About Us

About Us

Following an extensive application process and presentation for an esteemed Main Street Iowa Advisory Council, Clarence gained Main Street Iowa status in August of 2017. Clarence Main Street hit the ground running with events, projects, and volunteer recruitment. Following the Main Street America Four Point Approach, the Clarence Main Street consists of the Board of Directors, four committees including Economic Vitality, Outreach, Design, and Promotion and a team of dedicated volunteers.

As a Main Street America™ Accredited program, Clarence Main Street joined the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. All Main Street America™ Accredited programs meet a set of National Accreditation Standards of Performance as outlined by the National Main Street Center.

Clarence Main Street offers assistance to existing business owners, and potential business owners, as well as organization of events, promotions, and design services.

What does it mean to be a Main Street community?

Main Street Iowa, under the umbrella of Main Street America, provides a variety of services and training opportunities for designated Main Street programs to build the capacity of the local revitalization effort. During the start-up phase of a Main Street program, MSI invests approximately $120,000 in technical assistance and training for local programs. Throughout the life of a Main Street program, MSI invests an average of $15,000 annually.

Every Main Street community enters into a contract with the Iowa Economic Development Authority to use the Main Street process and agrees to:

Employ a program director to coordinate the work of the organization. Due to population size, Clarence is required to hire a director for 25 hours per week.
Maintain an office, within the designated Main Street district, and minimum budget for the program
Have both financial and philosophical support from city government
Representation at mandatory, quarterly training workshops on downtown development issues

The goal is to provide participating cities the training and technical assistance needed to make good planning decisions relative to downtown’s revitalization and future development. Assistance from the Main Street Iowa team includes training workshops, architectural and design assistance, business assistance, and a number of other technical assistance opportunities.