MISSISSIPPI MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION INC

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:DURING THE 2023-2024 FISCAL YEAR, THE MISSISSIPPI MAIN STREET ASSOCIATION (MMSA) PROVIDED COMMUNITY SERVICES TO ASSIST THE 48 DESIGNATED MEMBER PROGRAMS AND TWO NETWORK COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE. COMMUNITY SERVICES CONSIST OF CONSULTATIONS AND PROGRAM SERVICES THAT PERTAIN TO THE MAIN STREET APPROACH IN DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION - ORGANIZATION, PROMOTION, DESIGN, AND ECONOMIC VITALITY. THESE COMMUNITY SERVICES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: INDIVIDUAL CONSULTING AND/OR RESOURCE TEAMS, EDUCATIONAL TRAININGS, GRANT MANAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE, DESIGN SERVICES AND TRAINING, STATEWIDE ADVOCACY ENDEAVORS, MARKET ANALYSIS, NEW DIRECTOR AND BOARD MEMBER TRAINING, COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES, FESTIVAL DEVELOPMENT AND/OR EVALUATION, SMALL EVENT DEVELOPMENT AND/OR EVALUATION, VOLUNTEER TRAINING, BUDGET DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, AND BUSINESS RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND EXPANSION ASSISTANCE, AND OTHER SERVICES AS REQUESTED BY THE LOCAL PROGRAMS.MMSA PROVIDES AT LEAST ONE ON-SITE VISIT AND OTHER DOWNTOWN SERVICES AS REQUESTED BY THE LOCAL PROGRAM DIRECTORS EACH YEAR. IN ADDITION, MMSA PROVIDES AN ON-SITE WORK SESSION, AS REQUESTED BY THE LOCAL DIRECTOR, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND GUIDANCE WITH THE LOCAL PROGRAM'S ANNUAL WORK PLAN. IN THE 2023-2024 FISCAL YEAR, THE MMSA STAFF VISITED ALL OF THE 48 DESIGNATED MAIN STREET COMMUNITIES AND TWO NETWORK MEMBERS TO DELIVER THESE PROGRAM SERVICES. MMSA PROVIDED A FULL TRAINING CALENDAR FOR ALL MMSA MEMBERS AS WELL AS ON-SITE GRANT PROJECT FACILITATION IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES.JIM MILLER OF MADISON, MISS. WAS HIRED IN MARCH 2024 TO SERVE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION. IN THIS ROLE, MILLER SERVES AS THE STATE COORDINATOR FOR MMSA AND LEADS THE ORGANIZATION'S ADMINISTRATIVE, ADVOCACY, AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. MILLER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING, LEADING, AND IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGIC PLAN IN COORDINATION WITH THE MMSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFF, AND HE OVERSEES ALL STAFF MEMBERS, COORDINATES WORK WITH ALL CONTRACTORS, AND REPORTS TO THE MMSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS. BETH RANEY'S ROLE TRANSITIONED FROM DIRECTOR OF OFFICE SERVICES TO DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE WHERE SHE PROVIDES LEADERSHIP AND COORDINATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, ADMINISTRATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF GRANTS AND OTHER FUNDS FOR MMSA, INCLUDING ADMINISTERING FEDERAL, STATE, REGIONAL, LOCAL, AND PRIVATE SECTOR FUNDING TO SUPPORT MMSA AND ITS MEMBER COMMUNITIES. COMMUNITY SERVICES CONTINUED THROUGH IN PERSON MEETINGS AND EVENTS AS WELL AS VIRTUAL MEETINGS AND WEBINARS, IN ADDITION TO HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS AND EMAIL CONVERSATIONS.MMSA WELCOMED