By the end of 2025, Connecticut Main Street Center had spent three years expanding programming and staffing at the speed of light. We created a new strategic plan, developed an annual assessment tool, debuted Main Street Accelerator, Diversity on Main, and NWCT PROMISE programs, expanded our membership categories to include regional and multi-district options, grew our events, and welcomed three new staff and over twenty new members.
On the road and on the ground, we’re in communities more than ever.
2026 saw CMSC at its zenith, clocking more hours in communities than at any other time in our history, deploying programs and services that help communities enact best practices across the Four Points of Main Street Management: Design, Economic Vitality, Promotion and Organization. Fully implementing and refining our broad range of initiatives yielded new insights into filling storefront vacancies, convening effective teams of dedicated community stakeholders, and creating local impact through thoughtful strategic planning. Three communities were able to advance downtown enhancements through our EmPOWER Main Street Grant Fund in partnership with Avangrid subsidiaries UI, CNG and SCG, and three Main Street Accelerator communities began funded projects. Meanwhile, our new Councils of Governments (COG) members provided perspective into their unique regional challenges while validating the importance of strong village centers and main streets. CMSC staff further embarked on our own exploration of downtowns through our monthly Field Trip Friday excursions.
This expanded statewide presence brought to light principles that will shape our next year:
Capacity building must accompany best practices. Strong downtowns require effective main street management: deep stakeholder relationships, mutual accountability, project oversight, volunteer deployment, and constant vigilance. Too often, there is a lack of people, time, and funding to fully realize annual workplans, even for towns with professional economic development staff. In response, CMSC is developing a clear pathway of training and workshops to prepare local volunteer downtown working groups, with an eye to helping them form a funded main street management entity — a 501c3, BID, SSD or other option.
Communities need more investment and resources. Vibrant downtowns are a common goal of all our communities and our state, and vibrancy is the result of endless cultivation and adaptation. These vital hubs of employment, small businesses, arts and culture, connection, and quality of life require investment in programs, projects, and events to keep them lively and safe, and in people to cultivate those necessary facets of a thriving place. In the coming year, CMSC will work with partners across sectors to expand funding opportunities and help communities build the teams and budgets needed for long-term success.
Together is the way forward.
Our growing regional work with COGs has revealed the value of coordination across neighboring communities. By sharing strategies and aligning efforts among neighboring towns—from land use to marketing— we can strengthen entire regions, not just individual downtowns. As our work with COGs continues, we anticipate more data to inform cross-pollination between communities.
We are grateful for a year of work that extended to over 120 Connecticut towns and cities. While we provided technical assistance and expertise, these communities in turn refined and informed our work. We can’t wait to continue this journey in partnership with Connecticut’s downtowns, main streets and village centers.
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Sharper Focus. Stronger Communities.
The past year at CT Main Street Center was all about refinement. After a period of rapid growth and deep work in our member communities, we assessed the execution and impact of our increasing array of programs, tools, and resources to home in on what municipalities need most for their downtowns to reach their full potential.
Board of Directors
Michael Andreana Attorney Pullman & Comley LLC
Kelvin Ayala Principal, Director of Economic Development Led By Us
Ryan Bingham, CMSC Immediate Past Board Chair President, Finance & Operations/Lobbyist Sullivan & LeShane, Inc.
Susan S. Decina, MPA Economic & Community Development Specialist CT Dept of Economic & Community Development
Elizabeth Esposito, AICP Community and Government Relations Specialist United Illuminating, an Avangrid Company
Nicole Haggerty, AICP Planning Director Town of Colchester
Matthew Kaufman, CMSC Treasurer Regional VP of Operations, Central Region Hartford Healthcare
Alyssa Kent Development Manager Baywater Properties
Staff
Ani Chaghatzbanian Programs Manager
Jennifer Baldyga Events & Professional Affiliate Manager
Advancing communities across Connecticut to establish and maintain vibrant Main Streets.
Recognizing our downtowns serve as the social and economic heart of the community, our work supports the significant impact thriving Main Streets have on our economy and quality of life. At the local level, we provide technical assistance to our members — dedicated stakeholders including downtown professionals, municipal employees, business owners and even volunteers — to help them strategically cultivate the key ingredients of an inviting, vibrant downtown. At the regional level, we assist the Councils of Governments to support their municipal downtowns and cultivate a narrative and approach that connects them. At the state level, we advocate for programs and policies that advance the Main Street way of life.
The CT Main Street Approach
CMSC is a member of Main Street America and serves as the Statewide Coordinating Program for Connecticut. We espouse Main Street America’s Four Point Approach to Main Street Management, a model that focuses on the pillars of Economic Vitality, Design, Promotion and Organization (represented on the graphic’s inner ring). This model has proven to be effective both nationally and locally with our members on the ground over our 25+ year history.
The Four Point Approach serves as the basis of our comprehensive Main Street Management Assessment tool that measures over 85 key downtown data points. Through our education, training, and technical assistance offerings, we guide our members to create incremental action plans that continuously enhance their downtowns and commercial corridors. Using the Four Point Approach framework to implement CMSC’s tailored recommendations, our members are able to cultivate the six core qualities of a vibrant downtown (represented on the graphic’s outer ring), resulting in dynamic and prosperous Main Streets all across the state.
