North Capitol Main Street receives a grant for fundraising technical assistance from the National Main Street Center !

See this exciting message from Demetris Cheatham, Executive Director, North Capitol Main Street:

"North Capitol Main Street has received a grant for fundraising technical assistance from the National Main Street Center.  They announced all of the grant recipients in their monthly magazine this past Friday."

See below!

The 2015 Technical Assistance Grant Award Recipients

By Hannah White, Interim Manager of Programs and Services | From Main Street Story of the Week | January 15, 2015 |

Creating a Plan for a Brighter Economic Future in North Capitol, Washington DC

North Capitol Main Street, Inc. (NCMS) opened up shop in 2003 to serve as the driving force for neighborhood revitalization in this urban commercial district. While NCMS has been working in the neighborhood for over a decade, this past year, the board made big changes – including new leadership both on the board and at the staff level – that have dramatically improved operations and set a new path for the organization.

This organizational transition has had real impact on the district in a short period of time, with unprecedented local-business engagement and stores reporting improved sales. With a passionate Executive Director, a dedicated board, and an engaged business community, the pieces are in place to develop a long-term sustainable organizational model. DC Main Street Coordinator Cristina Amoruso is excited about this new direction. “Thanks to the hard work of both the staff and the board, NCMS has reorganized itself to become the comprehensive program that it is today.”

One of the top priorities for NCMS is strategic fundraising. As many Main Streets know, boards often shy away from taking part in fundraising. NCMS is fortunate in that they have a board in place that is very engaged and ready to begin a comprehensive fundraising campaign.  Executive Director Demetris Cheatham recognizes how lucky she is in this respect, but also understands the need to carefully assign fundraising duties to keep board members engaged and make the most of their individual strengths.

This is where the National Main Street Center technical assistance will come into play. The National Main Street Center will host a training for NCMS board and committee members, as well as local community stakeholders involved with the Main Street program. The training will help NCMS establish priorities in line with their strategic plan – and outline the fundraising steps necessary to make those plans a reality. Cheatham recognizes the challenges ahead, but is inspired by the change underway: “The North Capitol Main Street corridor is on the cusp of a major breakthrough in economic development.  We are excited to be in the midst of attracting new businesses and doing whatever is necessary to ensure that our existing businesses are able to thrive and sustain throughout the transition.  This grant from the National Main Street Center will go a long way with helping us stabilize our organization to provide even greater support to our businesses and community.”