This program leverages Main Street America’s past work in ecosystem building and combines organizational partnerships with Forward Cities for greater equity and inclusiveness, as well as professional development training in entrepreneurial-led development through the International Economic Development Council. 

Ten state-level Main Street programs were selected to participate in the program. 

In selecting grantees, priority was given to applicants who demonstrated a sincere interest and commitment to expanding their own internal entrepreneurial ecosystem programming, coupled with a lack of resources and staffing to start and scale this work in their communities.

All state or regional Main Street America Coordinating Programs with at least three Main Street communities with populations of 50,000 or less (as determined by the U.S Census) were eligible to apply.

The selected Coordinating Programs are:

• Main Street Arkansas | Greg Phillips, Director
  
• Main Street Iowa | Michael Wagler, Director
• Kansas Main Street Inc. | Scott Sewell, Director
• Kentucky Main Street | Kitty Dougoud, State Coordinator
• Rethos | Minnesota Main Streets | Emily Kurash Casey, Director of Community Programs
• Missouri Main Street Connection | Gayla Roten, Director
• Nebraska Main Street Network, Inc | Elizabeth Chase, Director
• Oklahoma Main Street Center | Buffy Huges, Oklahoma State Main Street Director
• Puerto Rico Main Street | Norma Ramirez de Miess, Vice President of Revitalization Services, MSA
• Washington State Main Street Program | Breanne Durham, Washington Main Street Director

Each participant will receive a one-day statewide workshop on Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem building open to any rural community to attend, the opportunity to select three rural Main Street communities that will receive in-community and virtual programming designed to form and implement equitable ecosystem building, the opportunity to have coordinating staff participate in all trainings as part of the train-the-trainer process with the hope of expansion to other Main Street programs within the state or region, and professional development stipends for local directors to participate in IECD’s new entrepreneurship courses for place-management professionals.

This work is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The foundation seeks to prepare people for success in their jobs and careers, so that everyone has the opportunity to achieve economic stability, mobility, and prosperity. Their work is grounded in the principles of racial equity, diversity, and inclusion and is consistent with the aspirations of their founder, Ewing Marion Kauffman.