Downtown Knowledge

Main Street organizations are built on passion, partnerships, and people. But they’re also built on something quieter and just as powerful: institutional knowledge. It’s the drag path of past projects. The record of reinvestment. The notes about which property owner prefers a phone call over email. The work plans that shaped last year’s downtown event.…

Whether you’re new to downtown development or a seasoned Main Street pro, you’ve probably heard terms tossed around like “rent per square foot” or “activation strategies” and nodded along, secretly wondering what exactly they mean. We get it—and we’re here to help. Downtown revitalization comes with its own lingo. Knowing the right terms can make…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] Where to Find the Data That Moves Your Downtown Forward [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=””]If you’re part of a Coordinating Program or lead a local Main Street effort, you already know that strong decisions start with solid data. But where exactly do you find the information that can shape your strategies, prove your impact, and…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] Engaging Volunteers Downtown [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=””]Revitalizing a downtown takes passion, creativity, and people power. Volunteers are the backbone of these efforts, bringing energy to events, beautification projects, and business initiatives. But how do you engage and retain volunteers to keep your downtown thriving? Here are some key strategies. 1. Make Volunteering Meaningful People…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Downtown Design Guidelines [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Having strong design guidelines should be a part of your organization’s historic preservation efforts. As a Main Street organization, Design plays a critical role for our organization. We are often home to the most important buildings in our community, and need to ensure that those properties are preserved properly. Design…

It’s 2024 which means two things are for certain: we get a bonus day and an election! Ironically, by the time our bonus day rolls around, most of us will have already had our fill of talking heads and doomsday commercials surrounding the political campaigns. As for Leap Year, there are always fun promotions, sales,…

As we turn the calendar to 2024 many of us are already planning our year. We’re blocking out vacations, scheduling our signature events, and lining up key dates. For those of us in the Main Street program, an event that should be on everyone’s calendar is the Main Street NOW Conference that will be held…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Legislative Advocacy: Making the case for Main Street & Main Street Issues [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Hang around any group of Main Streeters (or any community revitalization professionals) long enough and you will inevitably start to hear about some form of legislative roadblock or some new bill that is going to make it harder to do their…

We’re all done with the terms, “new normal”, “pandemic”, “unprecedented” and about 724 others that have dominated our vocabulary over the past year and a half. Last year, we watched as very quickly everyone went from having events to being locked away from one another. Not surprising, this was very challenging for the organizations that…

Alright, how many of you saw social media and your organization and clicked the link without seeing “policy”? That’s okay. So this isn’t going to be the post where you find all the latest trends, get tips or how to get more followers, or find tools that can make you better at taking the next…