Main Street ® Basic Training begins Tuesday afternoon, July 24th with the Organization segment of the 4-Point Approach ® to Revitalization.

Participants who attend ALL segments of Basic Training will be eligible to receive a certificate showing their new proficiency in the 4-Point Approach ®. Earning the certificate also requires writing of an essay to demonstrate your new knowledge.

If you do not wish to earn the certificate, you are NOT obligated to write the essay.

Certificates of Completion of Main Street ®Basic Training will be given out during the Evening of Excellence Awards Celebration, Thursday, July 26, 2012

PLEASE NOTE: On the schedule showing all the conference workshops you will see that some of the Basic Training classes are split in half, to accommodate a beverage/snack break. Both parts of the classes are required if you wish to earn the certificate.

Deadline to return the essays to the MMSC Conference office will be announced during the first class on Tuesday. If participants do not wish to earn a certificate, they may attend any number of Basic Training Sessions they choose and not write the essays.

BASIC TRAINING Class Schedule

Tuesday, July 24th

2:45 – 5:30 pm ORGANIZATION 101

Presenter: Norma Ramírez deMiess

Wednesday, July 25th

8:30 – 11:45 am DESIGN 101

Presenter: Dr. Steven Hoffman

Thursday, July 26th

9:00 – Noon ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING 101

Presenter: Todd Barman

1:30 – 4:15 pm PROMOTIONS 101

Presenter: Jeanine Rann

CLASS DETAILS

This series provides an introduction to Main Street’s ® most powerful tools for revitalization and how they function within each of the four committees. The National Trust Main Street Center ® has established the structure for comprehensive, preservation-based revitalization that is successful in towns and cities nationwide. A sound understanding of all four points, as described below, is the recipe for building comprehensive and sustainable community revitalization programs.

Organization develops a sound structure for the revitalization organization and gets everyone working toward the same goal. It begins by assembling the appropriate human and financial resources to implement a Main Street ® revitalization program and sustain it over time. A governing board and standing committees are the foundation for the volunteer-driven program. This structure shares the workload among many people and delineates responsibilities, builds consensus and cooperation.

Promotion generates a positive image and educates the community and visitors about the district by celebrating the community’s cultural assets. These efforts may include special events that focus attention on local art, music, traditions and history, supplemented by information booths/kiosks that guide visitors around the town. All will generate confidence in the district and strengthen the local economy.

Design means getting Main Street® into top physical shape. Historic buildings and pedestrian-oriented streets are its most visible assets, but are just part of the story. Design elements can include façade improvement grants that are consistent with the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, plans for street improvements, downtown clean-up projects, and preparing a National Register nomination for your town. These all contribute to an inviting atmosphere, enhanced by tasteful window displays and parking areas, street furniture, attractive signs, safe streets and sidewalks, street lights, and landscaping that convey a positive visual image.

Economic Restructuring educates the community to make the most of its existing economic assets while expanding and diversifying its economic base in a direction that leads to job growth, helps reduce poverty and improves the quality of life for everyone in the community. The ER committee sponsors workshops and training sessions, and conducts market analysis to determine what types of services the community needs in order to reduce the cycle of disinvestment.