Main Street America

Building Stronger Communities Together

Jazz band performing onstage. — Denison, Texas © Randy Sedlacek

Main Street America leads an inclusive, impact-driven movement dedicated to reenergizing and strengthening older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts nationwide.

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Programs and resources just for you

Kids breakdancing in front of an audience. — Metuchen, New Jersey © Richard Alfonzo Photography

Knowledge Hub
Explore our comprehensive digital library containing 100s of best-in-class community development materials.
Professional Development
The Main Street America Institute is the leading provider of education for downtown and commercial district leaders.
Field Services
Our team of experts offers on-the-ground training to help make your vision for your community a reality.

Events & Opportunities

May

06

2025

Register: American Express Backing Small Businesses Disaster Recovery Grants

Learn more about a special round of Disaster Recovery grants, supported by the American Express Backing Small Businesses Grant Program, for eligible locally significant small businesses that have been impacted by recent natural disasters.
May

15

2025

Register: Levitt Music Series Grants Webinar

Join the Levitt Foundation for a live webinar to learn how your community can apply for up to $120K for a free outdoor concert series.
Jun

30

2025

Apply: T‑Mobile Hometown Grant Program

With T‑Mobile’s Hometown Grant program, up to 100 small towns with a population of 50,000 or less receive placemaking project funding of up to $50,000 each.

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Destination: Main Street

With over 1,600 community coalitions nationwide, there’s something for everyone on Main Street. Explore our inspiring member network.

Six musicians perform on a stage. — Denison’s Arts and Jazz Fest features live jazz throughout downtown. Discover Denison, Denison Arts Council, local school jazz bands, and over a dozen local art vendors worked together to provide this unique experience. © Randy Sedlacek

Denison, Texas

2025 Great American Main Street Award Winner

Raton, New Mexico

2025 Great American Main Street Award Winner

Bearded man is shaving wood intently to create hand-made furniture. — Furniture maker Robby Pederson and his custom furniture store, RVP~1875, is one of Jefferson’s top tourism entities, connecting the history of the community and region with modern experiences and functionality. © Matt Wetrich

Jefferson, Iowa

2025 Great American Main Street Award Winner

People lounge in chairs, sit at bistro tables, and stroll through a large plaza dotted with trees and surrounded by historic brick buildings. — Visitors enjoy the newly renovated Cotton Avenue Plaza, where a Confederate monument stood before being relocated to Rose Hill Cemetery. © DSTO Moore

Macon, Georgia

2024 Great American Main Street Award Winner

A woman smiles while watering plants in a vintage bathtub-turned-planter placed outside her store. — Family-owned and operated businesses like Fountain Alley work daily to create the perfect experience for their customers. © Austin Sims

Madison, Indiana

2024 Great American Main Street Award Winner

Aerial view of the Monroeville Courthouse Square. — Monroeville, Alabama © Pierce Drones

Monroeville, Alabama

2024 Great American Main Street Award Winner

People shopping at an indoor farmers market. — Danville, Virginia © Laura Ashworth

Danville, Virginia

2023 Great American Main Street Award Winner

Two historic brick buildings flank the entrance to an outdoor plaza with a square, metal and stained glass gateway. — The James Allen Plaza — constructed by volunteers, city staff, and local artists — is a welcoming space for celebrations, community events, and relaxation. © True Light Photography

Florence, South Carolina

2023 Great American Main Street Award Winner

Four people stand shoulder to shoulder in front of a large red "M" structure. Behind them, a plaza is filled with visitors and white pop-up canopy tents staffed by vendors participating in a spring bazaar event. — Metuchen Downtown Alliance board members at the annual Spring Bazaar. © Lauren Beischer

Metuchen, New Jersey

2023 Great American Main Street Award Winner

Featured Resource

Main Street Disaster and Resilience Toolkit

Get the tools to plan for, prepare for, and recover from natural disasters in your community. Download the toolkit here.

Volunteers in a downtown park cleaning up fallen tree limbs and other debris — Marion, IA © Uptown Marion

Recent News and Stories

Advocacy Spotlight: Speak up to support improvements to the Federal Historic Tax Credit

The Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act would open opportunities for Main Streets to access funding to rehabilitate historic buildings.