Members
Our member network stretches corner-to-corner across
CT
Street Communities Connecticut Main Street Center
16. Enfield/ Thompsonville
Fairfield 18. Farmington
Georgetown
City of Groton
Haddam
Hamden
Naugatuck 24. New London
New Milford 26. Newtown/ Sandy Hook
Norwich
Old Saybrook
Plainville
Plymouth
Putnam
Ridgefield
Rockville/ Vernon
Seymour
Stafford
Stonington
Suffield
Thomaston
Torrington
Trumbull
Watertown
Westbrook
Windham/ Willimantic
Windsor Locks
Woodbridge
Professionally Managed CT Main Street Programs
a. Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District
b. CityCenter Danbury
c. Manchester Downtown Special Services District
d. Middletown Downtown Business District
e. New Britain Downtown District
f. Simsbury Main Street Partnership
g. Stamford Downtown Special Services District
h. Mansfield Downtown Partnership (Storrs)
i. Upper Albany Main Street (Hartford)
j. Wallingford Center, Inc.
k. Main Street Waterbury
m. Westville Village Renaissance Alliance
n. Windsor First Town Downtown
Regional Affiliate Members
I. Capitol Region Council of Governments
II. Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments
III. Northeastern CT Council of Governments
IV. Northwest Hills Council of Governments
Multi-District Members
★ City of Bridgeport
★ City of Hartford
★ City of New Haven
Main
In The Field
Building Better Downtowns Through Data-Driven Management
Vibrant downtowns don’t happen by chance—they require intentional, ongoing management that balances economic development priorities, municipal goals, and community vision. Effective main street management means coordinating diverse stakeholders, aligning public and private investment, and continuously adapting strategies to strengthen local vitality.
To support this work, CMSC developed its annual Main Street Management Assessment, first launched in January 2023. This tool translates Main Street America’s national best practices and CMSC’s six key qualities of a vibrant downtown into more than 80 clear, actionable benchmarks—tailored to Connecticut’s distinct mix of urban centers, suburban corridors, and rural communities. Our framework is designed to help local leaders evaluate performance across core functions of downtown management while recognizing the unique context of each place.
CMSC Completes 100th Main Street Management Assessment
We don’t call Field Services Director Carl Rosa “Mr. Main Street” for nothing!
This year, CMSC surpassed a milestone when Carl performed our 100th Main Street Management Assessment in downtown Stafford Springs. With over 100 communities in our network, Carl is always on the road meeting with members, learning their priorities, and providing valuable insights.
In Fiscal Year 2026, CMSC completed 40 Main Street Management Assessments across Connecticut.
These assessments equipped local leaders with datadriven insights to reinforce successful initiatives, recalibrate where needed, and align efforts around shared goals for downtown revitalization. Ultimately, this approach supports stronger decision-making, more strategic investment, and sustained progress toward thriving, resilient downtowns statewide.
For the downtown professionals, economic developers, town planners, municipal officials, local stakeholders and more that steward our member communities, the Assessment provides a structured way to:
+ Measure impact across programming, partnerships, economic vitality, and organizational capacity
+ Benchmark performance against proven national standards
+ Identify gaps and opportunities to refine strategy and resource allocation
+ Access targeted recommendations and technical assistance to strengthen outcomes
Of the 40 assessments CMSC performed, 31 were repeats; of those, 10 were second annual assessments. In all 10 cases, the overall scores improved from the initial year. In fact, all 31 repeat assessments, some of them for the third time annually, demonstrated marked improvement in the main street areas of Economic Vitality, Design, and Promotion. Particular attention was paid to the fundamental “basics” of downtown main street management. Baseline scores were established for the nine CMSC member communities who received their initial assessment.
Over the last year, CMSC conducted:
In
The Field
Continued
CMSC’s Impact Grows as More Communities Engage
As more municipalities and downtown organizations recognize the practical value of CMSC’s Assessment tool – and the depth of expertise, training, and peer support available through our programs – interest in strengthening local downtown management has surged around the state. Over the past year, we were proud to welcome 10 new member communities and organizations into our statewide network, each committed to advancing vibrant, resilient, and well-managed downtowns.
Town of Ansonia
• Town of Bethel
• Town of Branford
• Town of Colchester
• Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments (RiverCOG)
• Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG)
CMSC Launches
• Town of Cornwall
• Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NECCOG) Town of Stafford Stamford Downtown Special Services District (DSSD)
Field Trip Fridays to Experience Connecticut’s Downtowns Firsthand
To ensure every member of our team has a deep, firsthand understanding of Connecticut’s diverse main streets, CMSC launched Field Trip Fridays —a monthly initiative to visit and explore downtowns across the state.
Our inaugural visit took us to Mansfield, where Mansfield Downtown Partnership Executive Director Steven Ferrigno led CMSC staff on an exploration of Downtown Storrs by foot, followed by a driving tour of the UConn campus and nearby assets such as Mansfield Hollow State Park, Kirby Mill, and surrounding commercial nodes. The visit offered valuable insight into the opportunities and challenges of linking these activity centers with the vibrant downtown core.
