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Economic Impact

Inspired by the shared belief that communities are the lifeblood of our great state, the Nebraska Main Street Network is dedicated to enlivening downtowns as cultural and economic drivers for the future. The Nebraska Main Street Network partners with communities to transform and revitalize hometowns. By supporting preservation of our heritage and treasured resources, we’re making history from history. Connecting people, exchanging ideas and working together is how the Nebraska Main Street Network provides the guidance that communities need to remain vibrant places to live and work.

Main Street is not a project with a beginning or an end, it is a process and a methodology for long-term vitality for downtown business districts in all sizes of communities from rural to urban. Main Street communities are working hard to create and sustain an atmosphere for business and job retention and growth. Creating or rebuilding an economically healthy and vibrant downtown is difficult. While some of the efforts are immediate and visible, others take years to build and even longer to maintain.

The Nebraska Main Street Network is the knowledge and experience resource for supporting member communities in their efforts to build and maintain healthy downtowns. Connecting through a network of communities statewide as well as through a nationwide network provides increased access to resources and recognition. Main Street is a unique, one-of-a-kind economic development program that has a proven track record of success across the board with billions of dollars in investments and several hundred thousand businesses and jobs either retained or created. This report outlines the impact of the Nebraska Main Street program from 1994 through 2016 with specific data highlighting the program since launching as an independent 501c3 non-profit in July of 2013. The information contained in this report includes data from current designated Main Street communities as well as from communities that no longer participate in the program. This data comes from reporting provided to us from the communities on a monthly basis.

Nebraska’s Main Street communities work hard, each and every day to ensure their downtown business districts remain economic healthy and alive with social activity and interaction among business owners and employees, residents and visitors alike. Their work is what makes this program successful. The Nebraska Main Street Program helps make local success possible by providing communities with the knowledge, resources and guidance they need.