Main Street Maine Program
"The
(Main Street Maine) program has provided us with the tools necessary to
organize and focus. The designation also brings with it a new sense of energy
and pride. The tasks that once seemed too big to tackle are now viewed as more
realistic and easier to accomplish. It has helped us create vision, become
unified, and recognize the importance of downtowns and how revitalization
efforts will positively impact everyone who lives, works or visits the
community." - Brenda Libby, (former) Director, Saco Spirit (2002)
Maine has
dozens of terrific downtowns and village centers consisting of historic buildings, healthy mixes of
activities, lively economic exchange, cultural underpinnings, and unique
defining characteristics. But many Maine downtowns have been threatened in
recent years because people have chosen to live, shop and do business outside
of downtowns, for a variety of reasons.
The Maine
Downtown Center wants to help downtown stakeholders revitalize their downtowns
to the point where they are the first choice for shopping, living, socializing,
learning, relaxing, and doing business.
It is not
the job of the Maine Downtown Center to revitalize Maine downtowns, or even to
grant or loan money to that end. Rather, the Downtown Center serves to inspire,
educate, train, and guide downtown stakeholders to revitalize their own
downtowns.
The
Downtown Center believes that this can be done most effectively by
concentrating efforts in a few select downtowns a given time. So to this end,
the Maine Downtown Center works with a small number of Main Street Maine
communities who receive a comprehensive package of training and technical
assistance over three years. In working with Main Street Maine communities, the
Downtown Center employs the National Main Street Center’s 4 Point Main Street
Approach to downtown revitalization.
Main Street Maine
communities are selected by the Maine Downtown Center through a statewide
competitive process during which they are judged on five separate criteria: (1)
local funding commitment, (2) breadth of support, (3) existence of a vision and
work plan for downtown revitalization, (4) existing capacity, and (5) the
likelihood of demonstrable change. The Maine Downtown Center selects towns and
cities for the Main Street Maine program that are able to demonstrate success.
All new application rounds to add Main Street Maine communities are contingent upon funding to support service delivery.
The list of
services (below) provided to designated Main Street Maine communities is
subject to change.
SERVICES PROVIDED TO MAIN
STREET MAINE COMMUNITIES BY THE MAINE DOWNTOWN CENTER
Downtown Manager Selection
Assistance and Manager Orientation
Downtown
Managers will meet with the State Coordinator for orientation and introduction
to resources available at the Maine Downtown Center, the Main Street approach
and their roles and responsibilities as a Manager.
Start Up Library
The Maine
Downtown Center supplies Main Street Maine communities with a number of
National Main Street resources to help local leaders and volunteers learn the
basics of downtown revitalization. These include membership in National Main
Street Center and information related to managing a downtown revitalization
program.
Reconnaissance Visit
The Maine
Downtown Center staff will visit each Main Street Maine community for a day to
assist with an informal needs assessment, to help organize the Downtown program
and meet with the community at large to explain program and importance of
downtown revitalization.
Board Roles and
Responsibilities Training
The State
Coordinator and consultants will work with each downtown organization’s Board
members to clearly review the role of a nonprofit Board, and establish the role
of the non-profit Board and the role of the staff and committees.
Main Street Approach
Training
The
Downtown Center staff and experts in Design, Organization, Economic
Restructuring and Organization will conduct a training for downtown Boards,
committee volunteers and local directors that will include an overview of the
Main Street Approach and the roles, and the basics of downtown revitalization
Resource Team Visit
An
interdisciplinary team with expert representatives will be assembled to address
the needs of each Main Street Maine community. Each resource team spends 3-4
days in the downtown meeting with community leaders, observing, and analyzing
local conditions. A realistic assessment will be made of the city or
town’s capacities and opportunities that will provide the basis for the
program’s ongoing and future work plans. Submission of a first year work plan
required prior to the Resource Team visit.
Design Assistance
The
Downtown Center provides free design assistance to Main Street Maine
communities. This includes an assessment of design needs and opportunities, as
well as design education. The Downtown Center retains an architectural firm to
provide design assistance to Main Street Maine communities.
Quarterly Manager Meetings
For three
years, Downtown Managers from each Main Street Maine community will meet with
each other and Maine Downtown Center staff at least three times a year to share
ideas, discuss problems and receive additional training.
First Year Program Review
At the end
of the first year of a Main Street Maine program, the State Coordinator and
consultants will work with the Manager and Board to review the first program’s
first year of work. Assistance in developing a second year work plan may be
given.