SEVERAL NEW ASSOCIATE MEMBERS TO THE ASSOCIATION IN THE 2023-2024 FISCAL YEAR, INCLUDING LIBERTY MAIN STREET, CITY OF MENDENHALL, MAIN STREET POPLARVILLE, JACKSON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, OAKLAND MAIN STREET, AND TAYLORSVILLE MAIN STREET. MMSA CURRENTLY HAS 32 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS.MMSA WAS AWARDED A $250,000 USDA RURAL PARTNERS NETWORK GRANT TO FUND PLACEMAKING PROJECTS IN 11 SELECTED DESIGNATED MAIN STREET COMMUNITIES. MMSA WAS ALSO AWARDED $50,000 FROM THE W.K. KELLOGG FOUNDATION FOR ADDITIONAL PROGRAM ALIGNMENTS IN THE LOWER HALF OF THE STATE. MMSA PARTNERED WITH MAIN STREET AMERICA TO CONDUCT PROGRAM ALIGNMENTS IN EACH DESIGNATED COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE CULTIVATING AND SUPPORTING STRONG AND EFFECTIVE MAIN STREET PROGRAMS. MMSA ALSO RECEIVED A $50,000 SPECIAL PROJECT GRANT FROM THE MISSISSIPPI HILLS NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA. THIS GRANT PROVIDED FOR MMSA TO HAVE A SPECIAL 40TH ANNIVERSARY VIDEO PRODUCED, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY PROGRAM ALIGNMENTS IN THE HILLS REGION. IN MARCH 2024, MMSA RECEIVED $50,000 IN REIMBURSABLE FUNDING FROM THE USDA RURAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE (RCDI) TO IMPLEMENT THE MISSISSIPPI REAL ESTATE REDEVELOPMENT GAME PLAN PROJECT IN 14 DESIGNATED MAIN STREET COMMUNITIES IN THE 2023-2024 FISCAL YEAR.MMSA WAS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS PLANNING WORK WITH TWO AWARDS PRESENTED BY THE MISSISSIPPI CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION IN OCTOBER 2023 FOR BEST SMALL AREA PLAN FOR THE BILOXI DOWNTOWN ROADMAP AND BEST PUBLIC OUTREACH PROJECT FOR THE ENVISION-CONNECT PROJECT IN FIVE MAIN STREET COMMUNITIES. SUPPORTED BY USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT'S COMMUNITY FACILITIES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING PROGRAM, THE ENVISION-CONNECT PROJECT PRODUCED HIGH-LEVEL, PRIORITIZED ACTION ITEMS FOR ABERDEEN, BOONEVILLE, COLUMBIA, NEW ALBANY, AND WATER VALLEY.IN MARKETING ENDEAVORS, MAIN STREET COMMUNITY FESTIVALS AND EVENTS WERE FEATURED ON "GOOD THINGS WITH REBECCA TURNER" EACH WEDNESDAY FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH NOVEMBER OF 2023 AS WELL AS MARCH-JUNE OF 2024 ON SUPERTALK MISSISSIPPI. MMSA ALSO RECEIVED A $2500 GRANT FROM THE MISSISSIPPI HUMANITIES COUNCIL TO HELP FUND THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY VIDEO OF MMSA THAT WAS PREMIERED AT THE ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCHEON IN JUNE 2024.IN 2023, MISSISSIPPI MAIN STREET'S STATEWIDE ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM STATISTICAL REPORTS SUBMITTED FROM THE 50 DESIGNATED AND NETWORK PROGRAMS GENERATED 372 NEW BUSINESSES, 868 NEW JOBS, 71 BUSINESS EXPANSIONS, 170 FAADE REHABILITATIONS, 704 DOWNTOWN LIVING UNITS, 70 NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, 139 PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, $249 MILLION IN PRIVATE INVESTMENT, AND $77 MILLION IN PRIVATE INVESTMENT, AND 46,919 VOLUNTEER HOURS.