Local elected officials united behind a blueprint for prosperity in America's rural, small, and midsized communities.

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The corner of First & Main is where everything happens, and ensuring its prosperity is key

Whether in a rural area, a tribal community, or a smaller city, First & Main is the anchor of it all. It’s where you can find the old train depot that built the town, City Hall, the businesses that drive the local economy, or the most beautiful and valuable historic buildings. Promoting the vitality of these places is key to America’s prosperity, but communities are counting on a reliable federal partner to support their homegrown, local efforts.

Today that support is threatened.

The potential of America’s small and medium-sized communities is abundant, yet decades of disinvestment have undermined their economic potential. Communities across the country have seen factories shuttered, local roads deteriorate, quality of life compromised, and jobs lost.

But does this administration—and Congress—have a clear picture of exactly what’s required to help turn these places around?

We know what's required

The FIRST & MAIN BLUEPRINT has been developed by local elected leaders from around the country. The Blueprint is about 1) protecting and improving a range of federal government programs that give local communities the resources they need to prosper, and 2) extending these proven ideas and strategies that work to other localities through a larger national agenda.

First & Main's four simple principles

  1. Support locally-driven community revitalization

  2. Build vibrant, healthy, walkable towns and cities

  3. Create opportunities for everyone in America’s small and midsized communities

  4. Invest in infrastructure that creates lasting value

go deeper These four simple principles are expanded into 30+ disparate strategies & programs in the full detailed Blueprint.

Who can join First & Main?

Any elected official who represents a rural community, tribal area, county, town, or midsized city who wants to ensure their voice is heard in Washington. Joining First & Main is free.

  • • Mayors
  • • City or county councilmembers
  • • County executives
  • • Any elected local municipal leaders
See the elected leaders who have joined

Elected officials:

Read the two-page sign-on letter and then fill out a simple form to indicate your support for First & Main.

READ THE LETTER Join First & Main

Hear from your peers: Why are others joining?

  • “Federal support through HUD, CDBG, and EPA Brownfields programs have been crucial to our city's renaissance. With this assistance, we have been able to tear down blighted and dangerous buildings, build new affordable senior housing in the heart of downtown, and allow several entrepreneurs to launch successful businesses.”
    Supervisor Gregory Young
    Fulton County, New York
  • “Belfast has a vibrant and diverse economy. Our federal partnerships and access to proven federal programs like CDBG, Brownfields Assessment grant money, and the Community Enterprise grant have allowed us to leverage local and state investment in the revitalization of our community. As we move forward in planning for affordable housing and economic growth, these programs will continue to be essential in ensuring our progress.”
    Mayor Samantha Paradis
    City of Belfast, Maine
  • “As our city pursues an ambitious downtown redevelopment strategy, we want to be sure that our infrastructure can support rapid growth, and that the benefits of an improving local economy are shared equitably through job opportunities and affordable housing. The CDBG and HOME programs, among others, are vital parts of this equation.”
    Mayor Noam Bramson
    City of New Rochelle, New York
  • “In a city that still feels the effects of the farm-equipment manufacturing crisis of the 1980s, it's important for our residents to know that while these factories may have skipped town, their government has not. The support from federal programs like Community Development Block Grants has helped us make smart investments in parts of town that others abandoned and neglected, creating new opportunities for prosperity.”
    Alderman Dylan Parker
    City of Rock Island, Illinois
  • “In the City of Huntington, we know the importance of reliable federal partners in addressing the challenges that impact America's heartland communities. The First & Main Coalition is uniting the voices of local leaders to protect the federal programs that are critical to our communities' ability to overcome adversity. Together, we are advancing the common goal of livable, vibrant communities.”
    Mayor Steve Williams
    City of Huntington, West Virginia
  • “Our EPA Building Blocks technical assistance workshop helped us put a monetary value on the decisions we make, transformed how many of our elected leaders think, and provided the numbers we needed to make the case for smarter growth to our residents. Cities cannot afford to lose such transformative assistance.”
    Mayor Robert Reichart
    Macon-Bibb County, Georgia