Types of Coordinating Programs

Statewide Main Street Coordinating Programs

Statewide Main Street coordinating programs assist cities and towns within the state with downtown and neighborhood business district revitalization. Statewide Main Street programs support local Main Street efforts through the following general ways:

by creating economic development tools and resources according to the state's specific economic conditions;
by competitively selecting local Main Street districts and programs to participate in the state network;
by providing an appropriate scope of technical assistance to participating local Main Street programs;
in very few cases, by providing financial assistance to local Main Street organizations;
by providing networking, advocacy, and encouragement to participating local Main Street programs;
by serving as a liaison with the National Trust Main Street Center; and
by identifying local programs that annually meet the standards of National Main Street Accreditation.

Most state Main Street programs primarily serve Main Street downtown revitalization programs, but some state programs also assist neighborhood commercial districts in larger cities within the state. As time allows, many state Main Street programs provide limited amounts of technical assistance and training to communities and organizations other than participating Main Street programs.

Forty-three states have launched statewide Main Street programs since 1980. The National Trust Main Street Center has been involved with the creation of nearly every existing coordinating program. As of spring 2004, 41 active Main Street coordinating programs exist across the United States. They include 37 state programs, four citywide Main Street programs, and one countywide coordinating program.

Statewide Main Street programs are housed either in government agencies or in private nonprofit organizations.

Sixteen state coordinating programs are housed in state government departments of commerce or economic development.
Ten are housed in private nonprofit organizations.
Seven are housed in state historic preservation offices.
Three are housed in state departments of housing or community development.
One is housed in the office of the state's Lieutenant Governor.

The average State Main Street coordinating program budget is $508,224, with an average staff size of 3.09 full-time and 1.64 part-time staff serving an average of 30.11 local Main Street programs.

Regional Main Street Coordinating Programs

Regional Main Street coordinating programs are established to assist cities and towns in a specific geographical or political region with downtown and neighborhood business district revitalization. These programs effectively function like a traditional statewide Main Street program, but serve a smaller number of communities in a smaller geographical or politically created area. Regional coordinating programs have been established for individual counties and for communities in a region that shares some affinity, e.g., the Illinois and Michigan Canal Corridor. Communities participating in regional Main Street programs follow the Main Street Four-Point Approach™ at the local level, complete with a local governing board and Main Street director.

Regional Main Street programs support local Main Street efforts in the following general ways:

by creating economic development tools and resources that reflect the region's specific economic conditions and needs;
by competitively selecting local Main Street districts and programs for participation;
by providing an appropriate scope of technical assistance to participating local Main Street programs;
by providing networking, advocacy, and encouragement to participating local Main Street programs;
by serving as a liaison with the National Trust Main Street Center; and
by identifying local programs that annually meet standards of National Main Street Accreditation.

Regional Main Street coordinating programs primarily serve Main Street downtown revitalization programs in cities that range in population size. As time allows, regional Main Street program staff also provide limited technical assistance and training to communities and organizations other than participating Main Street programs.

Because of their proximity to participating local programs, regional Main Street coordinating programs are often able to deliver more technical assistance and training to communities. Regions also often have more homogenous economic circumstances and issues, which can enable the regional coordinating program to focus tightly on the Main Street issues and needs of the communities within that region.

In many cases, regional Main Street coordinating programs are created in the absence of a statewide coordinating program, or because regional leaders want to provide more assistance than the statewide program may be able to offer. Regional coordinating Main Street programs are typically established within existing public or private economic or community development organizations.

Note that a regional Main Street coordinating program is different from a local regional Main Street program (often called a "circuit-rider" Main Street program). The regional coordinating program offers technical assistance and training to participating local communities. A local regional Main Street, or circuit-rider, program consists of multiple communities, often very small towns, that band together to pool resources and share staff to implement the Main Street approach in their respective downtown districts. For more on circuit-rider programs, see (link to org model section).

Citywide Coordinating Programs

Citywide Main Street coordinating programs assist neighborhood-based organizations with the revitalization of traditional neighborhood business districts located within the city. Citywide Main Street programs support neighborhood Main Street efforts in the following general ways:

by creating economic development tools and resources that target apparent needs in the neighborhoods and reflect the city's specific economic conditions;
by competitively selecting local Main Street districts and programs for participation;
by providing an appropriate scope of technical assistance to neighborhood Main Street organizations;
by providing financial assistance to local Main Street organizations, primarily as operating capital;
by providing networking, advocacy, and encouragement to participating neighborhood Main Street programs;
by serving as a liaison with the National Trust Main Street Center; and
by identifying the local programs that annually meet standards of National Main Street Accreditation.

In many cases, citywide Main Street programs are created because the city recognizes the advantages of utilizing the Main Street approach to revitalize its traditional neighborhood business districts. Citywide programs often also develop because a statewide coordinating program does not exist or does not have the resources to meet the needs of the city's neighborhood business districts.

Six cities have established citywide Main Street programs since 1995. As of fall 2004, five citywide Main Street coordinating programs remain active, serving a total of 38 neighborhood Main Street programs:

Baltimore, Maryland (Baltimore Development Corporation)
Boston, Massachusetts (Office of Business Development)
Detroit, Michigan (Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Commercial Revitalization)
Washington, D.C. (Office of Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Department of City Development)

The average citywide Main Street coordinating program budget is $2,250,000, with an average staff size of 5.5 full-time and 2 part-time staff serving an average of 15.5 local Main Street programs.

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