1. Application

• Business owner submits application
• Main Street Partners team reviews application
• Business owner may be contacted for follow-up conversation to discuss needs in more detail
• Businesses are selected for projects based on the need and availability of the small business and their estimated benefit from the project
• Due to a limited pool of Main Street Partners consultants, not all businesses can be selected

2. Needs Assesment

• Once a business is selected, a Main Street Partners Project Leader meets with the business owner to discuss their business’ and goals for the project
• The two sides mutually agree upon a set of objectives that Main Street Partners will tackle over the course of the project

3. Project

• A team of 4-5 Main Street Partners consultants begin the project with the small business owner
• These projects generally span 6-8 weeks, and involve two primary phases of work
• Information Gathering: Team works with business owner to gather information, including financials and customer feedback
• Execution: Team develops and works with the business owner to implement business improvements in real-time
• This is a highly-collaborative process and depends on constant interaction between the team and the business owner

4. Presentation

• At the end of the project, the team will meet with the business owner to provide a complete presentation of the work completed
• This presentation will consist of a review of the improvements already implemented, as well as a set of on-going recommendations intended to enable continued success for the business
• For the program to succeed, the business owner must be committed to following through on these recommendations

How much does it cost to participate in Main Street Partners program?

Main Street Partners programs are provided at no cost to Small Businesses. The only real investment required of the Small Business Owner is time, usually between 1 to 3 hours a week. This time is spent working with the MSP Project leader to identify business issues and collect information that the MSP team needs to deliver value to the business.

If the business doesn’t pay, who funds Main Street Partners?

Main Street Partners is funded through a combination of grants and donations from non- profits and individuals who recognize that helping small businesses is the best way to create employment opportunities and strengthen communities.

Where do the volunteers come from?

Main Street Partners volunteers come from many of the country’s top companies in banking, consulting, law, and more. Each volunteer goes through a screening process that allows for only the highest quality volunteers to be selected. This process dramatically limits the number of projects Main Street Partners can do in a given year, but also ensures that all projects provide the greatest possible value the small businesses selected.

Why do they volunteer?

Main Street Partners volunteers volunteer for a variety of reasons, but the underlying theme is giving back to their community using their unique skill sets. Beyond that, working on MSP projects gives volunteers an opportunity to work with highly qualified individuals who specialize in fields different from their own, thus expanding their experience set.

What information will I need to provide to participate?

The focus of every Main Street Partners program is to provide the greatest possible benefit to the Small Business, and in order to do this they must understand the situation the business is currently in. To do this, Main Street Partners asks that all businesses be prepared to provide documented revenue and expense figures for the past two years, as well as best guesses for this coming year. This information is kept extremely confidential and is never shared with anyone or any institution beyond the Main Street Partners team.

Is Main Street Partners a government program?

While Main Street Partners works with the city, it is not a city program. We answer first and foremost to the businesses we serve and always act with the small business’ best interest in mind.

How long does a Main Street Partners Program last?

Main Street Partners projects follow an intensive 6-8 timeline in order to create the greatest possible value for the Small Business in a very short amount of time. This means that it is extremely important that the small business owner be committed to the program and furthering the team’s work, as the owner will only have access to the team for a limited amount of time.

How much can a Main Street Partners program help a business?

While each project and each business will have unique situations, it is our hope to help each business we work with increase profitability by 10% within 3 years. We do this by either helping them grow their revenue or identifying ways they can operate at a lower cost.