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NC Main Street Champion Nominations

 

Entry Deadline:

  • September 28, 2024  |  5pm​

Awards Ceremony:

  • March 13, 2025  |  TBD

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About the Designation:

The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center is proud to annually recognize the efforts of dedicated individuals who have contributed to the success of the local programs across our state. A non-competitive award, the NC Main Street Champion designation honors those persons who have made extraordinary contributions to their downtown.


The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center will individually recognize Champions with a video presentation and commemorative certificates celebrating this special honor during the Annual NC Main Street Conference.

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Who is Eligible to Nominate a Champion?

Only communities that are a designated NC Main Street community are eligible to nominate a Champion.

DAC and Small-Town Main Street communities may nominate once they move up to NC Main Street AND have ONE FULL YEAR as a Designated Main Street Community. 

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Why Nominate?

Designating an NC Main Street Champion is a wonderful way to show your organization’s appreciation for the efforts of a deserving person (or persons) who has/have gone the extra mile in working to make your downtown successful. A secondary benefit of designating a Champion is the opportunity it provides for generating goodwill and positive PR for your downtown program.

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Nomination Categories:

NC Main Street Champions MUST BE PEOPLE, who have made a SIGNIFICANT impact in a downtown or a downtown program, ideally over the last year and who went above and beyond their volunteer or job responsibilities. Once an NC Main Street Champion, always an NC Main Street Champion! If your program has previously honored someone as an NC Main Street Champion, that individual continues to be a Champion for your community and may not be re-designated by your program. However, someone who received the designation from another community and has made significant contributions to your downtown’s revitalization efforts may also be named a Champion by your town.

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Champion designation may fall under the following categories:

  • An individual - (John Smith)

  • A couple - (John and Lucy Smith)

  • A civic organization board of directors - (Board of Directors, Smallville Arts Council)

  • Owners of a downtown business - (John Smith)

  • Owners of a property - (John Smith)

  • Governmental council - (Board of Commissioners, Town of Smallville)

  • Departmental staff (Public Works Staff, Town of Smallville)


Champion nominations ARE NOT:

  • A municipal entity - (Town of Smallville)

  • A business - (Nil’s Cafe)

  • Staff of a business - (Nil's Cafe and Staff)

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Nomination Instructions:

Download the Instructions and working copy HERE

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Please write the nomination in a word document.

  • Text may not exceed 200 words.

  • Text must be in narrative style – no bullet points.

  • Text should include only information directly related to the Champion’s contributions to downtown. * Information on family, civic involvements or religious affiliation is not relevant to this designation

  • Text should provide enough detail to give a real sense of your Champion and his/her/their contributions to downtown

  • Have someone to proofread your submission for content, grammar, and spelling before submitting online.

  • HARD COPIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

  • The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center reserves the right to edit the narrative text for length and content.

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Nomination Photo

Submissions from a local photographer is strongly encouraged, for your Champion’s head shot. Remember that these photos will be on our NC Main Street Conference website. Make it your best shot.


Photos Must:

  • Must be High resolution, at least 1024 x 768

  • Be taken in good lighting. If taking a photograph outside, make sure the photographer’s back is to the sun.

  • Be cognizant about the background you use for the photo.

  • Be of ONLY the Champion(s). We cannot accept images that include any person(s) other than the Champion(s). Do not crop a photo so that only the champion(s) is showing.

  • Be free of borders, labeling or date stamps.

  • Not be altered with Photoshop.

  • SAVE YOUR IMAGE: Town Name_Champion Name​.

    • Wilson_Jane_Doe​

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Submission​

  1. After you and someone else have proofed your nomination, copy and paste the text through the nomination portal

  2. After you and someone else have verified the required resolution of the image and the required saving format, upload the image through the nomination portal.

  3. Click on the nomination portal button below to submit your champion.  

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NORTH CAROLINA MAINSTREET Coordinating Program Logo
NC Main Street and Rural Planning Logo
NC Main Street 40th Anniversary Logo_FIN

The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center is a Main Street America™ Coordinating Program. The Center works in regions, counties, cities, towns, downtown districts, and in designated North Carolina Main Street communities, to inspire place-making through building asset-based economic development strategies that achieve measurable results such as investment, business growth, and jobs. As a Main Street America™ Coordinating Program, The NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center is part of a powerful, grassroots network consisting of over 40 Coordinating Programs and over 1,200 neighborhoods and communities across the country committed to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development

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