Additional visits to Essex, Madison, New London, Norwich, Ridgefield, Wethersfield, and Winsted allowed CMSC staff to walk the main street district, meet with local businesses, and assess key strengths and obstacles using CMSC’s Assessment framework as a guide. These field visits deepen our understanding of local conditions and strengthen our ability to support communities in advancing effective downtown management strategies.
New Resources Deliver Greater Value for Downtowns
Stronger Streetscapes: A Blueprint for Effective Façade Planning
CMSC released Stronger Streetscapes, our newest action kit, designed to help communities create and administer façade improvement programs that strengthen downtown vitality. This tactical guide distills best practices in program design, funding structures, and implementation, offering municipalities a clear, step-by-step framework for addressing one of the most visible main street challenges. Packed with practical tools and examples from Connecticut and beyond, our action kit is a guide to elevate streetscapes in ways that support economic growth and enhance the overall downtown experience.
Connecticut Main Street Center
Education and Training
Grounded in the nationally proven Four Point Approach to Main Street Management, our educational programming empowers local community stakeholders to create thriving downtowns by showcasing local and national best practices, real-world case-studies, and practical solutions to common downtown challenges.
Main Street Accelerator Program
Main Street Accelerator is an annual program that trains local teams from communities across Connecticut to implement small-scale projects that make incremental positive change in their downtowns. Participants learn and practice national best practices in main street management; sustainable and inclusive development practices; project management; and community engagement.
CMSC launched the Main Street Accelerator program in 2024, graduating ten communities and funding six projects across the state. This year, CMSC welcomed five new teams to the program.
Meet Our 2026 Accelerator Cohort
Teams with a diverse array of geographies and projects were chosen for this year’s Main Street Accelerator program.
Deep River
Local leaders from several town commissions and departments worked together to reinvigorate the main street area with a new banner program along the downtown, including sponsored light poles and brackets provided by the town.
Fairfield
A team comprised of members from the Town, Chamber of Commerce, and cultural institutions worked with key stakeholders to increase awareness, foot traffic, and economic activity for the newly established downtown Cultural District via a new marketing and branding campaign.
Torrington
The team of city and cultural organization leaders collaborated on a plan to revitalize and increase the vibrancy of the North End, while transforming city lots into spaces that support Hispanic businesses, celebrate culture, and connect the North End with the downtown.
Vernon
Municipal staff, Cultural District commission members, stakeholders, and residents focused on changing negative perceptions of the downtown via a mural at the gateway of the downtown across from a pending large-scale redevelopment of an old factory.
Westbrook
A team of local stakeholders from a variety of community groups investigated ways to improve the illumination of two town-owned park properties to enhance the existing buildings, monuments, public trees and art.
Bridgeport DSSD Leverages Accelerator Grant to Pilot Food Hall
CMSC was thrilled to present the Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District with a $5,000 grant for their successful completion of the 2025 Main Street Accelerator program.
The Main Street Accelerator funds were used to pilot an indoor food hall at the historic Arcade Mall in the heart of downtown Bridgeport.
“ The idea was to bring the farmer’s market indoors, essentially,” the DSSD’s President + CEO, Lauren Coakley Vincent, told the CT Post. “That ($5,000) will be for a series of pop-ups ... for a number of dates in November, December,” Vincent explained. “The hope is that will give us good data to put together a business plan and funding proposal to then make it permanent.”
Connecticut Main Street Center
Turning Learning Into Impact
2025 Main Street Accelerator Cohort Grant Awards
Teams that successfully complete the Accelerator program are eligible for a grant to help implement their identified project.
$15,000
This past year, CMSC awarded $15,000 in grant funds to three 2025 Main Street Accelerator teams from Bethel, Bridgeport, and East Hartford.
$25,000
In 2025, CMSC proudly announced Webster Bank was supporting the program with a $25,000 investment for both the program and Cohort grants.
Learn more about our Main Street Accelerator program.
Liberty Bank Foundation Awards CMSC Grant to Support Education & Training for Main Street Professionals
$10,000
CMSC was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Liberty Bank Foundation to support a six-month suite of programs designed to build the skills, capacity, and career pathways needed to sustain vibrant downtowns across Connecticut. In many municipalities, the work of maintaining a thriving main street falls to volunteers or part time employees without access to specialized training or a sustainable organizational structure. The grant provides opportunities for professional development and education on best practices in main street management, with the curriculum responding directly to CMSC’s annual member survey, in which 90% of communities identified low capacity and funding challenges as a top concern
Webinars
Our webinars are held throughout the year and focus on issues that are relevant to the communities we serve, often on topics responding to member feedback.