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION:MMSA PROVIDES VALUABLE TRAINING TO ASSIST AND EQUIP DIRECTORS OF THE 80+ MEMBER MAIN STREET PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. CONTINUING EDUCATION IS ESSENTIAL TO GROW IN KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL IN DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION, AND MMSA REQUIRES EVERY DESIGNATED MAIN STREET PROGRAM TO EARN A MINIMUM OF FOUR POINTS EACH CALENDAR YEAR (NETWORK PROGRAMS MUST EARN THREE POINTS), AND DIRECTORS CAN CHOOSE FROM SEVERAL TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO RECEIVE THIS CONTINUING EDUCATION. MAIN STREET MEMBERS RECEIVE DISCOUNTS TO ATTEND MMSA TRAININGS.MMSA HOSTED AN ADVOCACY WEBINAR IN JULY OF 2023. DESTINATION DOWNTOWN, AN ANNUAL TRI-STATE CONFERENCE WITH MAIN STREET ARKANSAS AND LOUISIANA MAIN STREET, WAS HELD IN MONROE/WEST MONROE, LA WITH 71 ATTENDEES FROM MISSISSIPPI. EVERY DESIGNATED PROGRAM RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY REGISTRATION TO ATTEND DESTINATION DOWNTOWN IN SEPTEMBER 2023. ORGANIZATION TRAINING WAS HELD IN LAUREL IN NOVEMBER 2023 WITH 56 ATTENDEES. TRAINING TOPICS INCLUDED A GRANT WRITING WORKSHOP, RECRUITING AND ENGAGING VOLUNTEERS, AND PURPOSE-DRIVEN EVENTS THAT MAKE MONEY. IN OCTOBER, MMSA STAFF PRESENTED AT THE MML SMALL TOWN CONFERENCE. MISSISSIPPI'S SHOP SMALL SATURDAY RETAIL INITIATIVE THE SATURDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING WAS PROMOTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MAIN STREET AMERICA AND AMERICAN EXPRESS. MMSA DEVELOPED NEW TRAINING VIDEOS FOR NEW LOCAL DIRECTORS AND LOCAL BOARD MEMBERS THAT ARE HOSTED ON THE MMSA WEBSITE'S MEDIA PAGE.IN JANUARY 2024, A DIRECTORS' RETREAT FOR DIRECTORS OF DESIGNATED MAIN STREET PROGRAMS WAS HELD IN OCEAN SPRINGS WITH 55 IN ATTENDANCE. DESIGN TRAINING WAS HELD IN TUPELO IN MARCH WITH 67 IN ATTENDANCE. TOPICS INCLUDED THE PRINCIPLES OF GOOD DESIGN, DESIGN ON A BUDGET WITH PLACEMAKING PROJECTS, CITY ZONING FOR DOWNTOWN GROWTH, AND A CASE STUDY OF LOCAL AND STATE INCENTIVES FOR BUILDING REHABILITATIONS. A MAIN STREET LEGISLATIVE DAY WAS HELD WITH A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE MISSISSIPPI STATE CAPITOL FOLLOWED BY A LUNCHEON ON MARCH 26, 2024, WITH EXCELLENT ATTENDANCE FROM STATE LEGISLATORS AND LOCAL DIRECTORS. THE NATIONAL MAIN STREET CONFERENCE WAS HELD IN BIRMINGHAM, AL IN MAY AND 45 ATTENDEES WERE FROM MISSISSIPPI. SEVEN SCHOLARSHIPS WERE ALSO AWARDED FOR DIRECTORS TO ATTEND THE NATIONAL MAIN STREET CONFERENCE IN BIRMINGHAM, AL IN MAY 2024.MMSA WORKS WITH MAIN STREET AMERICA TO EVALUATE EACH LOCAL PROGRAM FOR ANNUAL ACCREDITATION BASED ON SIX NATIONAL STANDARDS, AND THIS LIST OF NATIONALLY ACCREDITED COMMUNITIES WAS ANNOUNCED IN MAY 2024. THE 2024 ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCHEON WAS HELD IN JACKSON WITH A RECORD 331 ATTENDEES, AND 39 AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION LEADERS ACROSS THE STATE. MMSA BOARD MEMBERS, INVESTORS, SPONSORS, LOCAL DIRECTORS AND MEMBERS, LOCAL BOARD MEMBERS, STATE AND LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PARTNERS ATTENDED THE CELEBRATORY LUNCHEON. SPEAKERS INCLUDED LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR DELBERT HOSEMANN, KATIE BLOUNT OF MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY, AND LEAH KEMP OF THE FRED CAR JR. SMALL TOWN CENTER.