BATON ROUGE, La. – Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and Louisiana Main Street have announced that 11 designated Main Street communities across the state will receive Technical Assistance grants in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, thanks to a $450,000 appropriation by the Louisiana Legislature.
This marks the first time in over a decade that Louisiana Main Street is able to offer this level of technical support.
“We are excited to once again offer this type of technical support to many of our Main Street communities with the help of our state legislators,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “Our Main Street communities across Louisiana are demonstrating that through smart, strategic, and scaled improvements, we can create vibrant and resilient local economies that celebrate local flavor and homegrown talent.”
Grants will support projects aligned with the Main Street Four Points Approach:
- Organization: Building strong foundations through planning, board training, and community involvement.
- Economic Vitality: Supporting business development, market studies, and redevelopment.
- Design: Enhancing physical and visual assets like signage and public spaces.
- Promotion: Positioning downtowns as community hubs of economic activity.
Communities Receiving Grants:
| Community | Award Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Main Street | $35,000 | Economic Development Strategy + Impact Analysis for Louisiana Green Fuels |
| Hammond Downtown District | $38,750 | Sidewalk design & traffic calming at downtown intersections |
| Town of Jonesville | $27,000 | New Main Street community Resource Team |
| Lower 9th Ward Main Street (NOLA) | $35,850 | Grocery consulting + organizational Resource Team |
| Minden Main Street | $10,750 | Transformation Strategy Development + Work Planning Workshop |
| Natchitoches Main Street | $75,000 | Downtown Master Plan |
| Ruston Main Street | $58,525 | Downtown Roadmap strategic plan |
| Springhill Main Street | $61,175 | Downtown Roadmap strategic plan |
| Thibodaux Main Street, Inc. | $59,950 | Downtown Roadmap strategic plan |
| West Monroe Main Street | $21,000 | Structural design for downtown gateway signage |
| Winn Main Street | $27,000 | New Main Street community Resource Team |
Program Impact
Since its inception, the Louisiana Main Street program has documented more than $1 billion in combined public and private investment. Highlights include:
- 17,859 net new jobs created
- 3,919 net new businesses
- $461 million invested in new construction and building rehab
- Over 1.3 million volunteer hours logged
For more details, visit the Louisiana Main Street program webpage.