This year’s topics included:
Main Street Management 101
• CT DEEP & Downtown, Part 2: DEEP Programs Update for Main Street Sustainability and Open Space
• Power Up Your Main Street: What You Need to Know About EV Charging
2026 Main Street Accelerator Virtual Information Session
CMSC & CT Office of the Arts: Public Murals, Part 1
• CMSC & CT Office of the Arts: Public Murals, Part 2
Storytelling Tools for Stronger Main Street Engagement
Lessons from the Street: Tackling Downtown Blight
• Zero Empty Spaces: Reimagining Vacancy as Creative Main Street Infrastructure
In total, we held 9 webinars with 694 registrants:
171 were CMSC members; 388 were non-members
80%
• 80% of attendees said that webinar topics introduced new concepts or deepened earlier understanding
• Overall Webinar Rating: 4.3/5
4.7/5
• Average Presenter Knowledge Rating: 4.7/5
• Average Presenter Delivery Rating: 4.6/5
“ The webinar helped demystify the process a bit, and gave insight about how to approach the financial aspect. The tips on how to get commitment from property owners was appreciated.”
- CMSC webinar attendee, CMSC & COA, Public Murals, Pt. 1
Special Events
CMSC’s events invite dialogue, showcase solutions, and inspire action at the practitioner and policy level. The topics for these events are sourced from our comprehensive Assessment Tool, Main Street Accelerator, statewide expertise, feedback from our members, and our affiliation with the national Main Street America organization. As a result, our dynamic in-person events identify trending challenges and local successes, as well as regional and national expertise to provide relevant resources for our downtowns.
Spotlight on Main
For our Spotlight on Main events, the host CMSC member community shares what makes their downtown unique, including how they addressed obstacles and achieved success through collaboration, and economic and community development. Held twice a year in the spring and fall, they treat attendees to an insider’s view of the downtown, offering an overview presentation from local officials, a guided walking tour, and a brief reception at a local establishment.
Spotlight on Main: Thomaston
Attendees learned how the former Seth Thomas Clock Factory has been reimagined for entrepreneurs and the community, heard insights from the Thomaston Economic Development Commission on volunteer engagement and what’s driving change in the downtown, and toured local assets and a number of local businesses, including the Railroad Museum of New England to learn how partnering with regional businesses has activated an underutilized rail line and created a destination. We also saw branded elements created through participation in CMSC’s Main Street Accelerator program and walked the future site of the Naugatuck River Greenway connecting Watertown and Torrington.
Spotlight on Main: Wallingford
Presented by Silver, Petrucelli + Associates
Wallingford Center Inc. (WCI) and the Town Economic Development Commission described their evolution from a from a beautification organization to a key economic development asset. The walking tour highlighted community collaborations and unique business models that are driving foot traffic downtown. Attendees were also treated to a viewing of the downtown’s newest mural highlighting the town’s history, a unique entry to a hidden speakeasy, and an innovative marketplace that hosts several small businesses.
66 People from 27 Connecticut towns joined us to explore downtown Thomaston.
63 People from 26 Connecticut towns joined us in downtown Wallingford.
Connecticut Main Street Center
Summits
Our Summit events feature local expertise, case studies, and engaging dialogues for a half-day of inspired learning and information-sharing.
The Power
of
Place:
Placemaking Strategies for Downtowns and Main Streets
Presented by Together New Haven
Over 100 people from 28 Connecticut towns joined us for our fall summit, featuring keynote and global placemaking icon Fred Kent. Our audience learned from experts, creative community case studies and insightful panels.
Our speakers & presenters were from the following:
Bruno Baggetta
• Berkshire Busk
• Change in the Air Foundation & CITA Park
City of New Haven & Mayor Justin Elicker
• Market New Haven
NWCT Arts Council
Pirie Associates
Social Life Project, PlacemakingX & Project for Public Spaces
The iQuilt Partnership
• The Last Green Valley
• Town Green Special Services District
Yale University Properties, The Shops at Yale
Building a Main Street Business Ecosystem, hosted in
partnership
with CBIA
Presented by Hartford Healthcare & MetroHartford Alliance
For our spring summit, CMSC partnered with CBIA to present local expertise and examine case studies in intentional ecosystem building. Over 130 people from 44 CT towns joined us for this event featuring several distinguished panelists.
Our speakers & presenters were from the following:
CBIA
City of Hartford & Mayor Arunan Arulampalam
City of New London
CT Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, UConn School of Business
• CT State Rep. Lucy Dathan, District 14
• Gas Burgers, North Haven
• Goman & York
Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce (GNHCC)
• Hartford Healthcare
Metro Hartford Alliance
New London Cultural District Commission
• The Social Bar + Kitchen/ The Oasis, New London
Westville Village
Renaissance Alliance
• Words on Wood at Wallingford Marketplace
State of Main
Presented by Loureiro Engineering Associates
State of Main is Connecticut’s premier gathering of Main Street stakeholders dedicated to the vitality of our downtowns. This year, we dove into the data from our Main Street Management Assessment, convened legislators to discuss the policies affecting our downtowns, chatted with developers to broaden our perspectives, and brought together systems thinkers to discuss regional collaboration.
