May 12, 2026
| Last Chance to Register: Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street |
| Farmington, Michigan. Photo by David Lewinski |
| Registration for this month’s Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street course closes on May 13 at 5 p.m. CT. If you’ve been looking for strategies to boost the economic health and momentum of your Main Street through local ownership, this course is for you! Act now to invest in your abilities to strengthen the connections that shape economic vitality in your community. |
| P.S. Members receive a $75 discount. Scholarships are available, too, but awards are limited. Don’t delay! |
| Course Details |
| Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street courses offer unique content that blends evergreen strategies and timely topics, each designed to strengthen your ability to nurture economic vitality and entrepreneurship in your community. The May 2026 Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street course, sponsored by U.S. Bank, provides practical tools and perspectives to foster a resilient, vibrant economy by strengthening the property and small business ownership ecosystem. Through three live, instructor-led sessions, learn how to better understand and navigate the complexities of these important players, build productive relationships with property owners, support small business stability and growth, and identify opportunities where interests overlap. When: Thursdays, May 14, 21, and 28, 2:00-3:30 p.m. CT Where: Virtual Price: $275 members, $350 non-members Registration: Open through May 13 at 5:00 p.m. CT. |
| Learning Overview: Use property and small business inventory data to identify market conditions, uncover opportunities, and inform coordinated decision-making across economic development, preservation, and placemaking efforts. 🔎 Explore practical strategies for building trust with property owners, navigating challenging conversations, and positioning Main Street programs as effective intermediaries between owners and tenants. 🛠️ Identify pathways and tools that support transitions from tenant to property ownership, including benefits, barriers, and community strategies that promote local ownership and economic vitality. Ideal For Main Street leaders and partners working at the intersection of small business support and downtown property systems, with a focus on strengthening relationships, expanding local ownership opportunities, and using data to guide district decision-making. Scholarships As part of U.S. Bank’s sponsorship, a limited number of scholarships providing registration at a reduced rate of $100 are available to participants serving communities located within U.S. Bank markets. Find full eligibility details and apply here > Main Street America Instructors |
| Maggie Gillespie Manager of Innovation |
| Lisa Mullins Thompson Senior Program Officer |
| Joi Cuartero Austin Senior Program Officer, Economic Vitality |
| Copyright © 2026, National Main Street Center, Inc., All rights reserved. |
| Main Street America53 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 350 | Chicago, IL 60604 312-610-5613 | info@mainstreet.org |