Services & Trainings

What We Offer

We offer a wide array of services and trainings to participating Illinois Main Street communities.

Each Illinois Main Street community receives a combination of training and technical assistance to advance their revitalization efforts.

This includes one on-site technical assistance visit per year with commercial revitalization experts. Topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Services to advise communities on how to create and sustain their Main Street organization.

  • Training for staff and volunteers to understand the Main Street Approach™, their roles and responsibilities, and techniques and best practices for revitalizing downtown.

  • Training in understanding the downtown’s economic strengths and weaknesses, development of plans and strategies to improve the downtown business climate.

  • Training services to help local Main Street organizations identify and implement effective marketing strategies, as well as individual downtown promotional events and activities.

  • Support to the Main Street program to create a walkable, livable environment, including trail-oriented development, transportation planning, façade and streetscape improvements, and accessibility enhancements.

  • Services to develop short-term action plans for the Main Street organization, as well as long-term plans that guide the development and revitalization of the Main Street district.

 

In addition, Illinois Main Street members participate in one program review visit annually, receive phone consultation and coaching as needed, and access all the benefits of membership with Main Street America, which includes:

  • Discounts on conferences, workshops, and webinars;

  • Scholarships to Main Street America Institute and other partnered workshop opportunities;

  • 1000s of industry-specific resources, publications, and templates;

  • Access to grants and special programs;

  • And so much more!

Interested in learning more about the program? Contact us at illinoismainstreet@mainstreet.org.

Upcoming Events

Stay Tuned for 2024 Calendar

Recent Workshops

Illinois Main Street Conference

Learn more about the 2023 Illinois Main Street Conference and speaker lineup.

Thank you for your interest and support.

Three-City
Destination Business Workshop Tour
Crystal Lake | Springfield | Alton

Speakers: Jon Schallert, The Schallert Group Inc.

How most businesses today can attract more customers, increase sales and profits, and lower their advertising costs when they start marketing as Destination Businesses. How any business can apply his Destination strategy to attract more local customers, while at the same time pulling faraway customers from outside the area, sometimes from hundreds of miles away!

Growing Entrepreneurs In Real Life

Speakers: Callie Jo McFarland, Director of Community Development and Shelly Crawford-Stock, Executive Director at Monticello Area Chamber and Monticello Main Street

Understanding a tag-team approach to serving new entrepreneurs and existing businesses, as well as plans under development to address changing small business needs.

Recent Workshops

Success Isn't Guaranteed

Speakers: Bob Karls, City Administrator Liz Vincent, Tourism Director

A look at Pontiac's rise and fall as a Main Street community and the partnerships formed to fill the void left behind.

Navigating Main Streets as Place

Speakers: Travis Brown, Chief Business Development Officer, The Relish Jar

Exploring trends and tactics to make your Main Street a destination. We’ll explore ways to define your place and make it unique, and how to share that story with everyone in your community.

Partnering with Your DCEO Regional Manager

Speakers: Lauren Gibson, AICP, Regional Economic Development Manager –  North Central Region, Office of Regional Economic Development, Illinois DCEO

The benefits of working with your Regional Economic Development Manager. Resources available to communities and small businesses.