Our speakers & presenters were from the following:
Baywater Properties
• Bridgeport Regional Business Council
• Grava Properties
• Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS)
• Connecticut Green Bank
Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA)
CT State Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, District 17
Celebrating Excellence
The 2026 Quentin Williams Downtown Hero Award
Lauren Coakley Vincent, President + CEO, Bridgeport
DSSD
Established in 2023, the Downtown Hero Award honors the legacy of the late State Representative
Quentin “Q” Williams — a passionate advocate for Connecticut’s downtowns. The award recognizes leaders who put into practice his commitment to collaboration, inclusivity, and community-driven revitalization.
CMSC was honored to present the 2026 Downtown Hero Award to Lauren Coakley Vincent for her transformative leadership in Downtown Bridgeport. Through many initiatives, such as the delightfully inclusive Colorful Bridgeport content series, she has elevated local voices, supported small businesses, and created vibrant, welcoming experiences that celebrate the city’s diversity and creativity.
Connecticut Main Street Center
CT State Rep. Maria Horn, District 64
• Loureiro Engineering Associates
• New Haven Alder Caroline Tanbee Smith, Ward 9
• Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG)
• Pennrose Sullivan & Leshane
• City of Torrington Mayor Molly Spino
2026 Founder’s Award
Elizabeth Donius, Executive Director, Westville Village Renaissance Alliance
This award recognizes individuals and organizations that champion a comprehensive, strategic approach to revitalizing historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.
CMSC proudly named Lizzy Donius as the 2026 recipient for her outstanding leadership in Westville Village and her deep commitment to Main Street principles. As one of only three programs in the state to be accredited by the national Main Street America organization, Lizzy consistently demonstrates to communities around Connecticut what high performing main street managers can accomplish.
Advocacy
CMSC is an enthusiastic champion for Connecticut’s downtowns and main streets, bringing attention to the most pressing issues facing our communities.
Seeking New Solutions to Pervasive Storefront Vacancies
CMSC has taken a lead role in advocating for new solutions to tackle blight and vacancy in our downtowns. Decrepit buildings signal to investors, new businesses, residents and visitors that a downtown is at best unloved and at worst an unsafe place. Storefront vacancy, while less of a blatant eyesore, has a similarly depressing effect. With CMSC input, the CT General Assembly’s Planning and Development Committee led efforts to update and strengthen the State’s blight code. We were grateful that P&D took up the issue of vacancy this legislative session with S.B. 363: An Act Allowing Municipalities to Impose Commercial Vacancy Assessments in Certain Districts. This bill would provide municipalities with the option of imposing a fee on ground floor retail vacancies within a designated area. The bill cleared committee with bipartisan support but failed to make it to the floor for a vote. However, CMSC will be working with the CGA next session to try to see the bill turn into law.
Advocating for New Funding Sources for Downtown Beautification
CMSC’s annual member survey reflects each year the need to provide funding for downtown improvements, such as façade and storefront renovations, streetscape enhancements and public art, events and marketing, and more. With H.B. 5108: An Act Authorizing State Bonds for Municipal Commercial Façade Improvements, CMSC offered suggested eligible activities and advocated for the funding to be provided. We will be advocating for the fund to be created next session.
Main Street Working Group
Continues to Support CMSC, CT’s Downtowns Connecticut’s downtowns and Main Streets are supported by the Legislature’s Main Street Working Group, with whom CMSC shares a long-standing productive and open collaboration. With their assistance, CMSC and Connecticut’s communities inform members of the General Assembly on trends, policy ideas, best practices, and challenges facing downtown success. The Main Street Working Group is led by Representative Jane Garibay (Windsor and Windsor Locks) and Representative Jennifer Leeper (Fairfield and Southport), who are joined by Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw (Avon and Canton), Representative Anthony Nolan (New London), Representative Derell Wilson (Norwich), and Representative Cristin McCarthy Vahey (Bridgeport and Fairfield).
CMSC Testifies in Support of Arts, Culture & Tourism; Economic Development Downtowns thrive through a rich mix of businesses, amenities, streetscapes, buildings and more. CMSC voices support for various policies and regulations that enable this diverse ecosystem to succeed. During the 2026 legislative session, CMSC testified in support of increasing funding for arts, culture and tourism from the recapture of 50% of 1% of the meals tax as well as the formation of a group to study the impact of corporate property acquisition:
H.B. 06692: An Act Authorizing Certain Arts, Culture and Tourism Grants
H.B. 7176: An Act Concerning Sales and Use Taxes Related to Certain Vehicles and Aircraft Industry Joint Ventures, the Dedication of a Portion of the Meals Tax and Revenue and the Dues Tax Threshold
• S.B. 1551: An Act Concerning the Department of Economic and Community Development’s Spending on Arts and Humanities Activities
• S.B. 1423: An Act Establishing a Task Force to Study the Regulation of the Corporate Acquisition of Residential Properties
CMSC Projects and Programs
This year, we greatly expanded our work with communities, collaborating with regional Councils of Governments (COGs); building on the foundational work of Diversity on Main in New London and Norwich; and providing customized assistance to individual communities such as Stafford and Derby. We also concluded our work with the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce while launching the new EmPOWER Main Street Grant Fund in partnership with Avangrid’s subsidiaries UI, CNG, and SCG..
