, Alabama, through civic infrastructure projects in the city’s historic commercial corridors.
With a specially priced registration rate of $199, tailored education track, free lunch & learn session, and abundant networking opportunities, Main Street Now 2024 is made for civic leaders passionate about community preservation and economic development in historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial corridors.
Kelly Ingram Park © Greater Birmingham CVB
Register by March 11 to lock in big savings with the early bird rate!
Join us in Birmingham, Alabama, May 4-5, 2024, for one of Main Street America Institute’s highest rated and recommended workshops!
Downtown Birmingham, Alabama © Sean Pavone/iStock
Opportunities to experience time-tested Main Street Approach techniques and creative solutions in action abound in Birmingham with these great excursions.
Oxford, Alabama © City of Oxford, Alabama
Last chance to make your voice heard with Main Street America's 2024 Main Street Trends Survey!
Meet the recipients of the 2024 round of GM on Main Street grants.
Check out these new experiences at the 2024 Main Street Now Conference in Birmingham, Alabama.
Birmingham skyline from Railroad Park. © Sean Pavone/iStock
Join us in Birmingham, Alabama, May 4-5, 2024, for one of Main Street America Institute’s highest rated and recommended workshops!
Meet Main Street America's new Board Chair, Jess Zimbabwe.
Contribute your perspective to our annual survey of the Main Street Movement.
Check out some of the highlights of the many sessions that will be offered at the 2024 Main Street Now Conference.
Woodlawn Market Place © Nathan Watson/Bham Now
Join us in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 6-9 for the 2024 Main Street Now Conference!
Recognize the exceptional Main Street leader in your community with this prestigious award.
From housing to small business and more, read the best blogs we shares in 2023!
Florence, SC © Phil Eich
Starting in early 2024, we will engage in an intensive program assessment of MSAI. We look forward to bringing an enhanced Main Street professional development experience to the network later in the year.
Meet the communities who received a T-Mobile Hometown Grant to support community-driven placemaking initiatives.
Recognize an exception leader in your community with this prestigious Main Street award.
Get ready for three days of education sessions, special events, mobile workshops, and opportunities to explore "The Magic City."
Recognize an exceptional leader in your community with this prestigious Main Street award!
We spoke with Erin Barnes to learn more about her passions and interests and explore her plans for the Movement.
Main Streeters gathered for the Community Transformation Workshop to explore strategies to advance their work.
Meet the new officers and new members, and give thanks to the outgoing members on Main Street America's leadership council.
Ostego, MI
Founded in 2003 and currently housed within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Michigan Main Street (MMS) recently celebrated 20 years of impact across 41 communities.
Boyne City, MI © Michigan Main Street
Don't miss your chance to submit a proposal for a session at the 2024 Main Street Now conference!
Meet the latest recipients of this community development grant program.
Erin Barnes shares her neighborhood and invites other Main Streeters to share theirs.
Congratulations to these exceptional Main Street programs!
Don't miss your chance to submit a proposal for the 2024 Main Street Now conference!
Don't miss your chance to share your expertise with attendees in Birmingham, Alabama!
Leaders from a Virginia Main Street program traveled to South Carolina to learn from another award-winning community.
© Jenny Boulware
This three-week live, online course will prepare local leaders to more effectively work with small business owners in their districts and create an environment that is supportive of entrepreneurship.
© Notice Pictures
Share you perspective and expertise at the 2024 Main Street Now Conference in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 6-8.
Don't miss your opportunity to participate in this exciting educational opportunity!
We are excited to announce that Erin Barnes has been chosen as our next President and CEO. Learn more about her career.
The recordings of our Summer School Webinar Series are now available in the Knowledge Hub!
Don't miss your opportunity to showcase your community's achievements!
Share your ideas for exciting and innovative sessions at the 2023 Main Street Now Conference!
Learn how you can harness design principles and strategies to create a cooler, more welcoming downtown.
Join us for a three-part webinar series revisiting some of the most popular sessions from the 2023 Main Street Now Conference
Don't miss your opportunity to showcase your community's achievements!
Sheridan, WY © Downtown Sheridan Association
Join us for a three-part webinar series revisiting some of the most popular sessions from the 2023 Main Street Now Conference
Meet the newest recipients of the T-Mobile Hometown Grants, reaching a milestone of 200 towns impacted by the program.
Nominate your community for this prestigious award recognizing excellence in commercial district revitalization.
Sheridan, WY © Downtown Sheridan Association
We are excited to share a recent collaboration with Spark! Places of Innovation, a traveling exhibition curated by the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program.
Washington, D.C. © Rizka
Learn how to tackle complex revitalization scenarios with our Community Transformation Workshop, October 2-3 in Vancouver, WA.
