The Downtown Anacortes Alliance is proud to be recognized as an affiliate member of the Washington State Main Street Program. Main Street provides an outstanding model for community development, and the Main Street Program has a long and successful history of supporting communities. Main Street provides the expertise, history, guidance, and resources to help communities make their downtown vision a reality.

More info at  Washington Trust for Historic Preservation — About the Main Street Approach (preservewa.org)

The Downtown Anacortes Alliance work plan follows the guiding principles of the National Main Street Program. These include a four-point approach to revitalization of historic downtowns with a focus on outreach, promotion, design, and economic vitality.

Four Community Goals

The Downtown Anacortes Alliance has identified our own local goals for the four Main Street focus areas:

Outreach: Collaborate with community members, businesses, property owners, local organizations, and the City, Port, and Chamber to achieve shared goals and complete projects that improve our downtown. 

Promotion: Maintain, strengthen, and market historic downtown Anacortes as our city’s “living room”, reinforcing and enhancing its character and scale.

Design: Preserve and maintain historic buildings, encourage new development that fits into the environment, and support a mixture of uses and activities that benefit the entire community. 

Economic Vitality: Support economic development and a sound economic base through new projects, historic building renovations, assisting businesses, and promoting opportunities for people to live and work downtown.

Main Street + Anacortes

Communities benefit financially from the guidance provided by Main Street. Money spent on Main Street programs historically results in a larger tax base, increased investment in the local community and greater resilience from economic downturns. Main Street also provides increased funding opportunities, facilitating access to local, State, and Federal grant sources that benefit downtown businesses and owners.

When we become a full-fledged Main Street Community, our corporate and business donors will be eligible to apply for the Washington State B&O Tax Credit program. It offers a $75 tax credit for every $100 that a business donates to a qualified Main Street organization. The remaining $25 is typically deducted as a charitable donation. More info at Washington Trust for Historic Preservation — Main Street Tax Credit Incentive Program (preservewa.org)

Value of Washington State Main Street

Membership in the Washington State Mainstreet Program is an opportunity to leverage our local resources. Main Street America programs across the United States have a long and successful history of supporting communities. They provide expertise, history, guidance, and resources to help communities make their vision a reality. 

Main Street America has been helping to revitalize older and historic commercial districts for 40 years. Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, Main Street America represents the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Main Street America also provides access to funding for member communities. In addition to local, State, and Federal grant sources, Main Street administers a multi-million-dollar Washington State program that gives back to businesses. For every $100 that a business donates to a qualified Main Street organization, they can get a $75 B&O tax credit and deduct the remainder as a charitable donation.