 SUPPORTING LEADERS“Morgantown is a small town, but it is full of creative people and nonprofits doing interesting work.”JESSICA MCDONALD, Board Member at Main Street Morgantown, on how her organization leveraged partnerships to support local students, artists, and the downtown. LEARN MORE   Big News: Introducing the Main Street America Academy!We are thrilled to announce that the future of Main Street learning and professional development is here. The new Main Street America Academy is now live, offering curated learning experiences built for you. From engaging self-paced courses and immersive in-person workshops, the Academy offers practical, engaging, and flexible learning experiences designed to help you grow their impact, sharpen your skills, and lead with confidence. The Academy debuts with two new on-demand learning experiences: the Focus on the Four Points series and the Local Main Street Leader learning journey.EXPLORE THE ACADEMY Don’t Miss Out: Summer Learning Webinar Series Join us on Thursdays, July 17-August 7, for free webinars featuring encores of top-rated education sessions from this year’s Main Street Now Conference: July 24, 12:00 – 1:00 CDT: Bridging Humanities and Preservation Through Community Storytelling July 31, 12:00 – 1:30 CDT: Strengthening Together: Shared Strategies for Disaster PreparednessAugust 7, 12:00 – 1:00 CDT: Data is Not a Dirty Word: Solutions for Stewardship, Stories, and Succession Planning Register today and tune in later to get fresh perspectives on the topics that matter most to Main Street leaders. SAVE YOUR SEAT Registration is required to tune into the live webinar presentations. Webinars will be recorded and made available for replay in the Knowledge Hub (member login required).Events & OpportunitiesT-Mobile Hometown GrantFunding for placemaking projects in small towns. Apply by Sep. 30 Main Street Now 2026 Join us in Tulsa for the largest Main Street convening. April 13-15, 2026Community Heart and Soul Grants Funding to implement the CHS model in your town. Rolling Applications Community Facilities Grants Develop community facilities in rural areas. Rolling Applications SEE ALL EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES Applications Now Open: $10,000 Grants for Small Businesses The Backing Small Businesses grant program, supported by American Express, is now accepting applications from eligible small business owners across the country. This summer, 400 grants of $10,000 will be awarded to support projects that help overcome economic hardship, enhance growth, and drive community impact. LEARN MORE AND APPLY  Investing in Video and Photography to Shine a Spotlight on Main Streets High-quality photos and videos are powerful marketing tools that can help people discover and explore your downtown. The Partnership for Haddonfield in New Jersey recognized the importance of prioritizing these assets, and created a strategy to develop annual video and photography campaigns that drive holiday traffic and support local businesses. READ HERE Made in Elgin Retail/Production Incubator Jennifer Fukala and the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin (DNA) were recently featured in articles from The New York Times and The Daily Herald. The articles highlight DNA’s work to launch the Made in Elgin Retail/Production Incubator program, a hybrid retail and production space that empowers local entrepreneurs to grow from home-based operations and pop-up markets into thriving storefronts. This project received funding through Main Street America’s Small Business Accelerator Grant Program, presented in partnership with The Hartford. You can learn more about the DNA’s program here > Learn more about the Small Business Accelerator program > Overheard on The PointRestaurant Week National Alliance for Historic Preservation is Looking for Examples of Pocket Parks Handling Ghost Buildings In Your Downtown Competing Businesses on Main Street Main Street Headlines Indoor golf simulator swinging onto Denison Main Street (Texas) KXII Main Street Lansing welcomes newest storefront (Iowa) The Standard One Small Town’s Special Sauce for Economic Revival (USA) GoverningIn Case You Missed It Learning from Local Leadership at Main Street AmericaWe asked our staff how their experience working at local programs shapes the work they do at Main Street America. Supporting Vibrant Economies With the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems Initiative Nine lessons learned from the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems pilot program.Copyright © 2025, National Main Street Center, Inc., All rights reserved.This email is a benefit of Main Street America membership.Main Street America53 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 350 | Chicago, IL 60604 312-610-5613 | info@mainstreet.org |