Vancouver, WA © Vancouver Downtown Association
Thinking about applying for the 2024 Great American Main Street Award? Tune in to the application webinar on June 21!
Florence, SC © Downtown Florence Main Street Program
We are excited to welcome Jenice Contreras to the Main Street America Board of Directors. Jenice has a long record of leadership across community and economic development with deep experience with equitable growth, small-scale development, and cultural preservation.
Cleveland, OH © DJ Johnson
Join Main Street America experts in Vancouver, Wash., to gain first-hand experience in harnessing transformation strategies to successfully revitalize your Main Street!
Vancouver, WA © Vancouver Downtown Association
We are excited to announce that 862 Main Street programs across the country have earned Accredited status, Main Street America’s top level of recognition.
Metuchen, NJ © Lauren Beischer
The MSARP credential is the highest level of achievement offered through the Main Street America Institute, requiring dedication to completing a rigorous curriculum of online courses, readings, assignments, workshops, and a challenging final exam.
Over the course of three days, nearly 1900 Main Streeters from near and far gathered for dynamic educational sessions, immersive mobile workshops, and network-building activities.
Check out our new shop featuring clothing and apparel, accessories, home and office goods, and kids’ and baby items inspired by the Main Street Movement.
Main Street America is proud to recognize John Bry, Program Coordinator at Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) in Michigan, as the 2023 Mary Means Leadership Award recipient.
Meet the three communities who were honored with this prestigious award!
There is so much to see, learn, explore, taste, and enjoy across our neighborhood districts. Welcome to Boston!
Explore the resiliency and future-focused mindset of Roslindale Village Main Street, one of the first urban Main Street Programs in the nation.
Preview a selection of the 12 unique mobile workshops on offer at Main Street Now 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.
A vendor serves beverages at the Roslindale Summer Farmers Market in 2022. © Bruce Spero Photography
We’re excited to announce a new suite of resources designed for Main Street! The Main Street Foundations Series provides an overview of each Point through four comprehensive introductory videos, one-page guides, materials from our resource center, and more.
From the ongoing pivots needed to meet changing community needs to the timeless power of place, these are the most popular blog posts we published this year.
Todd Wolford, executive director of Downtown Wytheville Inc and recipient of the 2022 Mary Means Leadership Award, reflects on his Main Street career.
Jackie Swihart, Program Officer for MSA, shares some key takeaways from the three-day event.
Laramie, WY © Main Street America
Illinois Main Street's work over the last 30 years and the exciting projects they are planning in the future.
Alton, IL © Alton Main Street
Learn how Main Streets from California to Florida have used Farmers Markets to transform their communities and achieve Main Street goals.
Outgoing President and CEO Patrice Frey closes out her tenure at Main Street America and transitions into a new role.
Main Street America congratulates our 2022 designated communities and explores the impact of the Main Street Movement.
Toccoa, GA © Steph Maley
Mary Means, founder of the Main Street Movement, reflects on her experiences at Main Street Now 2022 and shares advice for local leaders.
Meet the winners of this award recognizing Main Street excellence.
Meet Parramore, a historically African-American community in Orlando, Florida.
Orlando, FL © Tyla Harrington
Each week this Women's History Month, Main Street America is spotlighting the stories of women leaders in local and coordinating Main Street programs.
Each week this Women's History Month, Main Street America is spotlighting the stories of women leaders in local and coordinating Main Street programs.
Each week this Women's History Month, Main Street America is spotlighting the stories of women leaders in local and coordinating Main Street programs.
Each week this Women's History Month, Main Street America is spotlighting the stories of women leaders in local and coordinating Main Street programs.
Main Street America's partners in Chicago celebrate two years of training and technical assistance in the city.
Chicago, IL © Main Street America
Leverage NC, a partnership between North Carolina Main Street and the North Carolina League of Municipalities, hosted a four-part webinar series titled Better Community Planning & Economic Development led by Ed McMahon, Chair Emeritus of Main Street America and a leading national authority on land use policy and economic development.
After many zoom meetings, our road warriors are back visiting communities and providing technical assistance.
Washington, IA © Kathy La Plante
President and CEO Patrice Frey reflects on 2020 and the early events of 2021.
Florence, SC © True Light Photography
These 67 recipients from across the country ranged from bakeries and boutiques to salons and museums, but they all shared a commitment to the program's goals of responding and adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic and helping to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts.
The Brookings Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking released a new series of research briefs focused on the role that place governance organizations, like Main Street programs, play in revitalizing rural downtowns and promoting equitable rural economic and community development.
Meet the latest graduates of our certificate program for leaders in commercial district revitalization.
