Local Main Streets boards of directors are, by and large, made up of busy, talented, and passionate community members motivated to work together to strengthen their downtown districts. A board that holds itself accountable, leads by example, and provides appropriate support and oversight to staff is one of the surest signs of a successful organization.
We recognize that Main Street board members face two often-steep learning curves: Understanding and implementing the Main Street Approach (external work) and nonprofit governance and organizational development (internal work). To support boards in this learning journey, as part of our Year of the Boards, we’re excited to launch this Board Hub, a curated webpage just for Main Street board members with resources, events, and networking tools to foster stronger connections between communities and to empower board leaders.
Your Best Friends
Print, bookmark, or save — these are the documents and web pages you likely use the most!
Resources & Networking
- Our Board Leadership Guide walks through the roles, responsibilities, and best practices for Main Street boards. Our other Main Street guides are also excellent resources for any board member!
- Resource library. Examples, ideas, and guides on all things Main Street.
- Example library. A searchable catalogue of public programs and behind-the-scenes documents from your peers across the state.
- Washington Main Street Network Slack. Reach out to your fellow Main Streets for advice, ideas, and celebrations. All are welcome, so be sure to invite your staff, board, and committees! Any problems with joining? Email . New to Slack? Check out this onboarding document.
Program Information
- Governing documents. RCW 43.360 (Establishing WSMSP) and WAC 25-50 (WSMSP Rules for designated Communities)
- WMS Key Dates 2026. Includes Quarterly Leadership Meetings and reporting deadlines.
- Quarterly reporting form. Pairs nicely with quarterly reporting guide & quarterly reporting template.
- National Accreditation FAQ. Complete with helpful links and process timeline!
- WMS Services Menu. Education, coaching, and other resources that you can request!
Upcoming Events and Offerings
Trainings and Webinars
- Mondays on Main: register here and join us one Monday each month on Zoom for quick updates from our Washington Main Street team (goings on, new tools, and great ideas worth pollinating) and a chance to see other Main Streeters from around the state.
- Mark your calendars for 10:00am on 5/18, 6/15, 7/13, 8/10, 9/14, no October date as we hope to see you all for PLACES in Ellensburg, 11/9, 12/14
- Regional Retreats: Board members are invited to attend our brand new Regional Retreats, held in Port Townsend on May 12-13, and Camas and Wenatchee on June 8-9. Learn more and register here.
Critical Calendar
The following are required for all Main Street Communities (not for Affiliates). View the full calendar here.
- Quarterly Leadership Meetings: January 27-29, April 28-30, and July 28-30
- Main Street Community directors are required to attend a minimum of 2/3 of leadership meetings each year. A board member can attend one of the meetings on your behalf, if needed.
- PLACES Conference: October 6-8 in Ellensburg
- Main Street Community directors must attend the annual state conference, and we hope to see board members from every organization as well!
- Learn more and register here. Be sure to select “Designated Washington Main Street Organization” as your Attendee Type to receive your Main Street 2-for-1 discount!
- Reporting: The following reports are required of all Main Street Communities:
- Quarterly reports: Due 1/15, 4/23, 7/23, and 10/23 (Q4 2026 will be due on 1/16/27)
- Annual report: Due February 11
Resource Highlights
- Boards in Gear Guide. This toolkit from the Nonprofit Association of Washington is an excellent resource for diving deep into board best practices.
- Board Standards in Washington State provides an overview of key standards for nonprofit boards under Washington State law.
- Main Street America Academy is the refreshed platform from Main Street America, our national coordinating program, which has free learning resources geared specifically to our work. It is free but does require the creation of an account to access the platform.
- Excellence on Main Awards archive. This compilation of current and past Excellence on Main Awards winners was built as a source of inspiration and best practices for Washington leaders dedicated to building stronger local communities.
From our Regional Retreats
- Attendee rolodex: Port Townsend | Camas | Wenatchee
- Retreat slide decks: Day 1 slides | Day 2 slides
- Handouts: Day 1 notes | Day 2 notes | Main Street Approach handout
Tools for Good Governance
We recommend that every Main Street organization have a “board binder,” a physical or digital folder that compiles the following governing documents and is easily accessible to all board members. While each document will be unique to your organization, you can find samples for your reference linked below and in our Resource Library.
- Articles of Incorporation (sample)
- Bylaws (sample)
- Policies & procedures
- Board job descriptions (sample)
- Orientation checklist (sample; see also: p. 10 of our Board Leadership Guide)
- Additional documents, including financials, insurance policies, board roster, etc. — Reference p. 20 of our Board Leadership Guide for a full list and check out Oregon Main Street’s Policies & Procedures Manual too!
We also recommend that every board complete a board self-assessment every year. The focus of the assessment may change from year to year, based on your priorities and capacity. A great starting point is the Board Leadership Checklist on pp. 2-3 of our Board Leadership Guide, and we’ll soon add a few more options to consider.
Fundraising Resources
Resources
- Funding Main Street Organizations in a Nutshell. This short guide outlines the board’s responsibility in fundraising, how to build a diverse funding plan, and typical revenue mixes for a Main Street organization.
- Focus on Fundraising webinar recordings. These trainings, led by fundraising development consultant Rebecca Zanatta, are geared toward Main Street Board and Outreach Committee members.
- 1. End of Year Appeals and Donor Engagement
- 2. Fundraising is Not a Solo Sport! How Boards Champion the Story
- 3. The Donors Next Door – Unlocking Individual Giving (coming soon!)
- 4. Where are the Untapped Pockets of Money? (coming soon!)
- Turning Supporters into Donors. This guide from Oregon Main Street walks you through how to successfully implement a fundraising campaign downtown, with a 12-week plan from developing goals through post-campaign thank yous.
Main Street Tax Credit Incentive Program (MSTCIP)
- Overview and Videos
- Overview Presentation Recording
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Step-by-Step Guide to Applying
- Establishing legislation
- Rack card in English and Spanish
Meet the WMS Team
As your state coordinating program team, we are excited to provide you with support, guidance, and a listening ear. While we each have specific focuses, we’re intentionally not siloing ourselves and welcome you to come to any one of us with any of your Main Street questions, concerns, ideas, and celebrations.
Breanne Durham
WMS Director
Jonelle McCoy
Main Street Specialist
Lydia Felty
Main Street Specialist
Your primary point of contact for everything from general questions about Main Street to best practices, with a special emphasis on Outreach. Also available for venting, processing, and celebrating wins!
Focuses on Affiliates, start-ups, board support, and Promotion, as well as your main contact for the MSTCIP.
Your go-to for information, questions, or ideas about the resource library, PLACES conference, WMS Network Slack, and more, with a special focus on Design.