About Clinton Main Street

Our Relationship to the National Trust

Clinton Main Street, Inc. is an official Main Street Program accredited by the Main Street Program of the National Trust. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, headquartered in Washington D.C. provides training and technical support for revitalization efforts and guidelines for the certified Main Street Programs in nearly all 50 states.

Certification by the National Trust is a strenuous process which requires following all the Main Street criteria, having a full-time staff person responsible for directing the program, a Board of Directors who actively participate in the program, participation in Main Street training for staff on a quarterly basis, committees working each of the Four Points, maintaining an adequate budget to facilitate all the operations of the organization, and maintaining an office in the historic district.

The National Main Street philosophy emphasizes an incremental, long-term approach to revitalization based on historic preservation and utilizing a community’s unique elements. It is a comprehensive process that builds on the total image of the historic commercial district.

OUR MISSION

Our Mission, restated and approved by the Board of Directors in 2009, is to provide leadership in determining the mutual needs of business, industry and tourism and to promote economic growth in the Greater Clinton area by support of our community through education, historic preservation, visitor information services and community events which reflect our unique hisitoric culture. Our Vision is to be the catalyst for economic growth in the Greater Clinton area.

OUR EXPERIENCE IN REVITALIZATION

Since 1989. Clinton Main Street has been instrumental in obtaining and administering downtown improvement projects through grants and combinations of public and private funding. These include a Community Development Block Grant (1996) in cooperation with the City of Clinton, and Neighborhood Assistance Program projects in 1997, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005-07 and 2009-2011, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Economic Development. All of these projects were completed on time, and on budget.

Clinton Main Street is primarily funded by donations. The City of Clinton offers support although we receive no funding from the county or state or federal government. Clinton Main Street is one of the most successful Main Street programs in the state of Missouri, which has been accomplished by local volunteers and local donations.

Clinton Main Street is responsible for coordinating all aspects of projects in the downtown district. With one staff person, we organize more than ten promotional activities including Cruise Nights, Lighting Celebration, and Christmas Parade; manage the upkeep and maintenance all green spaces in the downtown district; research and apply for grants; provide staff support for the committees that plan and implement the Main Street Four-Point Approach; and plan and implement economic development for the downtown district through trainings, business retention and recruitment, and management of a Revolving Loan Fund. We would love to talk to you about bringing your business to downtown Clinton! Click here for a current list of available buildings in the downtown district.

Clinton Main Street Board of Directors plan for revitalization, promotions and advertising and keeps the organizational structure healthy by fundraising and managing expenses. They develop and implement work plans for each project which is then accomplished through the work of the committee for each Point. Clinton Main Street's main objective is historic preservation and to revitalize the historic downtown, and we do that through economic development efforts. Revitalization is an ongoing effort that progresses in stages. It requires various partnerships among organizations and the efforts of many community-minded volunteers.

OUR PARTNERS IN REVITALIZATION

In 2008, Clinton Main Street merged with Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce, Clinton Tourism, and City Economic Development to form the Greater Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce. This merger has enabled Clinton Main Street to become stronger in its message to the community while at the same time show the great need for and response to downtown revitalization.

In addition, Clinton Main Street, Inc has working relationships with the the State of Missouri Department of Economic Development, the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office, the Henry County Historical Society, and the Henry County Economic Development Council. Volunteer participation in Clinton Main Street encompasses students, retired people, and everyone in between in the community, plus active volunteer service among the downtown business owners and property owners.

Clinton Main Street also works closely with other Missouri Main Street communities to provide training for the Main Street managers through the Missouri Main Street Connections. Networking with other small towns that have similar revitalization issues is a valuable tool to share information about problems and progress in revitalization.

Clinton Main Street has ardently supported Missouri Main Street Connections (MMSC) our state organization that has fulfilled duties that would normally belong to a state coordinator since that position was vacant from 2003-2008. Missouri has recently hired a state coordinator, Gayla Roten, who has years of experience with the Missouri Main Street Program as a local manager and subsequently the president of MMSC. Using the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) administered through the State of Missouri's Department of Economic Development, Gayla is employed by MMSC and administers the state program in much the same way if she were employed by the state. If you would like to contact Gayla, her email is glroten@momainstreet.org. Her office phone is 417-334-3014.

FESTIVALS & SPECIAL EVENTS

In addition to public improvements and façade renovations, Clinton Main Street's continuing effort has included special events and festivals to bring more visitors and locals into downtown. The program showcases downtown to a wide variety of potential visitors, introducing them to shopping, dining, historic and cultural attractions and events that are unique to downtown Clinton.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Clinton Main Street, Inc. provides continuing education and training that prepares downtown businesses and property owners to engage in strategic planning for economic growth, business recruitment to create a diverse retail mix, care and maintenance of historic buildings, and the promotion of downtown through marketing, advertising and special events. All of these efforts build a healthy economic foundation for downtown businesses. The result is a vital downtown that increases property values, creates jobs, offers retail diversity, presents an attractive ambiance, increases tourism expenditures and enlarges the city’s sales tax revenue base.

Our relationship with Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) enables us to take advantage of extended education opportunities provided by MMSC. We recently had Rick Segel, National Retail Consultant, in Clinton to work with independent businesses and to make a presentation regarding desitination businesses.

Clinton Main Street’s mission is to heighten the awareness of Clinton’s Downtown square district and preserve its historical element utilizing a plan comprised of revitalization, renovation and promotion developed by committees and volunteers derived from downtown business owners committed to involvement in the preservation and success of Clinton’s downtown community.

Collaborating with other sectors of the community such as the Chamber of Commerce, Clinton Tourism Association and the City, Clinton Main Street is committed to preserving Clinton, Missouri’s history and making downtown Clinton the center of the community as well as a viable contributor to Clinton’s economy.