Georgetown has developed a strong Downtown Master Plan that helps serve as a guide-point for planning efforts in downtown
Meet Sharon Jablonski, the Director of Morganton Main Street in Morganton, North Carolina, and the first recipient of the Mary Means Leadership Award.
Congratulations to these Main Street programs for their fantastic work!
Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) had the opportunity to take Missouri Executive Directors and other community representatives on the Iowa Community Expedition
In response, UrbanMain and Main Street Oakland County joined forces in March 2018 to assist Pontiac stakeholders in putting their downtown organization back on a positive track, making Pontiac the first community in Michigan to participate in the UrbanMain initiative.
American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Main Street America announced the winners of the 2018 Partners in Preservation: Main Streets campaign.
An essential component of the Main Street America Institute, the three-day in-person workshop gives participants hands-on tools to enact revitalization projects in their communities.
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 Hampton hosted a Food and Friends Farm-to-Table dinner at the Rustic Brew during Main Street Iowa Restaurant Week.
From community gathering spaces to retail incubators, from small towns to big cities – this year’s projects and communities are a testament to the diversity of Main Streets across the country.
Downtown Ames hosted a festival for the 46th annual RAGBRAI race (The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa).
You don’t need to be a big-name district to make a video that goes viral; you just need to know what you’re doing.
Matt Wagner, National Main Street Center's Vice President of Revitalization Programs, discusses competitive advantages, incrementalism and the power of the Main Street America network
Main Street Homer (Homer, Louisiana) was awarded a $25,000 A Community Thrives social impact grant from Gannett/USA Today Network to create an arts center with affordable artist studios and classroom/event space.
Nearly slated for demolition 30 years ago, downtown Cedar Falls has experienced an amazing transformation through its revitalization journey using the Main Street Approach.
Since starting as Executive Director, Todd has helped the organization achieve Virginia Main Street Designation Status and national Accreditation.
The National Main Street Center, Inc., announced Downtown Oregon City, Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency, and Howell Main Street as the 2018 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) winners during its annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
We rolled out four new Main Street America videos highlighting the power of the Main Street movement, Main Street Approach, economic impact of Main Street, and the incredible volunteers that make Main Street's grassroots network so effective.
Ridgefield Main Street is an energetic, up-and-coming Washington Main Street program located just north of Vancouver, Washington.
A series of small, incremental improvements, when taken together, provide momentum for long-term economic transformation and improved quality of life in a community.
Here's a bit of background on each of the communities. Read on for the Refresh Implementation Q&A.
The National Main Street Center, Inc. announced the 2017 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) during its annual conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The National Main Street Center and the Brookings Institution have jointly authored a response to Mr. Hyman’s piece, The Reality of Main Street, that is featured on Brookings’ blog.
Michigan Main Street Center was the first Coordinating Program to implement the new Main Street approach on a large scale. In this article, they share their robust process and valuable lessons.
There is another way for smaller communities to compete in today’s economy and we believe a strong main street strategy is at the heart of it.
Letter from past MSA President, Patrice Frey
Fritz the dog has made his way into the hearts of the residents of LaBelle, Florida, and helped our Main Street Community find a way to make what we do more noticeable.
Back in October 2015, we introduced the three key components of the refreshed Main Street Approach: inputs, outputs and Community Transformation Strategies.
For a lucky few downtowns, greatness may happen effortlessly with a strong sense of place that seems to develop organically and simply sustain itself. For most places, success doesn’t happen by chance.
This need for change results from the heavy emphasis on three components of the refreshed Main Street Approach.
The 2016 winners are a diverse group in geography and character, but together demonstrate the broad applicability of the Main Street Approach:
The first official show under the Main Street Nation banner aired in June 2015 on WJR-760 AM Detroit.
The economic value of historic preservation on Main Street.
A series of demonstration projects providing the opportunity to test new strategies on the ground, learn from practitioners, and refine the approach.
A business retention and expansion plan, properly implemented, not only helps keep businesses open but possibly even helps them expand.
While there have been over $1.2 billion in public and private investment in Wisconsin Main Street communities over the past 27 years, what really makes it special are the people and places that have been involved.
Main Street Bartow's empty storefronts become pop-up art galleries to promote economic development.
Although a “beach town,” Rehoboth Beach is open 365 days a year, and with that has the unique challenge of catering to both year-round residents and tourists within a wide range of ages, interests and economic levels
In communities across the country, hardworking business owners and buy local advocates come together to foster an organized effort to reinvent and revitalize Main Streets and downtown districts.
The National Main Street Center is pleased to announce that Cape Girardeau, Mo., Montclair Center, N.J., and Rawlins, Wyo. were selected as the 2015 Great American Main Street Award® (GAMSA) winners.
