WAKE FOREST, NC – Wake Forest is one of 49 North Carolina Main Street Communities and one of 838 nationwide designated as a 2026 Accredited Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of accredited programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to 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.
“We are proud to recognize our 2026 Accredited Main Street America programs for their unwavering commitment to grassroots transformation and the extraordinary abilities of their staff, board of directors, and volunteers to respond to the needs of their communities,” said Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America. “These programs demonstrate a dedication to investing in the people and places that make their downtown districts special and contribute to the collective power of the Main Street movement to build vibrant spaces and durable economies.”
“Our Main Street Accredited communities have demonstrated substantial achievement, driven by a clear vision for resilient downtowns,” said Liz Parham, Director of the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center. “Their work reflects a deep commitment to excellence and a belief in what their communities can accomplish through collaboration, determination, and forward‑looking leadership.
Since 1980, NC Main Street programs have leveraged $6.1 billion in public and private investment, created 39,530 net new jobs, and rehabilitated 8,419 downtown buildings. In 2025, N.C. Main Street and Small Town Main Street downtown districts leveraged $518.7 million in public and private investment, 288 net new businesses, 1,925 net new jobs, 364 façade improvements, 293 building rehabilitations, and recorded 127,806 volunteer hours, valued at more than $4.21 million in time.
Wake Forest’s performance is evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and by the NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center, 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 designation communities must demonstrate a strong commitment to the Main Street model, meet a set of baseline requirements, and achieve 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.
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 Accredited status - Main Street America’s top designation tier - communities must demonstrate a proved 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 2025, Main Street America programs generated $9.4 billion in local reinvestment, welcomed 6,936 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 36,549 net new jobs, rehabilitated 10,623 historic buildings, and leveraged 1.8 million volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar a Main Street program spent on operations, $23.13 was reinvested in its downtown district*.
“Earning Main Street Accreditation is a true testament to the collaboration and commitment that define Wake Forest,” said Downtown Development Director Jennifer Herbert. “We’re incredibly proud of our dedicated partners at Wake Forest Downtown, Inc. and the invaluable support and resources the Town of Wake Forest provides. But most of all, it’s our downtown businesses that deserve the spotlight, as they are the reason our quaint, yet cool downtown continues to flourish as the heart of our community.”
For more information, contact Downtown Development Director Jennifer Herbert at 919-435-9427 or jherbert@wakeforestnc.gov.