On March 19, 2020, Main Street America (MSA) announce that the states of Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Wyoming had been selected to participate in their Main Street Facade Improvement Grant Program.
The program is made possible by a $746,900 grant from the Historic Revitalization Subgrant Program (HSRP) as administered by the National Park Service (NPS), part of the U.S. Department of Interior.
The Main Street Facade Improvement Grant Program will significantly expand the funds available for façade improvements in rural communities. In each of the four states selected, three Main Street community partners will receive grants for façade improvements to help revitalize their downtown districts.
Each community is expected to award between two and nine grants of up to $25,000 each:
- In Kentucky, MSA will work with Kentucky Main Street, Maysville Main Street, Shelby Main Street, and Williamsburg Main Street to award grants in Maysville, Shelbyville, and Williamsburg.
- In New Mexico, MSA will work with New Mexico MainStreet, Deming Luna County Main Street, Gallup MainStreet Arts & Cultural District, and Silver City Main Street Project/Arts & Cultural District to award grants in Deming, Gallup, and Silver City.
- In North Carolina, MSA will work with North Carolina Main Street, Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc, Downtown Elkin Historic District, and Lenoir Main Street to award grants in Elizabeth City, Elkin, and Lenoir.
- In Wyoming, MSA will work with Wyoming Main Street, Laramie Main Street Alliance, Downtown Rock Springs, and Main Street Thermopolis to award grants in Laramie, Rock Springs, and Thermopolis.
The Main Street Facade Improvement Grant Program will demonstrate the power of coordinated, small-scale façade improvements on local economies, reinvigorate the image of these downtowns, and aim to attract private investment.
“We are thrilled to launch this program with our partners in Kentucky, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Wyoming,” said Main Street America’s Vice President of Revitalization Programs, Matthew Wagner.
“We know that façade improvements both preserve historic resources and spur economic growth in communities, and we are eager to start disbursing these funds to produce these changes in rural Main street communities,” he added.
Grantee applications for the Main Street Facade Improvement Grant Program will open in April 2020.
About the Main Street Coordinating Programs
The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center works in regions, counties, cities, towns, downtown districts and in designated North Carolina Main Street communities, to inspire placemaking through building asset-based economic development strategies that achieve measurable results such as investment, business growth and jobs.
Kentucky Main Street (KYMS), a program of the Kentucky Heritage Council and the State Historic Preservation Office, has been working to reverse the economic decline in Kentucky’s downtowns for over 40 years by promoting economic development based in historic preservation.
KYMS advocates a return of community self-reliance, local empowerment and the rebuilding of downtowns based on traditional assets: distinctive architecture, historic character, a pedestrian friendly environment, person service, local ownership, and a sense of place. KYMS provides training, technical and design assistance, on-site visits, and information across the Commonwealth to build strong communities that are vibrant places for working, experiencing, and investing.
New Mexico MainStreet is an asset-based community economic development program of the New Mexico Economic Development Department. The program works with local affiliate organizations to develop local capacity, engage people, rebuild places, support small business and creative entrepreneurs, and revitalize economies resulting in economically thriving downtowns and a higher quality of life.
Wyoming Main Street focuses on community revitalization for historic downtowns. The program provides community technical assistance, coordinate efforts to work with the Business Council’s Business Ready Community grant, and loan program to provide publicly owned infrastructure for downtown business development and quality-of-life projects.
Photo courtesy of Main Street America.