Kansas Main Street director outlines path, costs and commitments for Fort Scott to rejoin program

Scott Sewell, director of the Kansas Main Street program, told Fort Scott City stakeholders on an informational visit that rejoining the statewide Main Street network would require a sustained local organizational commitment, a paid downtown staff member and a clear strategy — and that the state program is not itself a grant-making body.

Sewell said the Kansas Main Street program, part of the Kansas Department of Commerce, reopened in 2019 after a 2012 closure and initially grandfathered 25 communities back into the program. He described two routes for communities: becoming a designated Main Street community through a competitive application process, or joining the programas a network member with fewer obligations but fewer benefits and no automatic eligibility for certain grants.

The distinction matters because designated communities receive technical assistance tied to capacity-building and strategic planning, Sewell said. "We're not a grant program," Sewell said. "If you're chasing money, Main Street is not for you." He added that designation brings accountability and expectations at local, state and national levels: designated communities complete an annual accreditation-style self-assessment and participate in longer transformational workshops every few years.

Why it matters: Sewell said Main Street's approach emphasizes a four-point strategydesign, organization, promotion and economic vitalityto guide downtown revitalization over years rather than by chasing…