Foley, Ala. – (OBA) –  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 designated programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.

In 2023, the Main Street America programs generated $5.68 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,630 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 35,162 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,556 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,664,763 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, it generated $18.03 of new investment back into their downtown and commercial corridor communities.

“We are incredibly excited to celebrate this year’s 800 Accredited Main Street America programs, and their remarkable efforts to re-energize their local economies and public spaces,” said Main Street America President and CEO Erin Barnes. “Main Street leaders are visionaries that see things that no one else can see and create the future world we all want to live in. The size and impact of our network demonstrates that great things happen when visions are realized through strategic, grassroots collaboration.” 

Foley Main Street’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and Main Street Alabama, which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national community evaluation standards.

These standards provide the Main Street America network with a strong foundational framework to review progress, recognize strengths, understand trends, and identify strategies that move Main Street programs forward. To quality for Accredited status—Main Street America’s top designation tier—communities must demonstrate a proven track record of achieving outcomes in alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in six areas: broad-based community commitment to revitalization; inclusive leadership and organizational capacity; diversified funding and sustainable program operations; strategy-driven programming; preservation-based economic development; and demonstrated impact and results.

"Foley Main Street, celebrating the end of their fifth year, has exceeded the city's expectations from when we began the process of becoming a main street district. Our progress shows what we can achieve when we partner with private businesses and organizations to accomplish goals.” Mayor Ralph Hellmich

Foley Main Street acts as a facilitator and mediator between downtown businesses and the city, ensuring effective communication, addressing concerns, and fostering a collaborative environment. 

Foley Main Street has introduced a dedicated business development section on their website, providing essential resources, tools, and guidance to support the growth and prosperity of local businesses. FMS monitors and records city and private spending related to downtown development, to reflect the investment of each partner into the district. In five years, the Downtown Foley district has recorded 44 net new businesses and 66 new jobs. There has been $12,433,895 of private investment and $2,537,982 of public investment. Foley Main Street’s Board of Directors and our volunteers have given 4,399 hours of service to Downtown Foley.

Foley Main Street also works on targeted collaborative promotion and advertisement of Downtown Foley through media partnerships, and social media. Foley Main Street actively promotes Downtown Foley throughout the year, fostering a thriving local economy and supporting the sustainability of our businesses. 

Chad Watkins, volunteer president of Foley Main Street said “Accreditation adds accountability and credibility to any organization, the board and I are proud to work side by side with Darrelyn Dunmore our executive director, and our other volunteers and partners to preserve and improve Downtown Foley, the heart of Foley.”

ABOUT FOLEY MAIN STREET

Foley Main Street is committed to increasing the economic vibrancy of Downtown Foley by working on recruitment, facilitation, and the aid to businesses and investors interested in the downtown. The primary focus of this initiative is to increase awareness of the Downtown Foley district and its businesses, as well as working with the existing businesses to facilitate their strength and vibrancy.

Foley Main Street works in concert with the City of Foley and partners such as the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit www.foleymainstreet.com.

ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA

Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have generated more than $107.62 billion in new public and private investment, generated 175,323 net new businesses and 782,059 net new jobs, rehabilitated more than 335,675 buildings, and levered over 35.3 million volunteer hours. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.