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.

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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

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.

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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.

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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
Representatives from the Waymakers Collective, Appalshop, and the Hindman Settlement School discuss resilience through culture. Photo by Tasha Sams.

Hosted annually by Appalachians for Appalachia, The Appalachian Big Ideas Festival (ABIF) brings hundreds of rural leaders, storytellers, waymakers, creatives, and entrepreneurs together to celebrate all that is and all that will be in Appalachia. Everyone has big ideas – of course – but what does it look like to put those ideas into action?

I was invited to attend to participate on a panel about Impact Investing, and what that looks like at Main Street America. I shared the work we are carrying out through our Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Rural Communities Pilot Program, which is supporting communities in Appalachia and beyond.

Unveiling the healing tree

‘Appalachia is not a monolith’ is a sentiment repeated and broadly showcased at ABIF. The event included an impressive roster of speakers, like Appalachian influencers Andie Marie, the Appodlachia team, and Danielle Kirk; Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, the first member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to publish a novel; and Kentucky’s Poet Laureate and internationally recognized author and creative, Silas House. They uplifted every version of Appalachia you can imagine, ensuring that attendees could see themselves not only in the programming, but also in the people in the room. Guided by a resident storyteller, Kiran Singh Sirah and the power of narrative, the three-day experience centered Indigenous culture and the experience of Indigenous communities in Appalachia and beyond. We were part of the incredible Kentucky premiere of the documentary titled “ᏓᏗᏬᏂᏏ (We Will Speak),” a film by ᎤᎶᎩᎳ /Schon Duncan about Cherokee language preservation. Schon joined us from Oklahoma, as did Chef Nico Albert Williams (ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ Cherokee Nation), who prepared an amazing keynote lunch highlighting Cherokee foodways and stories.

The impact and implications of climate change were also brought to the forefront of ABIF. Ravaged by a devastating flood just last year, it is estimated that 10,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. We traveled to the Bearville/Hickory Hill Housing Community – homes built by a collaborative of community members and organizations for those who lost theirs in the flood. Eastern Kentucky is home to more than prescribed resilience and grit – it is home to hope, wholeness, and community. We visited the former Starfire coal mine site, where a $1 billion solar project is taking shape – bringing Eastern Kentucky to the forefront of both “mine reclamation and Social Impact Solar”.

At Main Street America, we know that it’s not enough to focus on the physical revitalization of a community or downtown. We must also support revitalization of the stories and cultures within a community – both new and old. When I reflect on our work with the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Rural Communities pilot program, I find that truth is always in the nuance, and you can only get there with transparency and trust - and often courage.