Welcome to the Main Street Community Toolkit! This page is intended to serve as a resource for existing Indiana Main Street members: OCRA’s Downtown Affiliate Network (ODAN), Indiana Accredited Main Street (IAMS), and Nationally Accredited Main Street (NAMS). If you have any questions, please contact your Community Liaison.
- Indiana Main Street Newsletter
A quarterly E-Newsletter with stories, updates, and more! If you are an existing Main Street community and you need to be added to the distribution, please contact indianamainstreet@ocra.in.gov.
- Indiana Main Street Recorded Webinars
Click here to watch previously recorded webinars hosted by Indiana Main Street.
- Indiana Main Street Network Facebook Page
A great place to receive updates and network with fellow Indiana Main Streets!
If you are an existing Main Street community and you need access, please contact indianamainstreet@ocra.in.gov.
- 2022 Indiana Main Street Income & Salary Report
The 2022 Income and Salary Report is a comprehensive report on the 2022 salaries, benefits, operational funding and staffing data of Indiana Main Street organizations. Click here to view the report.
- Main Street Approach
Learn more about the four points that help guide Main Street America's researched-based framework for downtown revitalization here.
Workshops and Training Sessions
A variety of workshops and training sessions, including an annual conference, are available to participating communities. All workshops are organized to bring optimal learning opportunities to Main Street staff and volunteers. These events are delivered throughout the state and often include travel-friendly options like tele-video conferencing and regionally-based events. Indiana Main Street welcomes suggestions and requests for workshops and training sessions.
- Bringing Everyone to the Table - A Main Street Toolkit on Community Engagement
- Indiana Main Street Economic Vitality Toolkit
- Tax Increment Financing Toolkit
- Is your Main Street and Chamber looking to merge?
- Crisis Communication
- Using Downtown Spaces to Respond to COVID-19
- Absentee Property Owners 101
- Code Enforcement 101
- MOU & Contract for Services 101
- Indiana Main Street Board Member Knowledge Overview
Do you face challenges in engaging your community with your initiatives? Is your local board primarily made up of the same few individuals? If so, this toolkit serves as a comprehensive guide for Indiana Main Street communities to attract community members to participate in the organization and contribute to downtown revitalization efforts. While designed Indiana Main Street communities, this toolkit is beneficial for all Main Street America® coordinating programs and communities, with adaptable strategies to suit diverse organizations and individuals.
Does your economic vitality committee face challenges in determining their priorities and focus areas? Are you interested in exploring topics like local financing options and strategies for business retention and attraction? The toolkit delves into the fundamental elements of information that can empower your economic vitality committee to make a greater impact on downtown development. It provides valuable insights and resources to guide your committee towards informed decision making and effective strategies.
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a valuable mechanism that utilizes futures increases in real estate values to finance essential public infrastructure projects. If your organization or community seeks to gain a comprehensive understanding of TIF and its potential as a revitalization tool for your downtown, we encourage you to explore this toolkit. It is important to note that the information contained within this toolkit is not intended as legal advice. Instead, all the information, content and materials provided are meant for general informational purposes only.
This guide has been compiled from Main Street America’s online networking platform, The Point. The following is not intended to serve as advice from OCRA or Indiana Main Street, but rather, from fellow Main Street professionals.
A crisis situation is rarely predictable, but it is extremely important to plan and strategize for a host of difficult scenarios, including how to communicate when issues arise. Use this toolkit to help identify, preparing for and handling a variety of different situations.
This toolkit is primarily intended for Indiana Main Street directors but can be easily adapted to fit the needs of other individuals or organizations. Step-by-step directions and planning considerations are provided for each option, as well as some background information on the programs and links to other resources that may be helpful.
This toolkit and webinar outlines potential remedies that Main Street organizations could utilize when facing issues related to dilapidated buildings whose owners lack commitment to maintain their building. Questions covered in this toolkit and webinar include: What actions can Main Street organizations take to remedy absentee property owners? Why does action by the Main Street organization matter? What does code enforcement look like? When should I seek advice of council?
This toolkit and webinar covers three methods for utilizing code enforcement and also explores the Main Street organization’s role in advocating for stronger code enforcement. Questions covered include: What types of code enforcement exist? How can my Main Street organization hold owners accountable to building and maintenance codes? What if my community doesn’t have code enforcement? What do examples of code look like?
This toolkit and webinar covers the differences between Memorandums of Understanding and Contracts for Services and how having one or the other might benefit the Main Street program’s relationship with local municipality. Questions covered include: What’s the difference between a MOU and Contract for Services? How would my Main Street organization build a MOU? How can my Main Street organization build a close relationship with local municipality? What should my Main Street organization keep in mind after an MOU or Contract is established with the municipality?
A quick overview of being a board member for an Indiana Main Street organization for both new and existing board members. This training also gives an opportunity for board members to take a knowledge check quiz which can be utilized as a part of new board member orientation.
