Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams
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.
Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street
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.
Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America
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!
Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo
Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.
Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street
Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
As many of you saw last week, The New York Times Sunday Review ran an opinion piece by economist Louis Hyman, The Myth of Main Street. Mr. Hyman presents a bleak choice for Main Street America: persist in hopeless efforts to rebuild your downtown or graciously accept a future of telecommuting for a distant corporation. We know, of course, that this is a false choice.
The National Main Street Center and the Brookings Institution have jointly authored a response to Mr. Hyman’s piece, The Reality of Main Street, that is featured on Brookings’ blog. We encourage you to check it out, keep up the dialogue, and continue to share with us just how real your Main Street is by using the hashtag #realmainstreet.
You can also download The Reality of Main Street as a PDFto share with your local media!
Thank you for your emails, messages, and posts over the last week—and for all the great work you do revitalizing Main Street every day.
Best regards,
Patrice Frey President and CEO, National Main Street Center
Main Street Now 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is sure to be the biggest professional development event for civic leaders looking to boost their impact and role in the success of their local Main Street. And with registration as low as $200, it's an unbeatable opportunity.
Photo by BeauMonde Originals
Dionne Baux shares how Historic King Drive BID's executive director Ray Hill is leading the district to success by supporting strong economic sustainability.
Rooted in Main Street fundamentals and informed by feedback from across the network, the 2026 schedule is full of opportunities to exchange ideas, tackle real challenges, and gain practical tools to help communities stand strong for generations to come. Get a peek at new sessions, revamped favorites, and role-based learning tracks.
Photo by BeauMonde Originals
