NEW YORK—Even before the advent of the pandemic, there have been supporters, advisors, and passionate business and service commitments to main street America. There is also an official association for this cause, now further energized because of the coronavirus’ impact on local businesses. It’s called Main Street America, which said it has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for 40 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The group’s multifaceted, rich website provides a description of the “Movement” and offers a very wide range of information, resources, programs, videos and ways that local businesses can participate.





Further, next month, there is a virtual event celebrating all of it and it’s not too late to register to learn more. The Main Street Now Conference, scheduled for April 12-14, will be an event to bring attendees together to learn about available resources and tools of the trademarked Main Street Approach, which offers a series of proven economic development tools.

Attendees can participate in three days of immersive online content and networking opportunities, organizers said, adding, “The conference will explore how the events of the past year have changed our work and how we can rebuild stronger, more equitable Main Streets for the future.” Registration details are posted here.