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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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Main Street America Celebrates National Community Development Week
National Community Development (CD) week is an opportunity to share the success of projects that utilize Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development.
Across the country, CDBG offers opportunities to communities to create stronger and more resilient communities, particularly for low- and moderate-income people, through grant funds for a broad range of community development projects. This includes projects essential to Main Street revitalization such as downtown housing, façade improvements, public space projects, infrastructure improvements, small business support, and training activities provided through Main Street coordinating programs.
Created through the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, CDBG funds are appropriated by Congress each year and distributed to communities through a formula process. The majority of funds (70%) are dedicated to larger cities (entitlement communities), while the remaining portion is distributed by states to smaller and rural communities. Nearly 1,250 state and local governments receive annual CDBG allocations to implement projects that address community-level needs based on locally determined priorities. The program has a strong return-on-investment; in 2021, every $1.00 of CDBG leveraged $2.80 in additional resources to further enhance community development. In addition, CDBG projects create jobs and support public health, well-being, and quality of life.
Main Street and Community Development
Main Street programs across the country work in partnership with state and local governments to help ensure CDBG dollars impact residents, business owners, and stakeholders in rural downtowns and big city commercial corridors. From housing in rural Iowa to Boston’s 20 neighborhood Main Street districts, CDBG provides essential support to Main Street revitalization.
In Indiana, the PreservINg Main Street program, collaborative effort between Indiana’s Office of Community and Rural Affairs, Indiana Landmarks, and Indiana Humanities, offers a comprehensive downtown revitalization model utilizing $2 million of CDBG funds per participating community to preserve and rehabilitate historic Main Street buildings, create public awareness and community pride, and offer added capacity building and leadership development opportunities for community leaders. Two Indiana Main Street communities, Kendallville and Brookville, were chosen as initial program participants in 2021. Through a combination of building façade improvements and public programs, the PreservINg Main Street program will attract additional investment and business to downtown corridors. Additional capacity building for community organizations and long-term revolving loan funds help to sustain the impact of these initiatives and help the community reach a broader audience.
Despite its success as a tool for community and economic development in both urban and rural areas, funding appropriated to CDBG has been steadily declining, not keeping pace with demand and needs of low- and moderate-income communities. Funding for CDBG has decreased from $4.5 billion in 1995 to $3.3 billion in 2023. Concurrently more communities are eligible as entitlement recipients, meaning less funding is being stretched further to meet community development needs.
Main Street America supports robust funding levels for the Community Development Block Grant program. MSA is a member of the CDBG Coalition, a group dedicated to raising awareness of the CDBG program and the need for more program resources. In partnership with these thirty-one national organizations, Main Street America calls on Congress to provide increased funding to CDBG at $4.2B in FY24 to sustain previous levels of investment and continue support for Main Street programs and essential community projects that increase the vitality of our downtowns and neighborhood districts.
Raise Awareness About CDBG in Your Community
Sign-on! The CDBG Coalition is calling on national, state and local organizations to express their support for robust funding for CDBG in FY24. You can join in showing support for the program by adding your organization here
If programs and projects in your community are the beneficiaries of CDBG funding, showcase them in your social media. Use the hashtag #CDWeek2023 or #CDBGworks to share the success of these funds in helping you advance community priorities and create quality of life in your commercial district.
Beyond CD Week, remember to feature CDBG funded projects in annual reports, case studies, or other media around downtown success. Showcase successful CDBG projects when you host Members of Congress in your community. Whether during summer recess, a Member’s multi-county tour, or a focused discussion, use the opportunity to uplift CDBG as a vital resource.
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.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $20B in federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) awards distributed to eight national non-profit consortiums. Main Street America looks forward to partnership and engagement with awardees and local programs to identify projects and expand impact throughout our network.
Tasha Sams, Manager of Education Programs, shares highlights of phase one of the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E3) in Rural Main Streets Program and the biggest takeaways from the workshop experiences.
In this video, learn more about the Williams’ family story, how the business is helping to revive downtown Helena, and the impact they’re having on a national level.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Every year, H2BE holds their Juneteenth Mobility Stroll and Roll in Dearborn, MI, which celebrates Black Americans and improves local connections. Learn more about the event and why Juneteenth is important to this community.
Do you want to support the next generation of Main Street leadership! Start a youth board! Learn how Historic Downtown Clinton set theirs up and how your organization can benefit from one.
The Main Street Movement is a proud ally of the LGBTQ+ community. We spoke to Main Street leaders about how they support the LGBTQ+ community during Pride and beyond.
On May 9, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2023 which included a cultural district located within a designated Main Street America community.
The annual Cinco de Mayo Parade and Fiesta in the Mexicantown Main Street district offers a great example of collaborative partnerships that honor the community’s cultural heritage and support local businesses through events.
Meet Kavi, the first Indian American Girl of the Year doll and a (fictional) resident of 2023 Great American Main Street Award winner Metuchen, New Jersey!
Main Street America was awarded $5.9 million to support 20 communities in the Main Streets Community of Practice through the Department of Transportation's Thriving Communities Program over the next two years.
We spoke to three women who were awarded Inclusive Backing grants to learn more about their passions, their businesses, and their advice for other women.
Anette Landeros, President and CEO of Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, shares the importance of supporting Hispanic business owners and communities.
#EquityRising, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation's new job training program, seeks to combat rising cost of living by helping residents train for careers that will allow them to stay in their neighborhood.
We spoke to three Black business owners who were awarded Backing Small Businesses grants from Main Street America and American Express to better understand their challenges, successes, and the kinds of support that have helped them the most.
Stockbridge Main Street has made significant strides in exploring and sharing the story of Martin Luther King, father of civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr.
Juneteenth is the anniversary of the final emancipation of enslaved people in the US. Here are five examples of examples of community celebrations from Main Streets across the network.
Oklahoma is home to the headquarters of nearly 40 federally recognized Native American tribes, and many of their offices, cultural sites, and museums are located close to or within Main Street districts.
Kendall Whittier is one of the most diverse neighborhoods in an ever-diversifying Tulsa. Learn how they are making efforts to engage their large Hispanic community.
We spoke with two Black entrepreneurs in UrbanMain commercial districts: L. May Creations in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and The Four Way in south Memphis, Tennessee.
Main Street America is committed to helping build inclusive communities. Homelessness is an increasingly important issue facing Main Street communities big and small, urban and rural.
To understand the role that immigrant business owners play in Boston’s small business ecosystem, you need only to walk through any Boston Main Streets district.