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Registration is Open for Missouri's Annual Conference & MMSC's 10th Anniversary Celebration
Missouri's Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference 2016 will mark the 10th Anniversary Celebration for Missouri Main Street Connection.
Join us July 26-28 in Downtown Washington, Missouri, for three days of educational sessions, in-the-field tours and networking. Help us celebrate our decade of nonprofit service success on July 28 during Missouri Main Street's 10-Year Anniversary Celebration and Evening of Excellence Awards Dinner when we will highlight the best in Missouri Main Street downtown revitalization.
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Downtown Revitalization Awards
Missouri Main Street Connection is excited to announce several new revitalization award categories for 2016. Nominations will be accepted through June 3.
Downtown revitalization awards in 19 categories will showcase the people, projects, and activities that best represent the great accomplishments made by communities throughout the state. Download a nomination form here.
Winners will be announced at the Evening of Excellence Awards Dinner on July 28. This ceremony is the crowning event for Missouri's Premier Revitalization Conference, July 26-28, in Washington, Missouri. Visit the conference website for information and to register.
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Are You Reaching Your Goals?
Does your board need energized? Are you ready to create your program's strategic plan? Does your staff need team-building? Whatever your goals, Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) can help you reach them.
MMSC has space available for off-site training and learning for up to 24 people, in a retreat-like and affordable location.
Some of the services available through MMSC include board retreat, team-building, Four-Points training, new board orientation, and new director training. A complete service directory can be found online.
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Upcoming 2016 Events
Main Street Now Conference
May 23-25
Milwaukee, WI
Main Street Now 2016, a conference presented by the National Main Street Center, will offer creative solutions to everyday Main Street challenges to help position your community for success.
Missouri's Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference
July 26-28
Washington, MO
Three days of educational sessions, in-the-field tours, and Evening of Excellence dinner and awards. Visit the conference website for details and to register online.
Missouri's 10-Year Anniversary Celebration and Evening of Excellence Awards
July 28
Washington, MO
This evening promises to be bursting with exciting surprises as MMSC celebrates 10 successful years of nonprofit service throughout Missouri along with downtown revitalization achievements in 19 award categories.
Main Street Affiliate Grant Workshop
August 30
Jefferson City, MO
Learn how a 40/60 matching grant can provide your community with on-site training for revitalization.
Missouri Municipal League Annual Conference
September 11-14
St. Louis, MO
Missouri Preservation Conference
October 19-21
Hannibal, MO
Preservation topics in classroom sessions and tours. Details are available at preservemo.org.
Missouri Main Street Directors' Meeting & Training
November 10
Chillicothe, MO
This workshop is required for all Main Street programs currently under contract with MMSC.
MMSC Downtown Revitalization Workshop
November 11
Chillicothe, MO
Topic and other details will be available soon.
National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference
November 15-18
Houston, TX
Visit the Upcoming Trainings page on our website for details about events for 2016.
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Would You Consider Investing in Missouri Communities?
Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) is the only organization in the state dedicated exclusively to the economic and physical revitalization of Missouri's downtown and business districts. MMSC provides downtown development services, guidance and technical training, and advocacy services to communities regardless of size, demographics or location.
You can feel confident that your support of MMSC is truly making a difference and puts you at the center of our efforts to develop the sense of place, quality of life, and economic vitality of Missouri's downtowns and traditional neighborhood business districts.
For us to continue our work and to expand our reach to even more Missouri communities, we ask that you consider becoming a yearly investor. Please contact the MMSC office at 417-334-3014 or visit our website for more information and to join our Missouri Main Street family.
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Our Partners in Revitalization
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Visit Our Website
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Our Mission
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The Mission of the Missouri Main Street Connection is to provide communities with the knowledge and tools to economically and physically revitalize their downtowns.
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The Power of 10 Years!
Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) celebrates a decade of non-profit service as the premier downtown revitalization organization in Missouri administering the Main Street Four-Point Approach® to any community in Missouri.
Although the Main Street Philosophy has been present in Missouri since its launch in 1989 as a state-funded program within the Department of Economic Development (DED), the success of the program was halted in July 2003 when funding was stripped from the state budget and the lone staff person administering the program was reassigned to other duties within the DED. Was Main Street in Missouri dead then? After many calls and unsuccessful pleas to Missouri legislators, 12 local Main Street program managers fought to keep the state program going in Missouri. By working with the National Main Street Center and the DED, a valuable contract was in place by July 2003 to take up some of the slack in funding. They continued to meet in communities around the state for training and looked to a representative from the National Main Street program for guidance and assessments. It became apparent in training after training that more Missouri communities wanted help with their downtown revitalization efforts, but without a state-funded program the question was how to meet that need.
