Designated Communities

Annual Requirements

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Training Requirements

Orientation

Required to attend: New MS Directors/New STMS Coordinators

  • Must attend the Main Street Orientation, held virtually each month, within three months of start date (if not previously attended)
  • Sign Up

Basic Training

Required to attend: New MS Directors/New STMS Coordinators
Encouraged to attend: Staff, Board Members, Committee Members, Volunteers

  • Must attend all four of the MS Basic Trainings, within the first year of employment  1) Economic Vitality   2) Design   3) Promotion   4) Organization
  • Sign Up

Directors Meeting

Required to attend:  Main Street Directors 
Encouraged to attend:  Staff

  • ALL Main Street Directors must attend the NC Main Street Directors’ Meeting held once a year in August
  • In the case of a vacancy or illness/emergency, a substitution for the director may be made for this meeting
  • Sign Up

Regional Meeting

Required to attend:  MS Directors/STMS Coordinators 
Encouraged to attend: Staff

  • Main Street Directors and Small Town Main Street Coordinator must attend a minimum of one of two Regional Meetings each year. (Held in July and October) 
  • If the Director or Coordinator cannot attend, a volunteer can attend in their place
  • Sign Up

NC Main Street Conference

Required to attend:  Main Street Directors AND a minimum of one volunteer, Small Town Main Street Coordinators
Encouraged to attend:  Anyone interested in downtown revitalization

  • Main Street Directors and a minimum of one volunteer must attend the annual NC Main Street Conference - NCMS provides each designated MS community with two complimentary registrations
  • Small Town Main Street Coordinators must attend the annual N.C. Main Street Conference - NCMS provides each designated STMS community with one complimentary registration
  • Sign Up

Deadlines

2024 Deadlines

  • January 4, 2024 - Program Assessments (MS/STMS) 
  • June 28, 2024 - Trademark Agreements (MS/STMS) - National Main Street Sends This Request
  • June 28, 2024 - Annual Agreements (MS/STMS)
  • July 31, 2024 - Program Statistics (MS/STMS)
  • September 26, 2024 - Award Nominations (MS/STMS)
  • September 26, 2024 - Champion Nominations (MS)

Annual Agreement

Due:  June 28, 2024 by 5pm 

Annual Agreement Instructions:  Designated Main Street & Small Town Main Street communities must sign the Annual Agreement through DocuSign.  The fully executed document must be received by its deadline to remain active in the program.  Once you receive the email from DocuSign, please do not delay in signing the agreement and verify that your City/Town Manager has signed it in order to receive your copy of the fully executed document by its deadline.

Process:

  1. Program Director will receive an email with the agreement through DocuSign.  Director will sign the agreement.  Agreement will automatically be emailed to the City/Town Manager. DIRECTORS - It is important that you contact the City/Town Manager and let them know you have sent the document for their signature.  If they do not sign, the document may not be received by the deadline.
  2. City/Town Manager will sign the agreement.  Agreement is now fully executed.
  3. A copy of the fully executed document will automatically go back to the Program Director, City/Town Manager, and NC Main Street.
  4. A signed document confirms that the local Main Street program has a thorough understanding of the benefits and requirements of active participation in the NC Main Street program.  

Small Town Main Street Communities 

Process:

  1. Program Coordinators will receive an email with the agreement through DocuSign.  Director will sign the agreement.  Agreement will automatically be emailed to the City/Town Manager. COORDINATORS - It is important that you contact the City/Town Manager and let them know you have sent the document for their signature.  If they do not sign, the document may not be received by the deadline.
  2. City/Town Manager will sign the agreement.  Agreement is now fully executed.
  3. A copy of the fully executed document will automatically go back to the Program Coordinator, City/Town Manager, and NC Main Street.
  4. A signed document confirms that the local Small Town Main Street program has a thorough understanding of the benefits and requirements of active participation in the NC Small Town Main Street program.   

Local Program Structure:

Each community in the NC Main Street program is required to manage their local program within one of the following structures:  (1) Non-profit managed, (2) Town managed, or (3) Quasi managed - Combination of non-profit and town

Below is the current list of our program participant's, local management structure

Town Structure List

Program Assessment Survey

Due:  January 4, 2024 by 5pm  

The Program Assessment Survey is a tool we use to review your annual progress as a designated NC Main Street community.   Each community will receive a Program Report Card, based off of your Assessment.  Please do not wait until the last minute to do your Assessment. We cannot stress enough that each Assessment be accurate.  If questioned, you must have documentation to support your submission.   Failure to submit the Assessment could lead to inactive status for your community.

