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Paris, Tenn.–The Downtown Paris Association has once again 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™.
The 2025 network of designated Main Street members includes 821 programs that earned Accredited status — our top designation tier — for demonstrating a proven track record of achieving outcomes in alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in the six standards of community evaluation. Additionally, 351 programs have received Affiliate status for showing a strong commitment to the Main Street model and creating meaningful improvements in their communities.
“Main Street America is proud to recognize this year’s 1,172 designated Main Street programs for their commitment to building strong and vibrant communities,” said Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America. “Their tireless efforts show what’s possible when engaged leaders work together to shape places that reflect the people they serve. The continued impact of our network shows that the Main Street movement remains a powerful force for positive transformation.”
Main Street America recognizes two tiers of national designation — Affiliate and Accredited. These designations are a powerful advocacy tool, signaling to local stakeholders, as well as city, state, and national funders, that a Main Street program has an established position within a nationwide movement with a 45-year proven track record of generating impressive economic returns, building local capacity, creating welcoming and inviting communities, and creating lasting impact.
To qualify for designation communities must demonstrate a strong commitment to the Main Street model, meet a set of baseline requirements, and achieve outcomes 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.
The Downtown Paris Association’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and Tennessee Main Street, 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.
In 2024, the Main Street America programs generated $7.65 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,324 new businesses, facilitated the creation of 33,835 new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,126 historic buildings, and logged 1.9 million volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, $21.73 was reinvested into their downtown and commercial corridor communities.
“We have been accredited by Main Street America each year since 2016. Accreditation as a Main Street program signifies our commitment to comprehensive revitalization, economic resilience, and historic preservation of downtown Paris. It shows that the Downtown Paris Association meets national standards of excellence and is actively investing in the vitality and future of our downtown. We couldn’t be prouder of our amazing downtown!” said Tara Wilson, executive director for the Downtown Paris Association.
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Photo credit to Jay Odom Design.