Oakland County Main Street representative briefs DDA on services, accreditation and grants

An Oakland County Main Street representative (Speaker 3) told the Clawson DDA about the program's four-point approach—design, organization, economic development and promotions—and described services the county offers to downtown organizations, including technical assistance, design help from two staff architects and grant support.

The presenter said the county-level Main Street program focuses on historic preservation and volunteer-driven local leadership. "Historic preservation is not just buildings," Speaker 3 said, emphasizing downtowns as community focal points and the value of small, sustained actions that support long-term vitality. She explained the county program will remain at "affiliate" level in the national accreditation system for one year while staff bring all local programs onto the same accreditation schedule.

Speaker 3 reviewed funding and program supports: typical planning grants (described as often around $10,000), occasional larger marketing or recovery grants that in recent cycles provided hundreds of thousands statewide (figures given in the presentation were approximate), and partnerships with private lenders and credit unions to expand promotional efforts. She also described an online marketplace, shopocmainstreets.com, offered to participating downtowns for roughly $1,800 per community per year, with per-business signup options available.

Board members asked to receive the presenter’s packet and follow-up materials. The presenter said staff will circulate documentation and encouraged DDA members to use county resources—design assistance, volunteer training and grant guidance—when building downtown plans.

The presentation concluded with an offer to help with façade grants and a reminder about accreditation timelines; board members placed follow-up items on January meeting agendas to review materials and consider grant applications.