The numbers don’t lie: Main Street businesses need help — and local leaders must rise to the moment.

The confidence of small business owners has dropped to a three-year low. Costs are rising, customer traffic is decreasing, and livelihoods are on the line. According to the Spring 2025 Small Business Profiles Survey, nearly half of business owners reported a drop in profits and 43% are unable to meet basic living expenses.

Now is the time to dive into what supporting small businesses looks like in this challenging economic environment. Generously sponsored by U.S. Bank, this live, three-week course centers the real challenges of entrepreneurs and equips Main Street leaders with invaluable insights and practical tools to respond. Featuring small business owners and technical assistance providers from around the nation, join us for an in-depth look into what small businesses need now and how your Main Street organization can meet this moment.

Note: The content of Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street is refreshed every year — if you have previously participated in this special course, we welcome and encourage you to join us again!

Workshop Details

When: Thursdays, September 4 – 18, 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. CT

Where: Virtual

Price: $275 Members | $350 Non-members

Registration: Registration is open through September 2. Register here >

Instructors: This course is led by Main Street America’s Director of Education, Tasha Sams, and features instruction from several Main Street America staff, including but not limited to:

• Gustavo Ustariz, Director of Entrepreneur and Small Business Support
• Joi Cuartero Austin, Senior Program Officer, Economic Vitality
• Michael Powe, PH.D., Senior Director of Research 

As part of the 2025 SSBOMS, Main Street America is proud to be joined by small business owners from around the nation to connect this virtual experience with real small business owners. Stay tuned as we’ll be announcing their names, small businesses, and locations soon!

What to Expect: The Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street course is carefully structured to pair independent learning with dynamic instruction. Participants will be responsible for learning foundational concepts before class sessions and expected to actively participate in class time activities that involve connection, engagement, and higher-order thinking. This online course consists of 1.5 hour live online sessions – one per week for three weeks. Participants will also spend an average of three (3) hours outside of class each week learning foundational concepts. Over the three-week experience, participants are strongly encouraged to devote a minimum of five (5) hours each week to this course.

Live participation is highly encouraged as the course’s interactive format (breakout sessions, small group activities, live speaker Q&A sessions, etc.) is most beneficial in a live, group setting. For participants who are unable to tune in live, sessions will be recorded and made available on-demand until October 24, 2025.

Learning Objectives: The course will focus on teaching three skills:

• Assess Current Business Conditions — Participants will interpret key findings from the Spring 2025 Small Business Profiles Survey to pinpoint the most urgent pressures facing local small businesses.
• Evaluate and Refine Main Street Support — Through facilitated panels with small business owners and technical‑assistance providers, participants will categorize common challenges (e.g., rising costs, decreased foot traffic, cash‑flow gaps) and map them to appropriate Main Street support services. 
• Design and Deploy Responsive Support Strategies — Drawing on case studies and lessons learned toolkits, participants will develop at least two concrete, evidence‑based action plans — such as targeted marketing campaigns, cost‑management workshops, or peer‑mentorship cohorts — that their Main Street organizations can implement immediately to bolster small‑business resilience

Scholarship Opportunity

About & Eligibility: As part of U.S. Bank’s sponsorship, a limited number of scholarships providing registration at a reduced rate of $100 are available to participants serving communities located within U.S. Bank markets. Communities must be located within 10 – 20 miles of a U.S. Bank location to be considered, with special priority given to participants serving districts located in the states of California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Application & Awards: Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants will receive determinations by Friday, August 29, 2025. Scholarship recipients will receive a discount code to use at registration. Eligible and interested participants are encouraged to submit scholarship applications as soon as possible and before registering for the course. The application will close on Friday, August 22, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CT, or when all scholarships have been awarded. Apply for the Scholarship >