The Latest News For You
Small Business Saturday On Main Street
Pictures above are from communities around Missouri that participated in promoting their district during Small Business Saturday. Left Row (top to bottom): Trenton, Lees' Summit, Lee's Summit, and Warrensburg. Right Row (top to bottom): Independence, Trenton, Lee's Summit, and Odessa.
MMSC Welcomes New Directors into the Network
Joleigh Cornine of Sedalia
Joleigh Cornine is the new Planner/Downtown Specialist for the City of Sedalia. She has been in this role for nearly 6 months and we are excited to highlight her this month. Joleigh graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Missouri and she has called Sedalia “home” for over thirty-three years, working with the City in other roles for over 14 years.

She is responsible for coordinating economic development, with an emphasis on downtown activity utilizing historic preservation as the foundation, developing neighborhood revitalization strategies for the city’s historic neighborhoods, and active retail recruitment and overall city-wide economic development. 
Cynthia Coffman of Lebanon
Cynthia Coffman is a Lebanon native who graduated from Lebanon High School and then the University of Missouri-Columbia. She earned her law degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta and spent her career in the public sector culminating with service as Colorado’s state attorney general. Cynthia then formed a consulting practice assisting businesses and organizations whose products and services promoted public health and safety. She returned to her hometown this summer and began her work with Lebanon’s Downtown Business District in late August.
Articles from Our Blog
LEVERAGING FEDERAL AMERICAN RESCURE PLAN FUNDS FOR DOWNTOWN DEVELOPEMENT
The money allocated to communities by the federal and state government, to be distributed in 2021 and 2022, has city officials and many others asking how this money can best be used to support businesses and help Main Street programs revitalize downtown. With all this money available to be used, Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) has been watching and learning from other coordinating programs and local Main Street programs on how city officials can support their Main Street programs or downtown using the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as well as how Main Street programs can request funds from both the city and county for applicable projects.  


DOWNTOWN STRONG GRANT NOVEMBER UPDATE
Holidays are when Main Street comes alive and becomes increasingly busier as community members and guests shop, visit, and enjoy downtown and the events that take place during the winter holiday season. This means both the local Main Street organization and its businesses are busy meeting the needs of their customers. As a result of the holiday frenzy, on-site visits are slowing down a bit, but there is still a lot of action in the Downtown Strong grant program.


FOURTH QUARTER
MAINTENANCE TIPS
Winter is coming and with that can come all sorts of cold and water related issues. This is a crucial time for your building and if potential problems are not dealt with now, the repairs will just become more expensive down the road. Make sure the building is prepped correctly so these next few months don’t cause headache down the road in the spring and summer time.


THE ONE BILLION DOLLAR PARTNERSHIP
In 2021, Missouri Main Street Connection celebrated $1 billion of private and public investment in Main Street districts across Missouri. This incredible investment, tracked since 2006, has transformed downtowns. 

There are key differences between public and private investment. Public investment is described as dollars spent by the public sector, including city, county, and state governments while private investment comes from other non-governmental sources. 

Upcoming Events
Marketing Heritage and Cultural Tourism In Rural Missouri Workshop!

In partnership with the Missouri Humanities Council (MHC), Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) is excited to announce the Marketing Heritage and Cultural Tourism in Rural Missouri (MHCT) grant. MMSC proposes to assist small rural Main Street communities that are not connected to or represented by the large regional Destination Marketing Organizations (DMO) funded by the Missouri Division of Tourism through their grant program.

MMSC will focus on the promotion of heritage and cultural tourism which are economic development tools for small communities. 

Missouri Main Street Connection will conduct two state-wide workshops. The first on January 26 in Jefferson City will be to help our network communities learn about cultural tourism and how to market their community as a destination. The focus will be learning what your community already has to promote cultural and heritage tourism, and further maximize that heritage to interest visitors and residents. Registration information and more details to come.
Capitol Day 2022!

Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) invites you to join us on January 25, 2022 in Jefferson City to promote Main Street to your legislator. This is your opportunity to support the work MMSC does to assist your downtown!

As a constituent, legislators want to hear your concerns and what is working in your community. Letting them know about the impact MMSC has had on your district is the best way to support us as we continue to work and provide services to communities and districts in Missouri.