NWCT PROMISE Program
CMSC and the Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG) are engaged in an innovative four year collaboration to strengthen town centers across the COG’s twenty-one communities. After performing Readiness Assessments in seventeen towns consisting of interviews and walking tours in summer 2024, CMSC produced customized reports for each town, as well as an overarching regional strategy for the COG. In spring 2026, we launched Phase Two of the program, which delivers technical assistance, Ginkgo-powered downtown inventories, and capacity building workshops to help the towns develop clear visions, stronger local expertise, and main street management skills.
CRCOG & NECCOG Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Audit
In partnership with the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), CMSC launched an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Assessment Audit to evaluate seven factors that shape a strong business environment, from financial capital to place based assets. The initiative aims to help CRCOG and its municipalities understand their entrepreneurial landscape, identify regional opportunities, and strengthen strategies for vibrant communities beyond housing. Each participating municipality received its own report, with a regional summary and workshop planned for summer 2026.
CMSC kicked off a similar partnership in June 2026 with the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NECCOG), providing an Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Assessment Audit to the sixteen member NECCOG towns.
RiverCOG Regional Collaboration
CMSC supported the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments (RiverCOG) in advancing regional planning goals by conducting community surveys and hosting workshops for municipal leaders and economic development staff. This work synthesized data from municipal surveys, a virtual regional workshop, and a resident survey to leverage each community’s unique strengths within the broader region. CMSC will facilitate a CEO roundtable focused on the distinct role of town centers and opportunities for strategic regional collaboration in summer 2026.
Greater Norwich Area Rural Business Development Program
Through a USDA-funded partnership with the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce (GNACC), CMSC helped their eleven member towns develop a shared regional identity as an area to enjoy natural resources to support small business growth. CMSC conducted Readiness Assessments in each town while GNACC gathered business information; together we delivered workshops rooted in nature-based placemaking to strengthen downtown ecosystems and guide business expansion and recruitment. This program was completed in August 2025.
Derby Downtown Task Force
CMSC is helping Derby establish and train a Downtown Task Force. The initiative builds local capacity by guiding stakeholders through main street management principles, community visioning, and strategic planning, culminating in a framework for revitalizing Derby’s downtown.
New Main Street Strategic Planning Workshop Introduced in Stafford Springs
CMSC debuted a new community assistance service in Stafford Springs when we facilitated a workshop kickstarting the process of creating a strategic plan. The workshop covered creating a shared community vision and identifying high impact initiatives for downtown, all aligned with the Four Point Approach to Main Street Management. Stafford Springs is now forming a formal group to finish their strategic plan.
Diversity on Main
New London
In partnership with the Black Business Alliance and the City of New London, CMSC convened a Downtown New London Strategic Planning Task Force to address chronic vacancies and promote inclusive economic growth. CMSC led the group in conducting surveys, analyzing market data, crafting a community driven vision, and identifying transformational strategies aligned with the Four Point Approach to Main Street Management. Using Ginkgo’s mapping tools, CMSC created a comprehensive downtown inventory to guide targeted interventions and support minority owned businesses. The Black Business Alliance created a storefront readiness curriculum, a six week program that launched in May 2026. The Task Force represents the next phase of CMSC’s Diversity on Main program, a two-year engagement launched in 2024 with support from the M&T Bank Amplify Fund.
Norwich
CMSC and Global Cities Norwich, a program of the Norwich Community Development Corporation, launched a second Diversity on Main program focused on understanding local business successes, identifying growth opportunities, and strengthening engagement with downtown stakeholders. Building on Norwich’s prior Main Street Accelerator participation and ongoing revitalization efforts, the initiative aims to align existing programs to fill storefront vacancies and enhance support for business owners and property owners.
EmPOWER Main Street Grant Fund
In partnership with United Illuminating, Connecticut Natural Gas & Southern Connecticut Gas, subsidiaries of Avangrid, Inc.
The EmPOWER Main Street Fund was launched in June 2025 in partnership with United Illuminating (UI), Connecticut Natural Gas (CNG), and Southern Connecticut Gas (SCG) –subsidiaries of Avangrid, Inc., with $25,000 in seed funding. The program provides grants to CMSC member communities within the utilities’ service territories for projects that enhance downtown vibrancy, including lighting, beautification, signage, and commercial space improvements.
In EmPOWER’s first grant cycle, three Connecticut communities were awarded funding: Old Saybrook, Westville Village Renaissance Alliance, and Windsor’s First Town Downtown. Their projects reflect the diverse needs of Connecticut’s downtowns and the creativity and commitment of local stakeholders working to make them more vibrant and welcoming.
2026 EmPOWER Recipients
The selected projects will be implemented beginning in spring 2026, continuing CMSC’s mission to foster vibrant, walkable downtowns across Connecticut.
Town of Old Saybrook Flower Bed Program: $3,800
Three green spaces and 19 street tree planting areas on Main Street are being beautified through a partnership between the Town’s Economic Development Department and the Old Saybrook Garden Club.
