North Carolina Main Street Center

09/03/2026

The Levitt Model:

Building Community through Free Outdoor Concerts

Learn how free outdoor concerts can build connection, activate public spaces, and create economic opportunity on Main Street.

Free outdoor concerts can be more than a night of music; they can strengthen community connection, activate public spaces, and support local economic vitality. In this webinar, Sharon Yazowski of the Levitt Foundation shares the Levitt model and practical tools for launching an inclusive, community-centered concert series.

https://academy.mainstreet.org/learning/courses/the-levitt-model-building-community-through-free-outdoor-concerts

Learn how free outdoor concerts can build connection, activate public spaces, and create economic opportunity on Main Street.

09/01/2026

In March we will be in Morganton for the NC Main Street conference.

This stage is a show stopper and because of the town’s commitment of maintenance it will serve the community for many years to come.

Make sure you check it out in March!

08/27/2026

Beyond the Numbers:

Understanding Your Main Street Impact

Move beyond economic metrics to understand the social, emotional, and cultural value your organization brings to your community.

This course explores how Main Street leaders can assess, articulate, and expand the true impact of their work. Using both Return on Investment (ROI) and Return on Emotion (ROE) frameworks, practical tools, and real-world examples, you'll leave with new confidence in how to measure and communicate what matters most.

https://academy.mainstreet.org/learning/courses/beyond-the-numbers-understanding-your-main-street-impact

Move beyond economic metrics to understand the social, emotional, and cultural value your organization brings to your community.

08/26/2026

Science is sparking new life in Main Street districts! From data-driven design to innovative community labs, science is powering revitalization and boosting local vitality. Special thanks to Main Street America for showcasing Elizabeth City Downtown, Inc, a NC Main Street community.
https://mainstreet.org/the-latest/news/main-spotlight-how-science-can-spark-new-life-in-main-street-districts?utm_campaign=22943053-Coordinator%20Roundup&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--d58MtG4fhhvvecFgTfS1yYQCwnng7iPA8ZK7rHJrdJH-lYSQ5sSlld7kBluC4vSerj9fXCO74DIYNMGP-baZJ_n_VOQ&_hsmi=435343645&utm_content=435343645&utm_source=hs_email

Through the Science Discovery on Main Street program, in partnership with the Simons Foundation, participants demonstrated that Main Street leaders can tap into the power of science programming in a way that celebrates what makes them unique, inspires curiosity, and engages the broader community in....

08/25/2026

The Streetscape Project is officially underway!

This project is being funded in part by a grant from the NC Department of Commerce, helping support improvements to the area connecting the town dock and marina to the intersection of Grubb Street and Church Street.

Today, work started on the first phase of the project. For the next few weeks, crews will be working on three corners of the Grubb and Church intersection to add brick screening walls and begin updating walkways toward the marina. Please use caution in the area and be mindful of crews working near the roadway.

Exciting things are happening in downtown Hertford!

For more information about this project, visit the The Town of Hertford website - https://townofhertfordnc.com/

08/25/2026

Community spirit is rising in Town of Roseboro's downtown. KS Bank's opening this fall brings more than banking—it restores hope, fuels local dreams, and strengthens Main Street. When community banks invest in downtowns, entire towns thrive.

KS Bank announced today that it plans to open its first Sampson County financial center at 201 E. Roseboro Street in downtown Roseboro. Expected to open in November, the full-service branch will bring local, in-person banking back to a community that has been without a bank for nearly four years.Ros...

08/24/2026

Rural Engagement & Investment (RE&I)

Rural Engagement & Investment (RE&I) offers grant resources and technical assistance to local governments that help communities acquire critical resources, advance project implementation, and build local capacity. Grants to local governments support community and economic development projects that include building renovations, public infrastructure, demolition and remediation, as well as downtown revitalization projects.

Rural Engagement and Investment (RE&I), a section within the Rural Economic Development Division, has several state-funded grant programs:

Learn more about the programs and the application deadlines.
https://www.commerce.nc.gov/index%2Ephp/about-us/divisions-programs/rural-economic-development-division/rural-engagement-investment-program

08/21/2026

Governor Stein Announces More than $1 Billion of Private Investment and 342 New Jobs for Rural North Carolina
N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority approves more than $4.9 million in funding;

Read More Below

Governor Josh Stein today announced that North Carolina’s Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) has approved 11 grant requests for local governments totaling…

08/21/2026

Continuing Education (CE) Opportunity

Grant Writing in the Age of AI: Strategy, Ethics, and What Actually Works

Thursday, August 27, 2026 @ 12 - 1pm
Virtual
Cost: Free

Connect with nonprofit peers as you build your leadership skills, assess your organization's management practices, build capacity where there are gaps, and work towards long-term sustainability. Learn more about the Nonprofit Management Institute held each spring and fall.

08/20/2026

Now Enrolling:
Building Your Local Business Ecosystem

Thursdays, September 10, 17, 24
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. CT

Registration closes on Tuesday, September 8 at 5:00 p.m. CT

The Academy's latest live, instructor-led course is all about helping local leaders build stronger entrepreneurial ecosystems and strengthen the local environment where small businesses start, operate, and grow.

Through three virtual classroom sessions this September, you’ll learn how to:
✅ Understand your community’s existing entrepreneurial ecosystem
✅ Strengthen support systems around the needs of your local businesses
✅ Turn knowledge and insights into action
Live, Instructor-Led Online Sessions

$275 Member | $350 Non-member
Member discounts and scholarships are available.

Learn more and save your seat
https://academy.mainstreet.org/about/supporting-small-businesses-on-main-street

The Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street courses center the real challenges of entrepreneurs and equip Main Street leaders with invaluable insights and practical tools to respond. Generously sponsored by U.S. Bank, each offering of this live, three-week course features unique and timely topics...