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Main Street’s Impact in Washington State
Place matters. Healthy downtown and neighborhood districts drive civic and volunteer opportunities, economic resiliency, downtown housing, and social connectedness, and they are critical to communities’ local history and sense of identity. Communities large and small across Washington State are dedicated to implementing a tried-and-true economic development strategy that leverages unique local assets, including the existing built environment, entrepreneurial energy, committed volunteers, and sense of community pride.
In Washington State, the Main Street movement is fueled by the Washington State Main Street Program, a statewide program of the Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation that has been managed by the Washington Trust since 2010. This program helps to build capacity and connection to resources in 79 towns and neighborhoods across the state—ranging from Vancouver to Colville, Dayton to Bellingham. These local Main Street organizations work tirelessly to support small businesses, leverage partnerships, and bring their communities together.
“Great things are happening in our downtown, but really it’s the Washington State Main Street Program that plays a critical role in making that possible for us,” said Rosa Pulido, executive director of the Wenatchee Downtown Association. “That level of vitality doesn’t happen by accident. It really is the result of intentional investment, strong local partnerships, and the technical support that we receive from the Washington Main Street program.”
In 2025 alone, our then-40 designated Main Street Communities catalyzed significant economic impacts in their districts, including 395 new businesses and 96 business expansions; 1,130 new jobs; and more than $110 million in public and private investment into their historic downtown districts. Additionally, 420 buildings were rehabilitated in the last year—up from 363 the previous year and the highest number we’ve recorded to date!
And because community engagement is such a significant aspect of the Main Street model, we also recorded 65,395 volunteer hours, which is a time investment valued at more than $2,700,000. There are very few movements these days that can inspire such robust volunteer energy.
The Washington State Main Street Program has the unique opportunity to help a large, growing network of communities across the state through capacity-building services. We believe that local impact is amplified when there is a strong statewide program to connect the dots through training, technical assistance, and network development. The growth of the program over the years proves that Main Street works for Washington communities, yet it also puts a strain on the program’s limited resources. There is currently no mechanism in place to increase state funding to meet the needs of this growing network.
“Every town looks a little different in the state,” said John Carson, executive director of the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association. “But Washington Main Street gives us the approach and the resources that can really drive the results, and success begets success. The more we’ve leaned into it, the more successful we’ve been.”
Main Street in Washington State has already proven itself to be a wise investment of state dollars as well as a reliable contributor to more resilient local economies. Because of Main Street’s track record of adapting to various social and economic needs and its deep network of trusted local community organizations, the Washington State Main Street Program is poised to make even more significant contributions to strengthening communities across our state.
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