Technical Assistance
Our goal at the Georgia Main Street Program is to provide specialized trainings, professional development opportunities and year-round support toward the advancement of economic developers within our Main Street network. We have worked hard to build an ecosystem of resources designed specifically to support managers and staff. Our engaging and interactive training opportunities provide focus on real-life experiences, best practices, and tools that can be applied in your downtown, as well as the broader community. It is our hope that through these trainings and technical services to cultivate managers, board members, and volunteers that are not only competent in building strong downtown development programs but excel in it.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Project Coaching
With seasoned economic development professionals on staff, we are available to provide one-on-one guidance through the lifespan of both private and publicly-funded downtown development projects. From the crucial early planning stages of analyzing feasibility to identifying key partners and financial resources, we work alongside Main Street managers, their boards, and key city staff to ensure that no complexity of a project is overlooked. To see if your project may be a good fit for our team, please reach out to our staff at mainstreet@dca.ga.gov.
Capacity Building & Meeting Facilitation
Board development and work sessions play a vital role in the strategic planning process. While Main Street Managers are encouraged to lead the community visioning session process themselves, it can be valuable to bring in an impartial meeting facilitator to assist with the board retreat. Utilizing a wide variety of meeting styles and techniques, our team is equipped to support communities with capacity building, community visioning, and strategic planning. Board retreat facilitation is available to all communities and may be provided at a discounted rate for Classic and GEMS designated cities. For a quote regarding meeting facilitation services, please complete the following form: https://georgiamainstreets.formstack.com/forms/facilitation_request_form
Marketing & Storytelling Technical Assistance
Sharing your community’s story uniquely and thoughtfully allows you to engage, build and attract audiences that you may not otherwise reach. Our team has marketing and communications experts available to support managers in developing best practices, identifying marketing assets, curating a balanced social media strategy, and brainstorming creative ways to tell your downtown’s story.
Compliance Assistance and Accreditation Support
All designated programs in the Georgia Main Street network are assessed annually through standards set by the National Main Street Center and the Office of Downtown Development. Although the standards and assessment process seems rigorous at first glance, they are foundational in nature. Our staff is here to ensure that every Main Street program in Georgia has the tools and resources necessary to be successful and supported through the assessment process. We are available to provide oversight and assistance of key program components throughout the year, such as work plans, monthly reporting, file retention, and annual assessment documents. If you need assistance or support with Main Street accreditation, please email the team at mainstreet@dca.ga.gov
Access to the Main Street Network and Shared Resources
With a network of over 800 nationally accredited communities, our team firmly believes that one of the most valuable assets to Main Street managers is access to a community of like-minded professionals whose vision and mission similarly align with our own. Designated Main Street communities will have access to interface with sister programs from around the country through the National Main Street Center’s platform, The Point. In Georgia, the Office of Downtown Development team has created a private Facebook group for Main Street staff and managers as a medium for sharing ideas, resources and information, in real-time.