  • Below is the Program Assessment Survey link for calendar year:  January 1 - December 31, 2023.
  • Assessments must be completed in their entirety.
  • Complete the Budget and Salary survey section based on YOUR CURRENT budget:   January 1 - December 31, 2023  OR  July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023.
  • Scan the assessment and all supporting attachments into one PDF document.
  • Submit the assessment through email to Sherry Adams.

Questions?

Feel free to call or email our staff.

Troubleshooting

  • The NC Department of Commerce does not use Dropbox or Google Docs, therefore you cannot submit through those sites.
  • If your file is too large to email, email us.  We will send you a link, to upload the pdf to our Commerce sharefile system.

Thank you for all your efforts to move your downtown forward.

Forms

Main Street Program Assessment Form - Sample 

Small Town Main Street Program Assessment Form - Sample 

National Main Street Licensing Agreement

The Annual Licensing Agreement is between you, the local NC programs (Main Street & Small Town Main Street) and the National Main Street Center.  *Downtown Associate Community programs, are not required to sign the licensing agreement.

Process:

  • Main Street & Small Town Main Street program directors/coordinators will receive an email from Steve Amraen via echosign@echosign.com with the Annual National Main Street Licensing Agreement.  
  • Main Street & Small Town Main Street program directors/coordinators will sign the agreement.  The agreement will automatically go to Liz Parham to sign.  
  • Liz Parham will sign the agreement. The fully executed agreement will automatically go back to the program director/coordinator, Liz and to the National Main Street Center. 
  • If you DO NOT get an agreement, email Steve Amraen and copy Liz Parham.

Online Statistics Reporting:

Due:  July 31, 2024 by 5pm  

Please Read Carefully

  • If you have moved from one NC Main Street community to another NC Main Street community, you MUST obtain a new NCID number.  You are considered a "New Director" to that town so your old NCID number will not work.
  • Please scroll to the bottom of this page if you have issues with NCID.  There is a "Help" section that has their phone number and other contact information.   The NC Main Street staff do not have access to the NCID systems.  

Helpful Videos

Online Portal

  • Opens:  July 1, 2024  (Must have secured your NCID prior to July 1 - See instructions below)
  • Portal Locks:  July 31, 2024 - 5pm 

Current Annual Statistics Reports

NC Main Street Statistics | 1980-2023

NC Main Street Statistics | 2022-2023

Small Town Main Street Statistics | 2003-2023

Small Town Main Street Statistics | 2022-2023

NCID Instructions & Password Recovery: 

New Directors: NCID Registration Process

  • Step 1
  • Step 2
    • Select the registration category “Business”.
    • Do not select the category “Local Government Employee”, as this is for specific agencies, and does not allow self-registration.
    • Do not select the category “Individual” as this registration will not provide adequate information required for by the Main Street reporting system.
    • Use of the category “Business” is allowed for this reporting system, and provides the information required.
  • Step 3
    • Once you click on the “Business” category button, you will be directed to the registration page.
    • Complete and submit the requested information, which includes the user ID and password that you would like to use.
    • We suggest a personal user id – such as johndoe, etc.
    • Write down and remember your user ID and your password. You will need this to log in year-after-year, so it is very important that you remember it, or you will have to get a new password.
    • The system is within State government, but external to Commerce, therefore we will not be able to reset it for you. You will have to go back into NCID and request it be reset.
  • Step 4
    • NCID will send you an email containing a “Complete Registration” button.
    • You must take the following steps to complete registration before your User ID and password can be used
    • Click on the “Complete Registration” button and you should be directed back to an NCID page.
    • On the NCID page, click on the box that verifies you are not a robot.
    • Follow any additional instructions, if present, and you should be taken to a page where you will select five security questions and answers.
    • Once you have selected your five questions and answers, click on the “Save” button that will appear, then follow any remaining instructions (there may not be any).
    • At this point, your NCID page should indicate that your registration is complete.
  • Step 5
    • Once you have registered your NCID username and password, you can verify that it is active by going to the NCID sign-in page and signing in again.  ncid.nc.gov
  • Step 6
    • Once you have confirmed your NCID credentials, the process for establishing credentials is complete.

Previous Year Reporting Directors:

  • Password Issues
    • Contact NCID to change your password.  Unfortunately for security purposes, we can’t help you with that part.  Look on the NCID Tech Sheet for the contact information.

