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Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

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We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

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Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

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Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

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Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

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Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

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People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

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Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

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Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

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Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Overview Who We Are How We Work Partner Collaborations Our Supporters Our Team Job Opportunities Contact Us
Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

Overview News & Stories Events & Opportunities Subscribe
Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

Get Involved

Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

Overview Join Us Renew Your Membership Donate Partner With Us Job Opportunities

Earlier this year, 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.

This series explored small town economic development and quality of life, how the pandemic has affected real estate and land use practices, asset-based economic development, and redeveloping suburbs and aging commercial corridors. While this series was designed for North Carolina cities and towns, the content Ed shares is both evergreen and applicable for Main Street communities across the nation.

Learn more about Leverage NC’s series and hear inspiring words from Ed below:

Part 1: Secrets of Successful Communities

“Successful communities always have a vision for the future. Failing to plan simply means planning to fail”

Every community has its own strengths and weaknesses, but successful communities often share some common characteristics. This webinar examines the “secrets of successful communities,” exploring how some communities are able to maintain their economic vitality and quality of life in a rapidly changing world, while other communities continue to lose jobs, population and their once unique character and identity. Learn about tools and techniques that successful communities use to thrive!

VIEW PART 1 ON VIMEO

Part 2: How the Pandemic is Affecting Real Estate and Land Use

“For communities, there’s really only two kinds of change: there’s planned change and there’s unplanned change.”

The pandemic is transforming how and where Americans live, work, shop, and move around. But, as Ed points out in this important conversation, most of these changes were occurring before the pandemic began and have only been accelerated by it. As many of these changes will continue after the pandemic has ended, it is essential that Main Street stakeholders understand these changes, the impact they are currently having on real estate and land use, and what these trends mean for the future of our work.

VIEW PART 2 ON VIMEO

Part 3: Asset Based Economic Development

“Small really does matter: small steps, small businesses, small deals, and small developments can add up to a big impact.”

Today, successful economic development is more about what a community has, rather than what it doesn’t have. This webinar examines how the economic development paradigm is changing. Industrial recruitment, for example, is still important, but today, growing existing businesses is even more important. Ed also outlines the role “place” plays in economic development and provides examples of how communities are investing in and enhancing “quality of place” to foster new jobs and investment.

VIEW PART 3 ON VIMEO

Part 4: Redeveloping Suburbs and Commercial Corridors

“Many suburbs are building in more compact, walkable, mixed use ways and these suburbs are outperforming the drive everywhere for everything suburbs.”

The suburbs are changing, and the old approaches to suburban development no longer work. Between an undersupply of multi-family housing, small lot housing, and mixed-use development and the migration to suburbs and smaller cities, it is imperative that Main Street professionals find new ways to revitalize aging suburbs, dead malls, and cluttered commercial strips. In this workshop, Ed explores the tools and techniques that communities are using to do just that.

VIEW PART 4 ON VIMEO


Thank you to Leverage NC for organizing these great workshops! Hear more from Ed McMahon here.