State of Main: Fall 2016
Welcome to the inaugural edition of State of Main, the annual publication of Main Street America featuring thought leadership from across the network.
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Strong and Inclusive Communication
Communication is a key tool for Main Street programs. From social media posts to major publications, the style, tone, and format of your communication and outreach materials should be consistent and considerate to ensure you maintain your brand identity, reach your target audience, and promote an inclusive and welcoming environment. These sample Communication Standard Operating Procedures from Heart of Biddeford provide an example of the communication policies that Main Streets should consider formalizing, including brand guidelines, DEI best practices, website, email marketing, social media, and more.
Published by Heart of Biddeford.
Biddeford, ME © McKenney Photography
Related Resources
State of Main: Winter 2019
With articles written by industry experts on topics ranging from the transformative placemaking to inclusive entrepreneurship, the publication is brimming with tools, tips, and strategies that will help you lead a results-oriented revitalization effort.
Demographics, Data, & Diversity
Watch this webinar to learn how to use data to understand your community, craft targeted resource, and respond to unique demographic needs.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are important values for Main Street organization. To ensure consistent practices across their organization, Heart of Biddeford created and implemented this DEI plan with guidelines for staff, board members, and others.
Biddeford, ME © Heart of Biddeford
Inclusive Community Engagement Workbook
This workbook from Colorado Main Street walks you through the steps needed to build a more inclusive engagement process, including reviewing best practices, defining your goals, discovering new audiences, and exploring new strategies.
Denison, Texas © Discover Denison
Preserving African American Historic Places
Creating a welcoming and inclusive downtown means you need to understand the rich cultural histories of your historic assets. This guide from the National Trust for Historic Preservation explores strategies to preserve sites of African American history
Community Visioning in a Nutshell
This nutshell guide will guide you through this process, and provide recommendations for templates and further recommended resources that will support you in developing your own materials.
Board of Directors Demographics Matrix
A simple tool to help you evaluate the diversity of your board of directors along age, gender, race, sexuality, income, and more. Created by Indiana Main Street.
Anti-Racism Resources
As community organizations, it is important for Main Streets to stand against racism and bigotry. This toolkit is designed to give you an understanding of the history of our country, the key tenants of allyship, and the ways that your organization can help reduce injustice.
Richmond, CA © Ellen Gailing
Advancing Inclusive Entrepreneurship
Watch this webinar to learn techniques and strategies to support minority entrepreneurs and create a diverse small business ecosystem.
Activating the Main Street Approach through Placemaking
Learn how placemaking principles can be utilized as an implementation strategy of local Main Street efforts to empower community members and create more action-oriented programs
Metuchen, NJ © Lauren Beischer
The Importance of Inclusive Entrepreneurship Ecosystems
An article from State of Main exploring the impact of entrepreneurship and examining ways to create inclusion in the development of entrepreneurship ecosystems. Published in State of Main.
Metuchen, NJ © Isaac Kremer
Why We Need to Invest in Transformative Placemaking
An article from State of Main describing the need for place-led economic development that produces strong economic outcomes for communities.
Designing for Health & Wellbeing Supports Community Prosperity
A look at the connection between the wellbeing of residents and the vitality of communities and explore the wide range of design elements and tools available that will lead to more active, accessible and connected Main Streets. Published in State of Main.
Building Inclusive Communities on Main Street
Learn about the important role that Main Street America programs have to play in building inclusive communities.
Storytelling and Main Street
Explore the ways that the Sweet Auburn district in Atlanta, Georgia has used storytelling and history to preserve their culture and advance their downtown revitalization efforts. Published in Main Street Now Journal.
From Vision to Reality
Learn about Sweet Auburn in Atlanta, which was just starting its journey back to prosperity, and H Street Main Street in DC, which has become a national success story. Published in Main Street Now Journal. Written by Teresa Lynch.
H Street, Washington DC
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Standards
Use these accessibility standards to guide you as you make accessibility upgrades in your community. Published by US Access Board.
Chicago, Illinois © Max Bender
Multicultural Merchandising
The importance of understanding multicultural design preferences as our business environment becomes increasingly diverse.
Beyond Farmers’ Markets
Local food system trends and a case study of Detroit’s historic Eastern Market and its efforts to change the city’s food system as well as revitalize adjacent neighborhoods.
How to Tell if Your Business District is LGBTQ+ Friendly
Simple checklist to evaluate the LGBTQ+ friendliness of your downtown community. Created by Shaw Main Streets Inc.
Waukegan, IL
Downtown Florence, South Carolina © True Light Photography
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