Indiana Main Street Board Member Toolkit
The Main Street Board Member’s Handbook:
The success of your Main Street district revitalization effort depends largely on the board of director’s ability to identify and mobilize resources, build volunteer support, develop new leadership, and maintain clear focus on the district’s needs and opportunities.
The Board Member's Handbook is a must-read for programs looking to understand the process of running a board, gaining public and private support, recruiting strategic members, and developing an annual work plan. Download the handbook here.
Revitalizing Main Street Handbook:
Revitalizing Main Street provides a detailed framework for downtown growth and development. Short on theory and long on practical approaches and useful examples, this comprehensive handbook covers virtually all aspects of downtown revitalization from developing a mission statement to bringing new businesses downtown to streetscape improvements.
For ease of use, the handbook is organized into four major sections which cover: Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Restructuring. This comprehensive publication is required reading for all commercial district revitalization professionals. Download the handbook here.
Main Street in Action Videos
These five, short Main Street America videos highlight the power of the Main Street movement, Main Street Approach, economic impact of Main Street, and the incredible volunteers that make Main Street’s grassroots network so effective.
- Power of the Movement
The Main Street America Network helps to breathe new life into the places people call home. Learn more about this powerful movement of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders making a difference in small towns, mid-sized cities and urban areas across the country. Video: https://youtu.be/E6ctoIkkM6c - The Main Street Approach
The Main Street Approach helps communities get started with revitalization, and grows with them over time. Learn more about the time-tested, market-based, community-led framework: Video: https://youtu.be/rTdpKQQkUlo - Economic Impact of Main Street
Since 1980, Main Street America programs have generated over $71 billion in reinvestment, 132,000 net new businesses, 584,000 net new jobs and 267,000 building rehabilitations.
Video: https://youtu.be/_5NcCC68ExU - A Grassroots Network
Main Street is so successful is because of the local leaders on the ground. The Main Street America Network is comprised of some of the most enthusiastic, passionate, committed people you'll ever find. Learn more about this nationwide movement of community changemakers: Video: https://youtu.be/f1KTXeM5Bww%20 - Main Streets are the Heart of Our Communities
See the power of Main Street’s potential: to revive local economies, bring communities together, and forge the future for cities and towns across the country. This video features scenes from Main Streets across the country, as well as experts and practitioners including Ed McMahon, Senior Fellow at the Urban Land Institute and Chair of the National Main Street Center (NMSC) Board of Directors; Irvin Henderson, member of the NMSC Board of Directors; Anwar Saleem, Executive Director of H Street Main Street; and Patrice Frey, President and CEO of the NMSC. Full video: https://youtu.be/6JnbRN8mRrM.
Main Street Ready
This technical assistance program seeks to assist communities to set strategic priorities for downtown revitalization based on the community’s vision for downtown.
Prior to participating in Main Street Ready, the community must attend an Indiana Main Street 101 within 12 months of applying or be a current OCRA Downtown Affiliated Network community. ODAN communities must indicate a desire to level-up within the Indiana Main Street program in their annual reporting prior to applying to be eligible.
Main Street Ready is offered by OCRA community liaisons and Indiana Main Street staff.
Main Street Ready includes the following steps:
- Online Community Survey – Gather input from stakeholders about the state of your downtown.
- Document Review – Community will send information like downtown business list, planning documents and organizational documents to their Community Liaison and Indiana Main Street program manager.
- On-Site Community Visit – Indiana Main Street and your community liaison will do a walking assessment of the downtown and conduct interviews throughout the day with various community partners.
- Final Report – Four weeks after the visit, the community will receive a report with the survey results, community data and recommendations for the community as they pursue downtown improvement activities.
*Prior to requesting this technical assistance visit, a community would need to attend a Main Street 101 meeting.
To request Main Street Ready technical assistance, please reach out to your community liaison or email indianamainstreet@ocra.in.gov.
AVAILABLE GRANTS:
Indiana Main Street communities are eligible to apply for some exclusive grant programming through the Office of Community and Rural Affairs. This can include but is not limited to…
*Not all grant programs are available to OCRA’s Downtown Affiliate Network (ODAN) members.
Main Street Revitalization Program (this grant is currently suspended) – Offered through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, the goal of this grant is to encourage communities with eligible populations to focus on long-term community development efforts. This can take the form of business creation, increased tourism, historic preservation, and other economic revitalization efforts.
PreservINg Main Street – Offered through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, PreservINg Main Street is a multi-faceted community development program designed to build a sustainable historic preservation community ethic, build local capacity for local Main Street programs, and serve as a comprehensive downtown revitalization model.
Other grant programs may be available in the upcoming year.
Main Street in Action Videos
These five, short Main Street America videos highlight the power of the Main Street movement, Main Street Approach, economic impact of Main Street, and the incredible volunteers that make Main Street’s grassroots network so effective.
