Become the Next Great Ohio Main Street Community
Do you love your downtown, and feel that it could benefit from being part of a national movement for revitalization? Are you interested in preserving your community history and supporting locally owned and operated businesses? Are you missing out on the economic impact of the heritage tourism economy in Ohio? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, maybe it’s time to consider the Ohio Main Street program.
Heritage Ohio, the State-wide coordinating agency under Main Street America, is looking to expand the program with five new Ohio Main Street communities. The Main Street approach, created in the late 1980s as a model for downtown revitalization, preservation, and economic development, is a nationally respected framework that is followed by over 2,000 communities that value their history and local economy. In Ohio, 52 historic communities are currently part of the Main Street program.
The path to becoming an Ohio Main Street Program begins with a Downtown Assessment Resource Team (DART) visit. Thanks to special funding, Heritage Ohio is currently able to scholarship up to 50% of the $5,000 cost of the DART visit and Main Street pipeline planning process for up to five Ohio communities. A DART is a two-day, deep dive workshop in a community, when Heritage Ohio staff conducts site visits, community visioning and input modeling, walking tours, and interviews with key community stakeholders to determine if there is capacity for a full Main Street program.
The initial application is due on May 10th.
Webinar: Grow with Google
Wednesday, February 28th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Looking to expand the reach of your small business and get customers in the door?
Google is the #1 source current and potential customers will use to gain information about your business. Learn about all the tools Google can provide to your business to increase business traffic and drive sales.
About Our Presenter
Janet Hurn is a seasoned professional with a passion for education, digital innovation, brand design, and marketing. With over 30 years of experience, she has established herself as an expert in online course development, e-learning administration, and e-consulting. As the Co-Founder of Future Ready Consulting, Janet is dedicated to supporting new and scaling small businesses in their growth journey. Her extensive background as the Senior Director of Regional E-Campus at Miami University has equipped her with valuable insights into instructional technology and innovative methods for online learning. Janet’s expertise, combined with her commitment to staying ahead of the curve, enables her to provide strategic guidance and consultancy services to elevate brands, improve online presence, and effectively reach target audiences. Whether it’s through brand development, website design, or digital marketing strategies, Janet is ready to empower entrepreneurs and business owners to change the world.
Janet has had many accomplishments, innovations and awards. She holds a DMI Certified Marketing Professional certification, Google Analytics certification, and Google Ads certification. She is also the Grow with Google Ohio Digital Coach, where she teaches small businesses all over Ohio how to use Google tools to enhance their businesses. Janet has a strong background in education, with over 30 years of experience as a Senior Instructor of Physics at Miami University. Under her leadership, the Miami Regionals E-Campus was listed on US News and World Report’s Top Online Schools in 2023 and the top 20 Online Schools in 2021. Janet’s contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the University System of Ohio’s Faculty Innovator Award and the ASCUE.ORG Keynote Speaker honor. Her commitment to excellence and passion for online education make her a valuable asset to the field.
Webinar: Redevelopment Funding Opportunities from the Ohio Department of Development
Wednesday, January 31st – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Join us for a conversation about community redevelopment and the funds available through the Ohio Department of Development to assist your projects. Funding opportunities to be discussed include:
Welcome Home Ohio
The Welcome Home Ohio (WHO) program is designed to provide grants for the purchase of qualifying residential properties, the cost of construction or rehabilitation, or a nonrefundable tax credit for qualifying activities.
Brownfield Remediation Program
The Brownfield Remediation Program provides grants for the cleanup of brownfield sites, to assist in the remediation of hazardous substances or petroleum at an industrial, commercial, or institutional property. Remediation includes acquisition of a brownfield, demolition performed at a brownfield, and the installation or upgrade of the minimum amount of infrastructure necessary to make a brownfield site operational for economic development activity.
Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program
The Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program is designed to provide grants for the demolition of commercial and residential buildings and revitalization of surrounding properties on sites that are not Brownfields.
Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program
The Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Grant Program provides grants to improve access to clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. Grants of up to $5 million for construction projects are available to Ohio communities. All political subdivisions with the authority to own and operate public water and sewer systems and non-profit, non-community public water systems may submit an application
Webinar: Historic Preservation Commissions: The Legal Basics
Wednesday, February 21st – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
The strongest defense commissions have against accusations of arbitrary and capricious decisions is to consistently follow established review procedures. Customized for each state, this workshop covers the legal basis for commission operation. This presentation will provide an overview of procedural due process, takings, appeals, property rights, and economic hardship. Participants will examine common preservation legal issues and acquire tools to improve decision-making and build a defensible record.
