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Grow Smart Rhode Island outlines Main Street Rhode Island program; invites Richmond to apply for learning cohort
Summary
Grow Smart Rhode Island presented a new Main Street Rhode Island program and invited Richmond to join an upcoming learning cohort and an in‑state conference for downtown/main‑street revitalization training.
Jillian Finkel, deputy director of Grow Smart Rhode Island, briefed the council Oct. 15 on a newly launched state Main Street program run by her nonprofit in partnership with Main Street America.
Program overview: Main Street Rhode Island will provide capacity‑building, webinars, technical assistance and a learning cohort of communities that will receive a series of workshops and training conducted by Main Street America in 2026. The program focuses on community‑led economic development in walkable commercial districts using the national Main Street “four‑point” approach: economic vitality (business support), design (built environment), promotion (events/communications), and organization (leadership/partnerships).
Invitation to Richmond: Finkel invited Richmond to send a local team to apply for the initial learning cohort and to attend a Main Street Rhode Island conference; staff and councilors discussed coordinating with the town’s Economic Development Commission and the Richmond Task Force to assemble a team.
Why it matters: The Main Street approach is intended to help communities strengthen small businesses, attract reinvestment, and improve public spaces. The program offers training and peer learning and could be used to support local branding, business assistance and placemaking work already in progress in Richmond.
Ending: The council expressed interest in exploring participation and requested staff share the application information with the Economic Development Commission and local stakeholders.
