Fifty-one North Carolina communities have received Main Street America Accreditation status for 2024, the N.C. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday (June 6). The National Main Street America Center and its state coordinating partner, the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center, announced the list of Accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.
Main Street communities that have earned accreditation for their 2023 performance include Hickory, Newton, Lenoir, Morganton, Valdese, Mooresville and Statesville. The N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet national performance standards. These standards provide the Main Street America network with a framework to review progress, recognize strengths, understand trends, and identify strategies that move Main Street programs forward.
To quality for Accredited status, Main Street America’s top designation tier communities must demonstrate alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in six areas: broad-based community commitment to revitalization; inclusive leadership and organizational capacity; diversified funding and sustainable program operations; strategy-driven programming; preservation-based economic development; and demonstrated impact and results.
For more information, visit the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center webpage or contact Liz Parham at 919-814-4658.
[News release from the North Carolina Department of Commerce]
