HILLSBORO DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP DESIGNATED AS A 2025 AFFILIATE PROGRAM BY MAIN STREET AMERICA
Hillsboro, OR (5/15/25) – Hillsboro Downtown Partnership has been designated as an Affiliate Main Street America program for meeting significant performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of designated programs to recognize their commitment to create meaningful improvements to their downtowns using preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.
Main Street America recognizes two tiers of national designation — Affiliate and Accredited. These designations are 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 351 Affiliate 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.”
Hillsboro Downtown Partnership’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and the Oregon Main Street Program which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national community evaluation standards.
These 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 Affiliate status—Main Street America’s second designation tier—communities must demonstrate a strong commitment to the Main Street model and dedication to achieving outcomes 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 the past year, Hillsboro Downtown Partnership coordinated more than 20 community events and promotions that brought over 60,000 people downtown, supported over 100 small businesses through technical assistance and marketing, and distributed over $100,000 in local economic reinvestment through grant administration and beautification projects. Volunteer-led cleanups and art installations helped improve the look and feel of downtown, while new collaborations with artists and business owners brought vibrancy to storefronts and public spaces.
“Our designation as a Main Street America Affiliate reflects the hard work and dedication of our volunteers, staff, board, and community partners,” said Harrison Butler, Executive Director of Hillsboro Downtown Partnership. “From bringing thousands of people downtown for events like the upcoming La Strada dei Pastelli, Halloween in Downtown and Hillsboro Holly Days, to launching new initiatives like Ladies Night, the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program and sustained placemaking projects such as the Wishing Tree, we’re proud of the momentum we’ve built together. This recognition confirms we’re on the right track to keeping downtown Hillsboro thriving and inclusive.”
ABOUT HILLSBORO DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP
Hillsboro Downtown Partnership is a local nonprofit organization working to cultivate and amplify the vibrancy of Downtown Hillsboro. We collaborate with residents, businesses, and community partners to support economic vitality, host inclusive community events, and foster a sense of place in our historic downtown. Through beautification efforts, business support, and community engagement, HDP helps shape a welcoming, resilient, and thriving Downtown Hillsboro. For more information, visit www.downtownhillsboro.org.
ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, the Main Street Movement has resulted in $115.42 billion reinvested locally, 181,647 net new businesses, 815,895 net new jobs, 345,801 buildings rehabilitated, and 37.3 million volunteer hours. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.