About our presenter:
Will Cook is a nationally recognized lawyer and scholar with a successful record for protecting National Historic Landmarks, significant landscapes, historic viewsheds, and traditional cultural properties. His practice focuses on balancing historic preservation with economic development so that historic preservation law is more efficient, effective, and predictable. Will helps his clients navigate the Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act at the project level with an emphasis on historic viewsheds and landscape protection. He negotiates on behalf of tribes, project proponents, local governments, and other consulting parties to achieve creative, win-win outcomes that appropriately balance preservation values and development needs. Examples of his work include helping to find reasonable limits to unregulated cruise tourism in historic port communities, advising a local government with a National Historic Landmark district on its legal rights in response to proposed offshore utility-scale windfarms, and working with a nationally recognized preservation advocacy group on how to address a proposed seawall that would surround a National Historic Landmark district.
In 2019, Will assisted the Parks & People Foundation in Baltimore with identifying ways to use Section 106 to leverage shoreline restoration of the Middle Branch Harbor and proposed “green” urban park along its 11-mile shoreline. Will’s extensive knowledge of preservation legal tools and land use law allows him to serve as a strategic partner with policymakers, developers, and preservation advocates on best practices to make preservation law more effective and efficient. Examples include assisting the City of Philadelphia and the Town of Palm Beach with identifying strengths and weaknesses in their local preservation laws, suggesting opportunities for improvement based on peer city reviews, and helping educate the public about preservation law’s benefits. Through his work with the National Alliance of Preservation Commission’s Disaster Planning Advisory Committee, Will helps historic communities with adaptation planning and disaster relief, including their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Will has argued in court and before administrative agencies across the country on behalf of advocates seeking to protect traditional cultural properties: historic places that continue to be used by living communities. His engagements have included arguing on behalf of the National Trust for Historic Preservation before the New Mexico Supreme Court, which affirmed unanimously Mount Taylor’s designation in New Mexico’s State Register of Cultural Properties.
Will earned his Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law, and is a graduate of Furman University, where he received a B.A. in political science. Prior to joining Cultural Heritage Partners, Will served for eight years as associate general counsel for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and teaches preservation law at Columbia University.
Webinar: Maybe Your Downtown Could Use a Heart Transplant?
Wednesday, November 29th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Join us as we welcome back former Heritage Ohio director of revitalization, Jeff Siegler, to celebrate the release of his first book, Your City is Sick. Jeff will share what he’s been up to since his days at Heritage Ohio, and delve into the details of the book, including why everyone should purchase multiple copies, and what else he is working on.
About our presenter:
Jeff Siegler is a writer, speaker, and consultant concerned with the powerful role place plays in our lives. He is the founder of the civic pride consulting firm, Revitalize, or Die. After obtaining his master’s degree in Urban Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University, Jeff went to work on Main Street, first as a downtown manager, and later as the Ohio Main Street State Coordinator. His first book, Your City is Sick, was released this past September. Jeff and his wife Amber and their four kids call Pittsburgh home.
Webinar: Tourism in Ohio: What’s Happening and Where are the Opportunities
Wednesday, September 13th – 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Get an update on travel trends within the state and among our potential visitors. We’ll spend extra time talking about cultural and heritage tourism, including its importance, what these types of travelers are seeking and how to get their attention. Closing out the webinar, we’ll talk briefly about two opportunities for Ohio communities – America 250 Ohio being celebrated in 2026 and the potential of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks inscription to the World Heritage List in September.
About our presenter:
Melinda Huntley is the executive director of the Ohio Travel Association (OTA), a nonprofit organization that provides support for museums, attractions, visitor bureaus, retail shops, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses wanting to attract travelers. OTA advocates for smart policies that increase travel in Ohio, produces the state tourism conference, keeps the industry informed on market trends and news, and provides professional development. It also produces Heartland Travel Showcase, a 14-state regional meeting place for buying and selling group tours. With career experience in public relations at Cedar Point, running a CVB along Lake Erie and helping communities develop heritage and outdoor experiences through OSU’s Ohio Sea Grant College Program, she has a unique understanding of opportunities for businesses and communities of any size. She is a Commissioner for America 250 Ohio which will be celebrated in 2026 and serves on multiple national and statewide task forces and boards, including those focused on World Heritage designation, trail development, and educating our youth.