If you are a director at a local Main Street program encourage a board member or city official to come with you and join us in Jefferson City. All MMSC programs are strongly encouraged to come to Jefferson City on January 25, 2022 to support MMSC on Capitol Day by visiting your legislator in person. The more people that participate in Capitol Day, the more legislators are able to see the impact Main Street has had on Missouri. More details will be announced soon to help you communicate with your legislator before your visit.
Main Street Opportunities
Mornings on Main : Entertainment Districts Activate Downtown to Attract New Audiences
Entertainment districts have economically helped downtowns and cities thrive through the development of various businesses that attract tourism and commerce. Join a panel discussion to hear how Missouri communities have utilized overlay entertainment districts to expand and retain their business mix and activate amenities to attract new audiences. Registration opening soon!

Date: January 5th, 2022 @ 8:30 AM
Bicentennial Passport Submissions
Click the link below for more details about the Missouri Main Street Bicentennial Passport, its prizes, and how to submit your passport for entry into the drawing.
I SPY... GREAT WORK!
I Spy Great Works is your way to nominate a volunteer for MMSC's 2022 State Conference. Submissions are to be submitted on our website after being nominated by the local Main Street Board.
Main Street Resource Library
Ensure you are a Missouri Main Street investor to gain access to our Main Street Resource Library that hosts documents covering all areas of the Main Street Approach™.

This month we added a new resource highlighting ways that small businesses and Main Street programs can utilize TikTok.

Email Staci Cox at staci@momainstreet.org for more information about becoming an investor.
Main Street 101 Training
Main Street 101 is a free online training series that provides flexible training on the Main Street Approach™ for new board members, volunteers, staff, and city officials. This tool includes 40-45 minute long modules that can be used for volunteer development, committee training, and leadership development. The training series includes various resources and guides to help a Main Street program with further committee development. 
Congratulations To Those Certified In October!

Angie Lauhoff - Main Street Chillicothe
Barbara Godley - Campbell Main Street
Amy Pulliam - Main Street Brookfield
Danelle O'Connell - Historic Downtown Liberty Inc.
Nancy Saccaro - Main Street Brookfield
Barbara Keller - Downtown Lee's Summit
Liesl Hays - Downtown Lee's Summit
Whitney Dunbar - Downtown Lee's Summit
Elizabeth Roby - Main Street Brookfield
Toni Cavin - Downtown Washington Inc.
Deborah Baker-Oliver - Downtown Washington Inc.
Deb Giffin - Downtown Washington Inc.
Amy Niehaus - Downtown Washington Inc.
Tim Anderson - Historic Downtown Liberty Inc.
Jackie Murtha - Historic Downtown Liberty Inc.
Paemon Aramjoo - Historic Downtown Liberty Inc.
This project has been funded in part by a grant from the Kemper Fund for Kansas and Missouri of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, USDA Rural Development, and Karen Bode Baxter.
Downloadables
Heritage Circle
You are invited to support Heritage Circle through a monetary donation. Your donation will have a lasting impact through the preservation of the heart of your community and many others. Your donation supports communities across Missouri and cultivates places for people to come together and embrace the importance of community culture, the value of local history, and embraces traditions that make each community irreplaceable.

Your donation can be made monthly or annually in whatever amount you choose. Please choose the frequency of your donation to MMSC today by clicking on one of the buttons below. You will receive a lapel pin designed exclusively for Heritage Circle members indicating your support for Missouri communities.

As a gift of appreciation, you may receive a lapel pin, handmade ceramic mug, or other gifts that show our gratitude and your support in preserving your community.
Select Frequency Of Donation
Monthly Gift
One-Time Gift
YOUR DONATION IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Missouri Main Street Connection is a statewide, 501c3, not-for-profit organization and is the leading statewide nonprofit organization devoted to preservation-based economic development. Through the Main Street America® movement and our partners, we empower community revitalization by celebrating, supporting, and sustaining Missouri historic commercial districts in both rural and urban settings.
Thank you to our Third and Fourth Quarter Investors:
New Investors
City of Louisiana

Paul Meier
Renewing Investors
Historic Downtown Sikeston

Uptown Jackson Revitalization Organization

Love the Harrisonville Square

The District: Downtown Community Improvement District – Columbia

City of Kirksville

John Griesheimer

Historic Downtown Liberty, Inc.
Pacific Partnership

City of Berkeley

Main Street Chillicothe

Downtown Belton Main Street

Main Street Willow Springs

Christine Johnston

Kenny Hulshof

OATS, Inc.

Main Street Kirksville

City of Pleasant Hill
Missouri Main Street Connection | 417-334-3014 | info@momainstreet.org | momainstreet.org
Missouri Main Street Connection is a statewide, 501c3, not-for-profit organization committed to fostering renewed vitality and sustainability in historic commercial districts across the state of Missouri.
Missouri Main Street Connection is an equal opportunity organization.