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Missouri Delegates at National Main Streets Conference in 2006
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Through the determination of that core group of local program managers and supporters, the Missouri Main Street program was resurrected in 2006 from a discarded state-run organization into Missouri Main Street Connection, a nonprofit 501c3 with the potential for broader opportunities and resources for funding to support the education effort for revitalization. Today, as the coordinating program through the National Main Street Center, MMSC serves as the state's clearinghouse for information, technical assistance, research and advocacy. Through financial support from partners that believe in our mission, corporate sponsors, individual contributors, grants and a contract for services with DED, MMSC is able to provide consulting services, on-site visits, conferences/workshops, and publications to educate and empower local organizations to lead the revitalization of their downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
The state of Main Streets in Missouri is healthier than ever with over $683 million of private investment and over $140 million in public investment since 2006.
Main Streets are led by volunteers who make downtown revitalization a powerful force. Volunteers in Missouri Main Street communities have donated over 285,312 hours of service to the heart of their community at a value of over $6.0 million.
With small business at the heart of downtown development, Main Streets foster that entrepreneurial spirit every day. Since 2006, over 526 net new businesses opened their doors with over 2,936 net new jobs created. Even during the recession, Missouri Main Street communities were adding jobs faster than losses.
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Missouri Main Street Thrilled to Participate in Cultivating Place Training
The National Main Street Center (NMSC) and Project for Public Spaces (PPS) recently brought the Cultivating Place in Main Street Communities training to Missouri.
Missouri Main Street is thrilled to be one of only five pilot programs chosen to participate in the Cultivating Place training, an intensive two-day workshop designed to strengthen and expand Main Street's capacity for implementing Placemaking strategies and public space improvements.
Main Street directors, economic development professionals, city and state agency representatives, and various community leaders from across Missouri attended the comprehensive training in late April to learn and share their own projects, challenges and ideas. Resource partners from across the state and region, including USDA-Rural Development, Missouri Arts Council, AARP-St. Louis, and Environmental Protection Agency were also invited to present information about available resources and funding to help with implementation of Placemaking projects.
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When Given Lemons, Make Lemonade - Liberty is Better Together
Historic Downtown Liberty was dealt a devastating loss recently when the former Ethan Allen/Bedinger building in the historic town square suddenly collapsed earlier in May. The c.1880s building was part of a major revitalization project downtown.
 But Liberty knows when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. "Together, we're better," says Vicki Vance, Executive Director for Historic Downtown Liberty, Inc. (HDLI), the downtown revitalization organization. "We are keeping our thoughts positive and are moving forward."
In just over a week's time, the city, state and county coordinated with HDLI to plan a downtown event to help build community morale. Rock and Run Brewery and HDLI are throwing a "Together We're Better: Community Building Party" on Saturday, May 21 with music, food trucks, family friendly games and more. The two businesses that were to move into the Ethan Allen building have remained open in other temporary locations; and the owner of the building also remains positive with plans to rebuild on the site.
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Statewide Preservation Planning Charettes
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources, State Historic Preservation Office is in the process of updating Missouri's statewide plan, Preservation Horizons: 2011-2017, and will be soliciting public comment on the plan from May 13-July 31, 2016. The purpose of the plan is to establish preservation priorities for the State of Missouri. The goals and objectives of this plan will direct the State Historic Preservation Office in its priorities, as well as determining what types of projects will be eligible to receive grant funds.
Public Meetings to solicit comments on the plan will be held in six locations throughout the state. Please consider attending one of these meetings:
May 23, 2016
6:30 p.m.
Route 66 Event Center
21 South Webb
Webb City, Missouri
| June 15, 2016
7:00 p.m.*
City Hall (City Council Chambers)
401 Independence Street
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
*Following Historic Preservation Commission Meeting
| May 26, 2016
6:00 p.m.
Lewis and Clark State Office Building
1101 Riverside Drive
Jefferson City, Missouri
| June 21, 2016
6:00 p.m.
City Hall (City Council Chambers)
405 Jefferson Street
Washington, Missouri
| June 9, 2016
6:00 p.m.
Livingston County Library (2nd Floor Courtroom)
450 Locust Street
Chillicothe, Missouri
| July 18, 2016
6:00 p.m.
Bee Creek Shelter, Weston Bend State Park
16600 Hwy 45 North (1/2 mile south of main entrance)
Weston, Missouri
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The State Historic Preservation Office is the agency authorized to carry out the responsibilities of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. These activities include: reviewing nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, overseeing the state's architectural and archaeological survey programs, Section 106 review and compliance, managing Missouri's Certified Local Government Program, reviewing state and federal historic tax credit applications, and administering historic preservation grant programs.
