Characteristics of a Strong Coordinating Program

Strong Main Street coordinating programs exhibit several important measures of success. These programs:

Respond to and meet the needs of local Main Street programs;
Build a network of local Main Street programs that exhibit a high reinvestment ratio which increases incrementally each year;
Have a high percentage of local Main Street programs that remain active over time;
Embody a strong preservation ethic and successfully preserve and protect historic Main Street buildings and other relevant historic resources;
Garner resources from both the public and private sectors to revitalize historic and traditional commercial districts;
Employ an adequate number of staff members who provide basic services to communities and help them create local programs that effectively use all four points of the Main Street approach;
Develop and maintain a high level of positive visibility and credibility within their jurisdictions (state, city, or region);
Garner bi-partisan political support in the jurisdiction's executive and legislative levels;
Obtain adequate and stable funding from multiple public and private sector sources;
Positively shape policies and legislation to support the revitalization of traditional commercial districts and the preservation of historic Main Street buildings;
Encourage local Main Street programs to evolve and mature; and
Expand and evolve to address progressively more complex revitalization issues.