Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams
We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.
Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street
Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.
Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America
Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!
Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo
Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.
Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street
Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
As many of you saw last week, The New York Times Sunday Review ran an opinion piece by economist Louis Hyman, The Myth of Main Street. Mr. Hyman presents a bleak choice for Main Street America: persist in hopeless efforts to rebuild your downtown or graciously accept a future of telecommuting for a distant corporation. We know, of course, that this is a false choice.
The National Main Street Center and the Brookings Institution have jointly authored a response to Mr. Hyman’s piece, The Reality of Main Street, that is featured on Brookings’ blog. We encourage you to check it out, keep up the dialogue, and continue to share with us just how real your Main Street is by using the hashtag #realmainstreet.
You can also download The Reality of Main Street as a PDFto share with your local media!
Thank you for your emails, messages, and posts over the last week—and for all the great work you do revitalizing Main Street every day.
Best regards,
Patrice Frey President and CEO, National Main Street Center
From interactive self-paced courses and immersive in-person workshops, the Academy offers practical, engaging, and flexible learning experiences designed to help you grow your impact, sharpen your skills, and lead with confidence. We invite you to join us as we embark on this bold new chapter—start exploring the Academy today!
Did you know that many of the staff members at Main Street America have experience working for local Main Street programs? We asked them about their stories and the ways their experiences shape the work they do at the national level.
Join us for encore presentations of attendee-favorite sessions from the 2025 Main Street Now Conference, offering fresh perspectives on the topics that matter most to Main Street leaders.
