FOLEY– Foley Main Street has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards.
Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of accredited programs. The list recognizes the programs’ exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach.
Foley Main Street plays a key role in shaping downtown Foley’s growth and development. The organization takes part in implementing the Envision Plan and, by securing acceptance into the Community Growth Accelerator program, which defined economic impacts of key downtown properties.
One of Foley Main Street’s current efforts is the creation of Cat Alley. The former alleyway is being transformed into an engaging and visually appealing spaces that will serve as a gathering place for residents and visitors to foster the community.
Foley Main Street secured grants and sponsorships totaling $81,500, providing vital financial resources to help implement projects and initiatives that enhance downtown Foley. Those enhancements include murals, bike racks, AARP outdoor musical Instruments in Pine Street Park and other items that were purchased with a portion of the grants.
Foley Main Street acts as a facilitator and mediator between downtown businesses and the city, encouraging effective communication, addressing concerns and fostering a collaborative environment.
The organization maintains regular visits to downtown businesses, establishing strong relationships, understanding their needs and providing tailored support to drive their success.
“I am proud to be on the Board of Directors of this organization”, Foley Main Street President Chad Watkins said. “There are very few organizations or institutions that go through rigorous accreditation annually. It is because of this high standard of excellence our organization has been so successful.”
Hannah White, interim president and CEO of Main Street America, said groups such as Foley Main Street are improving downtown areas across the nation.
“We are very proud to acknowledge this year’s 862 Accredited Main Street America programs, and their steadfast dedication to nurture economically and culturally vibrant downtown districts,” White said. “The increase in the size and impact of our network speaks volumes to the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of local communities and drive innovative solutions.”
In 2022, Main Street America programs generated $6.2 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 7,657 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 29,174 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,688 historic buildings and leveraged 1,528,535 volunteer hours.
On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $24.07 of new investment back into their downtown communities.
A total of 2 million people live or work within the boundaries of designated Main Street America districts. An estimated workforce of 1.1 million people contribute their skills and expertise to advancing the missions of these historic downtowns and commercial corridors.
Foley Main Street’s performance is annually evaluated by Main Street Alabama, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that meet rigorous national performance standards.
To quality for accreditation status, communities must meet a set of rigorous standards that include commitments to building grassroots revitalization programs, fostering strong public-private partnerships, nurturing economic opportunity for small businesses and entrepreneurs and actively preserving historic places, spaces and cultural assets.
Foley Main Street is a non-profit organization led by a board of directors committed to increasing the economic vibrancy of Downtown Foley. The primary focus of this initiative is to increase awareness of the Downtown Foley district and its businesses, as well as working with new and existing businesses to increase their strength and vibrancy. For more information about Foley Main Street visit www.foleymainstreet.com