Statistics Online Reporting Instructions:

Important Information For All:

  • Use the Main Street TRACKING FORM and update your statistical data for the period of July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024.   
  • Use the STATISTICS WORKSHEET and enter your cumulative statistic numbers for EACH category. 
    • If you received a state, federal, county, city or town grant for a project in downtown this year – that counts as public investment.
    • If you received a nonprofit grant that is private investment.
    • If businesses are temporarily closed and if jobs are furloughed due to COVID but not permanently eliminated, then they will not be counted as losses.
    • Only count permanent business losses and job losses in your annual statistics.  

New Directors Reporting Directions:

  • Complete the NCID registration process above
  • Once you set up your NCID, go to the reporting portal, Reporting Portal (nccommerce.com) 
    • Select login at the bottom of the page.  
    • Select which town you are associated with
    • NC Main Street Staff will then approve your registration  (this may take up to 24 hours)
    • Once approved, you will get an email confirmation.
  • Log back in again through the same portal, Reporting Portal (nccommerce.com) 
    • Select the blue log in button in the bottom left
    • This time, you will be able to see the reporting page. 
    • Review your TRACKING FORM and STATISTICS WORKSHEET 
    • Enter your statistics 

Previous Year Reporting Directors Directions:

Downtown Associate Community:

  • Downtown Associate Community programs are required to submit their statistics on the STATISTICS WORKSHEET, not online.  

FORMS

NCID Help

Recognition

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NC Main Street Annual Awards Submission

For Designated Main Street and Small Town Main Street Communities ONLY

Deadline

September 26, 2024 by 5pm

Overview:

The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center is proud to present the annual NC Main Street Awards competition, recognizing the hard work, dedication and success of our NC Main Street communities and their achievements in the Four Points of the Main Street Approach® to downtown revitalization: Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion, and Organization.

Eligibility:

Any active NC Main Street community that met the statistics deadline for the most recent fiscal year.

Projects must have been completed within the past two years of the submission date.

Instructions:

Small Town Awards | Click HERE

Main Street Awards | Click HERE

Annual NC Main Street Champion Nominations:

  • Designated Main Street Communities ONLY
  • DAC Communities that have moved up to Main Street must have a full year as a Designated Main Street Community before you may submit an NC Main Street Champion.

Deadline

September 26, 2024 by 5pm

About the Designation

The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center is proud to annually recognize the efforts of dedicated individuals who have contributed to the success of the local programs across our state. A non-competitive award, the NC Main Street Champion designation honors those persons who have made extraordinary contributions to their downtown. The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center will individually recognize Champions with a video presentation and commemorative certificates celebrating this special honor during the Annual NC Main Street Conference.

Who is Eligible to Nominate a Champion?

Only communities that are a designated NC Main Street community are eligible to nominate a Champion.
DAC and Small-Town Main Street communities may nominate once they move up to NC Main Street AND they have been a designated community for ONE FULL YEAR.

Instructions and Nomination Template:

Services

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About the Design Program

Since March of 2016, the North Carolina Main Street Program has partnered with UNCG’s Interior Architecture Department and its Center for Community-Engaged Design to provide design assistance to designated Main Street and Small Town Main Street communities across the state. Undergraduate and graduate students are selected to become Main Street Fellows.  The Main Street Fellows work with UNCG Interior Architecture Department Professors to complete facade rehabilitation designs and upper story apartment conversions in designated Main Street communities.

Design Request

  • This service is a benefit to our designated NC Main Street & Small Town Main Street communities only
  • Downtown Associate Communities cannot use this service until they move up to NC Main Street designation
  • Speculative projects are not accepted
  • Submit projects where the property owner(s) is highly motivated to implement the design
  • Work closely with your property/business owner(s) to complete the form

Forms

About the Process

The NC Main Street Program team works with individual designated NC Main Street programs and their community leaders on strategic economic development planning, market analysis and property redevelopment initiatives, and, in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Department of Interior Architecture, provides façade improvement plans to property and business owners located in the downtown districts of designated NC Main Street and Small Town Main Street communities.

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To better serve our designated NC Main Street & Small Town Main Street communities we request that communities fill out the form below if they need help with their downtown efforts.  All forms will go to the NC Main Street Program Manager.   They will assign your request of services to someone on the staff.

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Within 72 hours, you should have an email from a staff person.  In the event you do not receive a response during this time period, please email Sherry Adams and she will follow up on the request.

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We look forward to working with you!

Begin the Process

Submit a Request HERE

Funding | Resources

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