Westville Village Renaissance Alliance Holiday Lighting Program: $5,000 Festive lighting will be installed on 38 trees along Whalley Avenue and Fountain Street, creating a welcoming seasonal atmosphere and strengthening the district’s visual identity.
First Town Downtown, Windsor Digital Loyalty Program: $8,200
A centralized digital loyalty platform is being developed to support small businesses, drive customer traffic, and promote Windsor Center as a unified shopping destination.
A Look Ahead
Setting the Stage for a Transformative FY2027
CMSC is gearing up for a year of expanded services, deeper technical assistance, and stronger statewide impact. With membership at an all time high and communities seeking more intensive support, we’re rolling out new tools, an updated Assessment, enhanced training, and a refreshed Main Street Accelerator to meet the evolving needs of Connecticut’s downtowns.
Expanding Services to Meet Community Needs
CMSC’s growing membership has strengthened our statewide perspective, enabling us to better understand and respond to the needs of Connecticut’s downtowns. In FY27, we’ll debut a fresh new menu of technical assistance services focused on capacity building and designed to aid in the implementation of best practices and strategic plans.
Refining Our Main Street Assessment for Stronger Insights
After three years of use in towns and cities across Connecticut, CMSC is updating our Main Street Management Assessment to streamline inputs, incorporate member feedback, and add new data points that will provide more direct guidance for communities to make an impact.
Evolving Main Street Accelerator to Support Local Capacity
The 2027 Accelerator Cohort will launch with an enriched curriculum, updated timeline, and additional opportunities for strategic planning and engagement. With Webster Bank’s continued investment, participating community teams will again be eligible for grant funding towards implementing solutions to local challenges.
Join us at one of our upcoming events.
CMSC Training & Events
CMSC will offer a robust mix of in-person and virtual programming to share best practices, spark new ideas, and highlight the vitality of Connecticut’s Main Streets, including:
• Spotlight On Main: CMSC member communities host main street professionals and stakeholders for this highly popular event, which includes a presentation from local officials, downtown walking tour, and closing reception.
- Fall 2026 Bethel
- Spring 2027 Old Saybrook
Main Street Summits: We convene local experts, municipal officials and downtown professionals to discuss the latest trends in main street management and economic development.
- Slated for March 2027
3rd Annual State of Main: Connecticut’s premier event gathers Main Street stakeholders dedicated to the vitality of our downtowns to examine the trends, challenges, and opportunities facing our Main Streets.
- Slated for June 2027
• Webinars: Our virtual events are well-attended for good reason! Held throughout the year, they offer thoughtful discussions and practical guidance on common issues faced by our downtowns. Some of our upcoming topics include:
- Building Strong Downtowns: Main Street 101 & Strategic Planning
- How to set up digital passports and event ticketing that drive foot traffic downtown
- How intuitive design allows people to fully experience a place
In The News
Our summits, speaking engagements, programs, and partnerships consistently earn widespread recognition for advancing downtown revitalization across Connecticut, reinforcing our role as a leading voice in economic development, placemaking, and Main Street revitalization.
Statewide & Regional News Coverage
New London’s Downtown Strategic Planning Task Force was covered in the Hartford Business Journal, showcasing CMSC’s leadership in addressing storefront vacancies and advancing inclusive economic development through our Diversity on Main program.
Bridgeport’s Arcade Winter Market – a project identified during their Main Street Accelerator participation –made the Connecticut Post front page, highlighting an innovative downtown activation of a vacant storefront.
Georgetown Village Restoration’s successful branding and merchandise initiative — borne of their Main Street Accelerator participation — was recognized nationally in Main Street America’s Main Spotlight blog.
17K Views & Counting
Executive Director Michelle McCabe joined host Cate Steel on 668 KTV to discuss how revitalized Main Streets strengthen small town economies and add downtown vibrancy, drawing on CMSC’s work in more than 100 communities.
Thought Leadership in the Media
CMSC leadership shaped public conversation on how to create downtown vibrancy through:
TV coverage of our fall summit on placemaking strategies. A joint op-ed with CBIA in the Hartford Business Journal.
Articles in CCM’s Town & City magazine highlighting downtown trends and policy priorities, and key insights from our NWCT PROMISE program in partnership with NHCOG.
Connecticut Main Street Center
Speaking Engagements
CMSC staff shared expertise statewide, including at the following events:
NWCT Creative Economy: Art at Work Summit
CMSC participated in a panel discussion focused on the economic contribution of the arts in supporting downtowns and their main street businesses.
CCM 2025 Annual Convention
CMSC led the panel, When A State Road is Your Main Street: A Working Session to Create Safe, Walkable Downtowns. The group discussed short-, mid-, and long-term solutions to slowing traffic and improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists when a state road is your main street.
Realist Lab’s Economic Development Exchange & Mixer
CMSC participated in a CT Tech Week panel on innovation in economic development.
CRCOG discussion on “Third Places” as Community Hubs
During this event that examined CRCOG’s Third Places report, CMSC talked about the crucial role places like cafes, libraries, and parks play in our communities as social and economic hubs.
Telling Our Story
CMSC launched a new Who We Are video showcasing how CMSC helps our members advance their main streets, and how that in turn positively impacts all of Connecticut.
