Emporia Main Street's BUSINESS ENHANCEMENT programs are implemented by a committee of volunteers along with Main Street staff. The primary goals of our business enhancement initiatives are to:
- support, educate, and provide resources for ALL entrepreneurs and businesses throughout Emporia
- grow a sustainable core business district downtown
Our business enhancement programs provide a wide variety of tools to assist new and existing businesses, catalyze property development, and create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators that strengthen Emporia's local economy.
Business Enhancement Programs
Start Your Own Business Class
If you're ready to take your business from concept to reality, the Start Your Own Business class is one of the best tools at your disposal.
Available Property Listings
We can help you find a property that's a great match for your business concept. If you own a property, contact us for a free listing!
Incubator Space
Next door to the Emporia Main Street office, this 1,100 square foot rent-free space is available to start-up businesses for a set period and includes business mentoring.
Business Consulting
Individual advice tailored to your business.
Grants, Loans & Tax Credits
Emporia Main Street provides access to wealth of financial incentives to start or expand a business, including our own low-interest loan program, matching fund opportunities, and assistance with local, state and federal financial programs.
Business Investment Guide
Created for entrepreneurs and developers, our Business Investment Guide outlines why Emporia is a great place to do business, and includes a list of available resources to get started.
Want to support budding entrepreneurs, or become an entrepreneur yourself?
Emporia Main Street is here to help your business grow. Your support also promotes overall economic development and re-investment in downtown and the community as a whole.
Interested in Joining the business enhancement committee?
The Business Enhancement Committee perfect for those who are passionate about business, fueling job growth in Emporia, and helping entrepreneurs launch or expand. Click the button below if you'd like to join!
Business Education
A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned
Help is available to make homes more energy efficient for low-income families in Lyon County* through the ECKAN Weatherization Program. This help is provided at no cost to those who own their home, as well as those who rent, who qualify under the program guidelines. Energy saving measures may include: Cleaning and tuning up…
Continue Reading >Thanks For Making Us Number One
A little preface to the press release we sent out in conjunction with the award announcement: The Top 10 Best Main Streets Award nominees were chosen by a panel of economics experts that have access to economic and community data from cities- large and small- throughout the United States. Simply being nominated for our innovative…
Continue Reading >Four Point Refresh
Those of you that are familiar with the Main Street concept understand that we have a four point strategic approach. The four points are: Organization- Capacity Building, volunteer recruitment, grass roots training, fund raising, membership, branding and community promotion Promotion- Events, activities, marketing and branding to either build consumer traffic in the immediate…
Continue Reading >Creating Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
For those of you that haven’t attended a summit style meeting, there are speakers and panels present, but there are also a series of break out sessions where attendees essentially become a panel to discuss specific issues for later compilation. This particular summit had people from all across the United State, and from throughout the…
Continue Reading >A Better Community Fabric
Getting a community to work together to accomplish something tangible isn’t easy. Sure, people can sit around a table and talk, but when it comes to actually doing something… Well, that is exponentially more difficult. But, when community members come together to create tangible products from scratch, trust is created, skills are assessed, actual leaders…
Continue Reading >Independent Success
Independent businesses are obviously a huge part of the fabric of our community in Emporia. For years, stagnation and low occupancy rates crippled the downtown area, but as focus has turned away (not quite completely) from big box stores and looked more favorably on small mom and pop shops, independent businesses have seen a sort…
Continue Reading >