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The Power of 10 Years - 10 Services Offered by Missouri Main Street
As Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) celebrates a decade of successful nonprofit service in Missouri, we are reflecting on all things to the power of 10. Here are 10 services provided by Missouri Main Street.
Coordinating Program for Missouri. The National Main Street contracts with Missouri Main Street to administer the Main Street Four-Point Approach® to downtown revitalization in Missouri. This is very powerful because it allows the communities in Missouri to utilize the Main Street program and all that brings with it: the network, the brand, the resources and the partnerships. Not every state has a coordinating program and several have come and gone due to budgeting and personnel. MMSC is strong because of the relationships with our Main Street organizations, the State of Missouri through the Department of Economic Development and the legislators, the local municipalities and the MMSC board of directors.
Accreditation. Through an extensive annual review of the Main Street programs in Missouri, MMSC is able to accredit the best Main Street programs in the state alongside the National Main Street Center. This national accreditation is a big deal. It is based upon the National Main Street 10-Point Criteria which measures the organization's capacity, leadership, community involvement and effectiveness. There are currently only six accredited Main Street programs in Missouri.
Tier System. When MMSC started in 2006, it had resurrected itself from a state run organization into a non-profit with only 10 communities in the network. Today MMSC has assisted more than 170 communities across the state. With a staff of four people, that assistance had to be categorized into tiers. The more invested a community is in the Main Street program, the more services MMSC could offer. This four-tier system offers phone consultation, technical and organizational visits along with board planning sessions and access to the resource library for members via the MMSC website. You can learn more about the services offered through the tier system online.
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Quarterly Workshops. It is written in the Missouri Main Street mission that providing tools and resources to Missouri communities and one of the ways that is achieved is through quarterly workshops held in the spring and fall. These workshops focus on a specific aspect of the Main Street Four-Point Approach®. The most recent workshops have been focused on economic vitality through education on real estate investment, attracting and retaining businesses and marketing those spaces in downtowns. Missouri Main Street members receive a discount on these training opportunities. Mark your calendar for November 11, 2016, for the next workshop in Chillicothe. Grant programs. Because of the funds Missouri Main Street receives from the State of Missouri, grants, memberships and fundraising, it can offer service grants. These grants are varied in the services they offer with the Affiliate Grant guiding a community with starting and building a Main Street program. The People Energizing Places and Strategic Teams Engaging Places grants assist a Main Street community in growing the organization's capacity and effectiveness. All of these grants are matching with Missouri Main Street assuming 60-75% of the costs. Technical Services. Maybe you don't need a grant but a specialized service to grow. Missouri Main Street offers a full list of services ranging from a couple of hours to a couple of days. Some of these services include conducting a community visioning session, board strategic planning session, customer service training, technical visit on economic development or a multi-day downtown strategic planning session. A complete list of services is available online.
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2015 Annual Conference, Kansas City
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State Conference. Every July MMSC offers the only statewide educational and networking event for commercial district revitalization that blends economic development, community revitalization and historic preservation. It brings together experts in the field of downtown revitalization into three days of educational sessions, in-the-field tours and networking. The conference also features the Evening of Excellence awards recognizing the best in Missouri Main Street communities. Visit the conference website for details. Don't miss this year's conference on July 26-28. Partnerships/Relationships. Missouri Main Street has relationships with other state-wide organizations that can be utilized by downtown organizations to assist in the revitalization efforts. The Department of Economic Development, State Historic Preservation Office, Certified Local Government Program, Missouri Preservation, Missouri Arts Council, USDA, AARP and many others have programs and resources for Missouri communities. Call or email the MMSC office for more information. Networking. Everything Missouri Main Street does revolves around the downtown communities being served. With that in mind, the act of bringing people together to share ideas and learn from one another is vital to everyone's success. Missouri Main Street receives feedback every year on the value of conversing with other Main Street professionals and learning from their successes and failures. Take advantage of this service because in many cases, there is no need to re-invent the wheel.
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2016 Main Street Showcase, Jefferson City
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Advocacy. And last but certainly not least, Missouri Main Street promotes and shouts from the downtown rooftops the importance of downtown revitalization in Missouri communities. This shouting is to state legislators, local politicians, business owners, property owners, residents, visitors and many others within a community. This advocacy also belongs to the local effort doing Main Street...believing in the principle of locally controlled decisions based upon the wants and needs of the local community. Main Street is a volunteer lead, volunteer driven, locally empowered organization doing economic development while preserving a community's historic assets. If you believe in this idea, then Main Street is for you!
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