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.
Business Enhancement Committee Volunteers
Shawn Honea, Chair
IM Design Group
James Willingham
Emporia State University
Rob Scheib
USD 253
Tom Mains
ValuNet FIBER
Lori Andrews
ESB Financial
Bruce Boettcher
BG Consultants
Jana Marstall
USD 253
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
New resources come online to support businesses repairing buildings, or evolving through the pandemic.
Emporia Main Street is always on the lookout for new funding opportunities to assist local businesses. There are three programs that we are going to highlight in this e-news.The Kansas Rural Preservation Grant- The Kansas Historical Society through the State Office of Historic Preservation (SHIPO) applied for and received funding for a Rural Preservation Grant.…
Continue Reading >
New data on consumer and economic behavior projections
It’s the question we are continually asked by businesses and consumers: “when will this all be over?”. We have to consistently remind people that the prognostications about the end of COVID have been largely wrong. So, take all the information we are about to provide with a block of salt. Vaccines get delayed, consumers react…
Continue Reading >
Start Your Own Business Class Enrolling Now!
The first class for the Start Your Own Business session is next Tuesday, October 13th. We have a few class slots open for our limited group (only 12 spots), and this will be your last chance to sign up until fall of 2021.CLICK HERE for CLASS DETAILS.If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, or if you…
Continue Reading >
Insight Into the Strategies and Other Economic Development Professionals are Using to Build Better Economies and Communities.
Most people that know me well understand that I expect to gain something actionable from meetings, retreats, and/or conferences. Meeting simply to meet/network/”get on the same page”/etc. isn’t something that I have a lot of time for. When a colleague of mine invited me to attend the Kauffman EShip Summit, I had some things that…
Continue Reading >
A New Tool to Help Local Businesses and the “Gig” Economy.
Emporia Main Street communicates with other similar programs far outside of our region on a fairly consistent basis. Our emphasis on finding “like” communities, or areas that were once like our region but successfully adapted to new models is important in our efforts to generate sustainable economic growth. If we simply tried to do what…
Continue Reading >
New Assistance for Local Businesses
The City of Emporia, KS has been awarded $132,000 of funding through the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Community Development Block Grant COVID-19 Small Business Grant Program (CDBG-CV). The City of Emporia Small Business COVID-19 Grant will assist with immediate and anticipated needs of existing Emporia small businesses negatively impacted by COVID-19. Negatively impacted small businesses…
Continue Reading >