Playing Well with Others

Community Advocates

Sound partnerships are crucial to the Main Street program’s success. In fact, a 1988 study of successful downtown revitalization programs in America found that programs funded primarily by local sources were much more likely to succeed than those that relied heavily on state or federal funds.
— www.preseravationnation.org

Main Street organizations are just one of several groups that work in communities to improve the business environment. The overlapping roles of chambers of commerce, visitors’ bureaus, economic development agencies, municipalities, and other community organizations can sometimes create confusion over who tackles community initiatives.

Different community development organizations, however, have distinct missions and their own funding mechanisms. Knowing the mission, goals, responsibilities, and more of each organization can help forge mutually beneficial partnerships. Be aware and thoughtful of how your efforts overlap to ensure a great relationship with these valuable partners.

Chamber of Commerce:

• advocates for all businesses in the community, but may have special offerings for members
• often hosts events that bring people downtown, so be sure to coordinate events with your chamber
• typically is a membership organization, so be thoughtful about your approach to enlisting support for Main Street

Visitors’ Bureau:

• promotes the best your community has to offer to out-of-towners
• typically receives funding from a lodging tax
• desires a welcoming environment, and thus may be a partner on downtown beautification efforts

Business Associations/Improvement District:

• seeks to provide peer-to-peer resources for businesses within its district
• may have a similar role as a Main Street organization in promoting events and enhancements

Economic Development Agency:

• focuses on job recruitment and retention, and possibly larger scale employment issues
• typically is not involved in events or the physical environment of downtown
• traditionally has a director who went through a long-standing certification process; this perception of professionalism can sometimes create rifts with the volunteer-centered Main Street Approach

Municipality:

• has staff who likely wear many hats, including looking out for the health, safety, and welfare of residents; programs in larger towns should look to connect with the planning department for plans and public works for streetscape issues
• host town meetings that can be helpful to understand current issues and build relationships with elected officials and staff
• may provide much needed resources to the local Main Street program
• may rely on the local program to serve as the liaison with the business community
• can be a great partner to seek grants for Main Street improvements

The Main Street Approach can enable smooth relationships with other community organizations at it acknowledges that transformational strategies are more likely to succeed if they include players beyond the Main Street board. Chambers of Commerce know local business and can be a great resource to connect with that community. Visitors Bureaus are all about promoting the community, so are a natural fit to help with events.

Keeping an open channel of communications can help build lasting relationships. The Main Street board sets the tone for how the organization interacts with others. Many Main Street board members serve on other organizations’ boards to keep an open dialogue between various groups, and should be open to gaining support from those who broker power in other organizations. And Main Street managers should consider scheduling a monthly lunch or coffee with fellow community development professionals to stay up to speed on new developments. Board members should be sure to support their manager in building relationships with the community and various community organizations. Relationships resolve issues before they even get started.