Downtown Frederick Partnership Designated as a 2025 Accredited Program by Main Street America

DOWNTOWN FREDERICK, Md., May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Downtown Frederick Partnership has been designated as a 2025 Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of designated programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach^™.

This designation is a powerful advocacy tool, signaling to local stakeholders, as well as city, state, and national funders, that a Main Street program has an established position within a nationwide movement with a 45-year proven track record of generating impressive economic returns, building local capacity, creating welcoming and inviting communities, and creating lasting impact.

"Main Street America is proud to recognize this year's 821 Accredited Main Street America programs for their commitment to building strong and vibrant communities," said Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America. "Their tireless efforts show what's possible when engaged leaders work together to shape places that reflect the people they serve. The continued impact of our network shows that the Main Street movement remains a powerful force for positive transformation."

Downtown Frederick Partnership's performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization's staff and Board of Directors, and Main Street Maryland, which works with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national community evaluation standards.

"We are honored to once again receive Main Street America's Accredited designation," said Kara Norman, Executive Director of Downtown Frederick Partnership. "This recognition is a testament to our ongoing efforts to build a vibrant and resilient downtown—one that reflects our community's character, history and entrepreneurial spirit. We're proud to be part of a national network that values place-based impact and community-driven growth."

The community evaluation standards provide the Main Street America network with a strong foundational framework to review progress, recognize strengths, understand trends, and identify strategies that move Main Street programs forward. To quality for Accredited status—Main Street America's top designation tier—communities must demonstrate a proven track record of achieving outcomes in alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in six areas: broad-based community commitment to revitalization; inclusive leadership and organizational capacity; diversified funding and sustainable program operations; strategy-driven programming; preservation-based economic development; and demonstrated impact and results.

In 2024, Main Street America programs generated $7.65 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,324 new businesses, facilitated the creation of 33,835 new jobs, rehabilitated 10,126 historic buildings, and logged 1.9 million volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, $21.73 was reinvested into their downtown and commercial corridor communities.  

In 2024, the Partnership facilitated more than 3,146 volunteer hours and supported the opening of 20 new businesses in Downtown Frederick, further contributing to the district's economic vitality. The Partnership also hosted Maryland's first-ever Main Street Maryland Conference, bringing together professionals from across the state to share best practices in downtown revitalization. These milestones and others reflect the organization's continued leadership in building a vibrant, resilient and welcoming Downtown Frederick.

About Downtown Frederick Partnership

Founded in 1990, Downtown Frederick Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enhancing, promoting, and preserving the vitality, livability, and diversity of Downtown Frederick—a nationally recognized Main Street community. The Partnership has managed Downtown Frederick's Main Street program since its designation in 2001.

For more information, visit downtownfrederick.org.

SOURCE Downtown Frederick Partnership