On-Site Assistance As
Needed
The Maine
Downtown Center Coordinator provides on-site assistance for Boards and Main
Street Maine managers, when necessary, to deal with local issues and problems.
This can involve special strategy sessions, goal setting, committee training,
etc.
Specialized Technical
Assistance and Training
Technical
assistance provided in second and third years of the organization’s program are
intensive, but less structured and will vary depending on the community’s
needs. Executive Director and volunteers meetings and workshops and
ongoing technical assistance will continue. Special visits to address a
particular local topic of concern will also be offered.
Conference Attendance
Sponsorship – State and National
Main Street
Maine communities are provided with registration fee sponsorships to attend the
state and national Downtown Revitalization conferences.
Membership in the National
Main Street Network
For three years,
each Main Street Maine community will be a member in the National Main Street
Network, paid for by the Main Downtown Center. Benefits of membership include a
monthly newsletter, access to on-line database and list serve, a telephone
information hot-line, and discounts on Main Street publications and products.
Public Relations
Maine
Downtown Center staff and specialists will visit with community and business
leaders to help generate community interest.
COMMITMENTS MADE BY
DESIGNATED MAIN STREET MAINE COMMUNITIES
Time Requirements
Experience
has shown that new applicants and Main Street Maine communities often do not
realize the amount of time that will be required of volunteers in order to
implement the Main Street Maine program. It is essential that the Board realize
what is expected of them. Below is a list of projected time requirements by the
Maine Downtown Center of local program staff and Board of Directors. Some
meetings are mandatory for managers and Board Presidents. Attendance is encouraged
for other members of the downtown revitalization organization.
Reconnaissance
Visit
One day – all board members
Main Street
Approach
Training
Two-days – all board members
Resource
Team Visits
Three days – all board members
Downtown
Manager quarterly meetings Four days – two board
members
National
Town
Meeting
Three days – one board member
Local Board
and Committee work
Approximately 4 hours per month
A
successful downtown revitalization program requires dedication and hours of
commitment
Guarantee of employment of
local downtown manager
Experience
has demonstrated the need for a local Executive Director or Program Manager for
the Downtown – someone who can market the Downtown, plan and carry out
promotional and development projects, administer the local downtown
organization and help implement its objectives. For municipalities with
populations greater than 5,000, there must be adequate funding to support a
full-time downtown manager. For municipalities with populations less than
5,000, there must be adequate funding to support a downtown manager at least 25
hours per week.
Guarantee that an adequate
ongoing sustainable program/operating budget will be funded for three years of
the program
Main Street
Maine communities must raise adequate funding to support a downtown management
program for at least three years. Community-based funding to support a downtown
management program for three years may come from municipal government, local
business contributions, contributions from local individuals, community-based
fundraising events, and other sources.
Have
an existing downtown revitalization organization or commit to creating one
A lasting
downtown revitalization program will only succeed in communities having well
structured and ongoing, incorporated Downtown development organizations. Such
groups assume responsibility for certain needed tasks such as downtown
promotions, facilitation of private sector building improvement and other
cooperative projects. The Downtown organization is responsible for establishing
the overall direction of the local revitalization program, the program budget
and staff.
Commit to using the
4-point Main Street Approach
Successful
Downtown organizations and their staff work systematically through a work plan
stating goals and objectives based on the Four-Point, eight-principle Main
Street approach to Downtown revitalization – concentrating attention on issues
related to design, organization, promotion, and economic restructuring.
While the approach is tailored to each community, training and technical
assistance is geared to this successful model.
Commit to Volunteer
Training
Successful
downtown revitalization efforts require significant volunteer development. Main
Street Maine Managers and volunteers are expected to attend
Downtown Center training events.
Commit to information
sharing
Main Street
Maine communities are expected to share, on a regular basis, downtown
revitalization statistics with the Maine Downtown Center. It is also expected
that each Main Street Maine community will freely discuss lessons learned and
expertise as requested with other communities.
Enter into a letter of
agreement with the Maine Downtown Center
The Maine
Downtown Center’s ability to assist a community to revitalize its downtown is
dependent upon the level of local capacity, commitment and involvement. For
this reason, the Centers asks selected Main Street Maine downtown organizations
to sign a letter of agreement with the Center that clearly specifies the
responsibilities of the downtown organization and those of the Maine Downtown
Center.