May 1, 2025

A row of historic buildings with colorful facades — The Brewhouse Lofts project in Macon, Georgia, was supported by the federal Historic Tax Credit. © Jessica Whitley Photography and NewTown Macon

Insights

Main Spotlight: Insights, Reflections, and What’s Next with the BOOMS Tracker

Data from the past year and updates on our building inventory tool, the Building Opportunities on Main Street Tracker

April 29, 2025

Historic red brick corner building with a coffee shop — Ponca City, Oklahoma (22% of properties inventoried). Photo by My Media Matters.

Insights

Meet the 2025 Main Street America Revitalization Professional Credential Recipients

Join us in celebrating the 11 Main Street leaders who have most recently earned this prestigious credential and the Main Street movement's highest level of professional development achievement in grassroots revitalization efforts.

April 28, 2025

Group photo of the 2025 MSARP credential recipients. — From left, back row: Ben Levenger, Robert McLaughlin, Erick Phillips, Jennifer Herbert; front row: MacKenzie McGee, Carol Lilly, Carmen Hilton, Amanda Lanata, Blaire Buergler. Photo by BeauMonde Originals.

Announcement

Announcing the 2025 GM on Main Street Grant Recipients

Meet the recipients of the 2025 GM on Main Street grants!

April 24, 2025

GM on Main Street Grant Program Thumbnail

Announcement

Back to the Pivot — Navigating Your Small Business in a Challenging Economy

Join host Matt Wagner for his conversation on the current economic challenges facing small businesses and the strategies and innovative pivots that can help better navigate these turbulent headwinds.

April 23, 2025

Storytelling

Main Spotlight: Connecting, Innovating, and Sustaining a Healthy Main Street Movement

Key takeaways from six sessions at the 2025 Main Street Now Conference.

April 22, 2025

Two women sitting at a table laugh during a conference session — Attendees smile during an interactive discussion. © BeauMonde Originals

Insights

On the Durability of Main Streets

Erin Barnes explores the ways that Main Street programs are built to last, and how we can recognize this durability in the places we love and the organizations we steward.

April 10, 2025

A large crowd sitting in a dimly-lit theater listening to a person speaking from the stage. — Erin Barnes speaking at the 2025 Main Street Now Conference opening plenary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Storytelling

Just Announced: 2025 Mary Means Leadership Award Recipients

Main Street America is proud to recognize Sheri Stuart, Claudia Loya, and Josh Rogers as the recipients of the 2025 Mary Means Leadership Award.

April 9, 2025

Triptych of three headshots. Two women and one man.

Announcement

Main Spotlight: Announcing the 2025 Great American Main Street Award Winners

Main Street America is proud to recognize Denison Main Street, Jefferson Matters, and Raton MainStreet as 2025 Great American Main Street Award winners. All three organizations serve as exemplary models for resiliency, creative placemaking, and commitment to preservation-based economic development.

April 7, 2025

Triptych of photos. On the left, a band performing. In the center a man woodworking. On the right, an aerial photo of Raton, New Mexico.

Announcement

Introducing Made on Main

We’re excited to announce a new series on Main Street America’s online store, Shop Main Street, highlighting the stories behind the amazing brands, makers, and producers along our Main Streets.

April 3, 2025

Announcement

Just Released: Main Street America 2025 – 26 Policy Agenda

The Government Relations team is excited to release our new Policy Agenda outlining policy issues and recommendations at the local, state, and federal levels that impact Main Street communities.

April 2, 2025

Four people posing for a photo in front of the Capitol building — Participants at Main Street America’s 2025 Hill Day. © Main Street America

Announcement

Virginia, Wisconsin Main Street Selected for Community Investment Ecosystem Program

Two Main Street America (MSA) Coordinating Programs, Virginia Main Street and Wisconsin Main Street, have been selected to participate in the Unlocking Capital on Main Street Program, funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

April 2, 2025

Aerial shot of downtown street filled with pedestrians and booths. — Green Bay, Wisconsin © On Broadway Inc.

Announcement

People dancing in the street in Florence, South Carolina.

“Our downtown would not be the thriving ecosystem it is today without our community’s steadfast alignment with the Main Street Approach.”

- Hannah Davis, Main Street Program Director, Florence, S.C.

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