Check out the video.
Our expanding media presence is matched by growing direct reach. Over the last year:
381
381 people added to our subscription list.
2,274
22
Email subscribers. 22 press mentions in 17 outlets.
Professional Affiliates
CMSC’s Professional Affiliates provide our communities with access to specialized expertise relevant to downtown revitalization, preservation, economic and community development, land use, transportation and more. They are organized by the Four Points and align directly with
Organization
Advocacy & Government Relations
• Sullivan & LeShane, Inc.
Attorneys
• Pullman & Comley
IT & Cybersecurity
• Vancord
Design
Architecture, Landscape & Design
• BL Companies
• Crosskey Architects LLC
• Pirie Associates
• Toole Design
• TSKP Studio
• Wes ton & Sampson
EV Charging Stations
• G9E V
Entertainment & Event Production
• B_Entertained DJs & More
Graffiti Remediation
• Elevate Power Washing
• OFF THE WALL Power Washing Specialists
the categories found in our comprehensive Main Street Management Assessment tool. CMSC is proud to have a wide array of experts to connect with our member communities via our educational programs, annual Assessment, networking events and more.
Lighting, Furniture & Fixtures
• Downtown Decorations, Inc.
• Speclines
Planning, Engineering & Construction
• Colliers Engineering & Design
• Eastern Water Solutions
• FHI Studio, now IMEG
• Fuss & O’Neill
• Good Earth Advisors
• Safety Marking, LLC
Public Art
• The RiseUP Group, Inc
Sidewalk Solutions
• Precision Concrete Cutting
Utility Companies
• Avangrid Networks (UI, CNG, SCG)
Park & Recreation Equipment
• Ben Shaffer Recreation
Promotion
Web Design & Promotional Tools
• Brightr
• CivicLift
• Hunter Design Studio
• Vibemap
Photography & Videography
• Intersect Media
Marketing, Branding & PR
• Conceptual Communications
• Express Strategies
• Lumi Hospitality
• Map Agency
• Mintz & Hoke
• Miranda Creative, Inc.
• Running Club
Economic Vitality
Climate Resilience
• Weston & Sampson
Community Engagement
• SeeMyLegacy
Economic Development
• Goman + York
• Storrs A ssociates
Financing
• CIC Lending
Mapping
• Ginkgo
Marketplace Consulting
• Words on Wood
Vacancy Solutions
• Retail Strategies
• Storefront Mastery
Sponsors
Every year, CMSC hosts a full slate of events designed to provide local and national expertise on topics related to successfully managing a main street, and showcasing how that’s being implemented on-the-ground in our member communities.
These events – which are attended by downtown stakeholders, economic development officials, municipal leaders, real estate developers, merchants related to main streets and municipalities, chamber of commerce members, and other industry professionals – are supported by generous sponsors who understand the impact Connecticut’s downtowns have on our communities.
We graciously thank our many sponsors for their support of our events this year.
Presenting Sponsors
Hartford Healthcare
Loureiro Engineering Associates
• MetroHartford Alliance
• Silver, Petrucelli + Associates
• Together New Haven
Content Partners
• CBIA
• Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS)
Partners
• Amodio & Co Real Estate
• Ascend Bank
Cita Park
Rose Robles Realtor
The Shops at Yale
• Thomaston Oil & Propane
• Thomaston Savings Bank Advocates
• Colliers Engineering & Design
• Connecticut Green Bank
Supporters
• BFJ Planning
• Energy Resources
• Entech
Express Strategies
Goman + York
• Parker Benjamin
• PennGlobe
Project Graphics
• Pirie Associates
• Pullman & Comley
• Speclines
Sullivan & LeShane, Inc
• Unimetal Surface Finishing
• Weston & Sampson
Exhibitors
AARP
Able Solutions
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Black Business Alliance
• Brightr
Community Economic Development Fund
• Community Investment Corporation
• Colliers Engineering & Design
• CT Department of Economic
& Community Development
CT Humanities - America 250th
• Connecticut Green Bank
• CEDAS
• CT Small Business Development Center
Downtown Decoratins
Express Strategies
• Energize CT & United Illuminating
• Ginkgo
• Intergalactic Beets Project
• KidsPlay Children’s Museum
MyCTSavings
NWCT Arts Councils
• PennGlobe
• Project Graphics
• Rise Up for Arts
• Speclines
Sustainable CT
U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
• Utile
• Women’s Business Development Council CT
In Kind Sponsors
• Cutie Pies Bakery & Cafe
• Le Jardin Cafe
• The Nutmeg Fudge Company
Funders
CMSC is extremely grateful to its funders for their support.
Our breadth of services would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors and investors.
CMSC Founding Sponsors
• CT Department of Economic & Community Development
• Eversource Energy
Champions CT Office of the Arts
Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, now Greater Hartford Gives
• Webster Bank
• Greater New Haven Community Foundation/Valley Community Foundation
Susan Lapine
Diversity on Main Investors
• M&T Bank
• Chelsea Groton Bank
• CT Department of Economic & Community Development
