Check out one of the Great Lakes Main Street Conference sessions

We are only 47 days away from the inaugural Great Lakes Main Street Conference! The cost to register is $100 per person. Registration includes attendance to the breakout and keynote sessions, as well as breakfast and refreshments.

The complete agenda can be downloaded here. Below is a deep dive into one of the sessions we think you might find beneficial to attend:

Attracting Entrepreneurs to Your Community: led by Shelley Swift, Executive Director of Greenfield Main Street (pictured left) and Katelyn Colclazier, Manager of Regulatory Affairs & Small Business Ombudsman of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (pictured above, right). In this session, learn about how your Main Street organization can partner with economic development organizations to stimulate investment in your downtown. Shelley Swift and Katelyn Colclazier will talk about their partnership, and how Greenfield Indiana Main Street was able to create a “pitch night” to attract entrepreneurs to invest. This is an incredible opportunity to learn from a community who was able to successfully attract entrepreneurs to their downtown. More information on registration and lodging can be found on our website.

135 Indiana Main Streets strong

We are so excited to welcome Main Street Centerville and  Roann's Community Heritage / Roann Main Street.into the Indiana Main Street program. The program has grown to have a total of 135 organizations across the state. Indiana has one of the largest (and greatest) contingents in the US. A special thank you to Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch for kicking off the Centerville celebration last night.

“Congratulations to Roann and Centerville for becoming the latest organizations to join the Indiana Main Street Program,” said Jodi Golden, OCRA Executive Director. "By seeking this designation, these communities are committed to preserve, cultivate and revitalize their historic commercial core and cultivate a strong and vibrant downtown.”

Apply for the 2020 Great American Main Street Award

Great American Main Street Award winners represent the best and brightest in preservation-based commercial district revitalization across the country. Don’t miss the chance to be celebrated as one of the nation’s top Main Street communities, and submit your application by Tuesday, July 9 (midnight CST). All accredited Main Street America programs, that have not previously won, are eligible to apply. Winners are selected from a nationwide pool of applicants by a jury of Main Street professionals and leaders in the fields of community and economic development and historic preservation. Criteria for winning include: strength of the Main Street program in spurring community transformation, commitment to historic preservation, innovative programming, implementation of cross-sector partnerships, and demonstration of change over time.

What to do for your town that doesn't require permission

from Small Biz Survival

Building community in your small town sounds like a daunting task. It’s easy to get bogged down, thinking there’s too much to do, that you’d need too many permissions or it would take too much money. The reality of building community is it’s a change of mindset to take small steps. 

Click below to view 60+ small-town-approved ideas to continue to build your community. 

Important Dates

Wednesday, July 3 − Downtown Development Week Grant awards announced.

Thursday, July 11 − INspire Idea competition finalists announced.

Tuesday, July 23 − Opportunity Zone Summit

View our complete calendar.

Attend the Opportunity Zone Summit

The Opportunity Investment Consortium of Indiana invites Mayors and Local Economic Development Leaders to attend an Opportunity Zone Summit on July 23, 2019 at the 1899 Experience Venue in Indianapolis.

The full-day experience will provide local leaders with:

• An overview of Opportunity Zones;
• A discussion on the impact Quality Opportunity Funds will have on communities;
• A platform to converse on the integral role of local government; and,
• Networking with OZ funders.

Click here to learn more and register.

Share your story: guest blog for Main Street America

Do you have a story to tell about the transformation of your Main Street district or have tools and strategies to share with Main Street leaders on how to lead a more effective revitalization effort? Main Street America has a daily blog that is used as a platform to share stories from around the network, provide unique perspectives on industry trends and thought leadership, and offer resources to help commercial district practitioners build stronger communities. To learn more, read the general guidelines for guest blogging below and being crafting your proposal.

Ready to pitch your idea?  

Complete this form to pitch your idea for a guest blog post. The submissions are reviewed regularly and you will be notified within seven business days. If you have any questions, please contact this email address.

Dress up your chain links in your downtowns

from Small Biz Survival

You’ve seen it before: a chain link fence right in the middle of a downtown. Usually there’s barbed wire at the top. Let’s face it, barbed wire is not the friendliest look for a downtown. We can do better.

Be a part of a national network of Main Streets. Visit mainstreet.org or call (312) 619-5611 to join Main Street America.