Community support of the Newton Main Street Program plays a vital role in planting the seeds of growth that are taking root in our downtown. Downtown is the heart of our community, it serves as a community space, a site for government, arts, churches, and financial institutions. It represents independent businesses that support local families, community projects, teams, and schools. Downtown helps keep resources in our community. It is a symbol of community economic health, local quality of life and pride.
Newton Main Street is a coalition of organizations, businesses, government and individuals from throughout our community interested in revitalizing the health of downtown Newton. It is vital that we have both support from businesses and involvement of residents and community members for their skills and varied visions as well as their funding, leadership, ideas, and collaboration to revitalize our downtown and protect our historic heritage. Newton Main Street operates off the Main Street Four-Point Approach® – four committees dedicated to Design, Promotion, Organization, and Economic Vitality.
Being recognized as a Main Street community enables downtown Newton to have access to technical services, grants, and networking opportunities that will further grow and enhance our downtown district. They include local capacity building, board and committee training, issue-specific technical assistance, architectural and design assistance through exterior and interior design consultation, executive director support, workshops and trainings, annual program visits, business and project financial assistance, statewide marketing, statewide networking, small business consultation and access to information and workshops for Downtown businesses.
These services, offered only to those who have the title of a “Main Street Community” are provided through Main Street Iowa, a Community Development Program established in 1985 under the Iowa Economic Development Authority. In order to fully utilize all that the Main Street program can offer, we need help. Without the investments of our partners, Newton Main Street cannot survive. We operate solely because of the generous donations of our City, businesses, and individuals who see the potential Newton has in being a Main Street community.
We are counting on businesses like you to support Newton Main Street. If the Newton Main Street program is to continue, we need you! Together, we can accomplish great things.
