Main Street America

Building Stronger Communities Together

A large group of adults and children gather on a stage for a ribbon cutting event celebrating the completion of a nautical-themed mosaic mural that is visible behind them. — Oceanside, California © Main Street Oceanside

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

Jun

04

2025

Register: 2026 Great American Main Street Awards Application Webinar

Learn more about the Great American Main Street Awards. Hear about eligibility requirements and key dates, get a preview of the application, and gain helpful tips from a GAMSA-winning community.
Jun

09

2025

Request for Proposals: Video Production, Great American Main Street Awards

Main Street America seeks to retain the services of an experienced company to produce videos for our Great American Main Street Awards program.
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 Awards Winner

Raton, New Mexico

2025 Great American Main Street Awards 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 Awards 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 Awards 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 Awards Winner

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

Monroeville, Alabama

2024 Great American Main Street Awards 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

Main Spotlight: The LGBTQ+ Community’s Role in Economic Vitality

LGBTQ+ business owners, workers, and customers have a significant impact on local economies. Learn how your community can foster belonging to support more inclusive economic growth.

June 3, 2025

A group of people in colorful clothing carrying rainbow flags march in a Pride parade — LGBTQ+ people are significant contributors to many local economies. Photo by Photo Italia LLC.

Insights

Advocacy Spotlight: Federal Policy Issues Affecting Main Streets

Main Street America is monitoring several federal policy issues that may impact Main Streets, including the proposed federal budget, HTC-Go, and funding for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices.

May 22, 2025

US Capitol Building — Main Street America is monitoring several policy issues that may impact Main Streets. Photo by David Knox.

Insights

Main Spotlight: Understanding Vacancy and What You Can Do About It

Vacant properties are a significant problem for many Main Streets. Understanding the causes and leveraging incentive programs and regulatory changes can help create a more vibrant district.

May 20, 2025

Aerial photo of historic buildings — Quincy, Illinois, reduced vacancy by offering incentives tailored to local needs. Photo by Qcy From Above.

Insights

Accepting Applications: 2026 Great American Main Street Awards

Tell us your Main Street success story and how you leverage the Main Street Approach to catalyze people-led positive change in your community for the chance to be recognized as a Great American Main Street. Apply by July 11.

May 19, 2025

Jefferson Matters team holding their 2025 GAMSA plaque while posing for a celebratory photo, with the 2026 GAMSA visible in the lower right corner. — Jefferson Matters celebrates their 2025 Great American Main Street Award. Photo by BeauMonde Originals/Main Street America

Events and Opportunities

Main Spotlight: Announcing the 2025 Main Street America Designated Communities and Collective Impact of Local Programs in 2024

Main Street America is pleased to announce that 1,172 programs across the country have achieved designation as Main Street America programs in recognition of their commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.

May 13, 2025

Groups of families walk down a road in Wytheville, VA dressed in patriotic colors.

Announcement

Community Spotlight: Celebrating Spring with a Window Decorating Contest

Learn how Thomasville, Georgia, activates its storefronts each spring with a rose-themed window decorating contest.

May 8, 2025

Singer sewing machine decorated with roses — The Downtown Thomasville Window Decorating Contest engages business owners in a friendly competition. Photo courtesy of City of Thomasville.

Storytelling

Application Now Open: $10,000 Backing Small Businesses Disaster Recovery Grants

The Backing Small Businesses grant program, supported by American Express, is now accepting applications for a round of Disaster Recovery grants. Grant funds will support locally significant and economically vulnerable small businesses that have been impacted by the California Wildfires and other FEMA-declared disasters on or after January 1, 2024. Businesses can apply for one of 100 available $10,000 grants to support their recovery efforts.

May 7, 2025

Backing Small Businesses Disaster Recovery Grants, supported by American Express

Announcement

Main Spotlight: Main Street Business Owners Express Significant Concerns in Spring 2025 Small Business Survey

The results of our Spring 2025 Small Business Profiles Survey show increasing economic anxieties among Main Street business owners across the country.

May 7, 2025

Historic Main Street with brick buildings — Our 2025 Small Business Profiles Survey results show increasing economic anxieties for Main Street business owners. © Althom

Insights

8 Main Street Communities Empowered by The Hartford Small Business Accelerator Grants

Eight communities have been selected to receive the 2025 Small Business Accelerator grants, in partnership with The Hartford.

May 6, 2025

Header text Small Business Accelerator Grant Program with logos for Main Street America and The Hartford.

Announcement

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

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.

Join Us