Frontier and Rural Communities Initiative (FRCI)

The MainStreet Act was amended in 2013 by the State Legislature to establish the Frontier Communities Initiative administered by NMMS to provide project-based community economic development support for rural communities. The FRCI supports communities under 50,000 in population. The 12 to 18-month affiliation with NMMS through the Initiative focuses on one economic development project within a traditional or historic village or town center.

The FCI is not open to communities that already have a MainStreet or Arts & Cultural District Program. The program focuses not only on the proposed project, but it also seeks to renew and build leadership in community economic development. It requires a group of stakeholders working in partnership with a local governing body, however, it does not require a non-profit board and paid staff as is required of designated MainStreet Programs.

Native American Communities Initiative (NACI)

Building off the success of the Frontier/Rural Communities Initiative, the NACI was created in 2019 to provide specific project-based community economic development support to New Mexico’s indigenous communities where the preservation of tribal culture and political sovereignty create different challenges and opportunities than working in rural economic development in general. The 12 to 24-month affiliation with NMMS through the Initiative focuses on one economic development project within a pueblo, reservation, or village or town center.

The NACI is not open to communities that already have a MainStreet or Arts & Cultural District Program. Like the FRCI, NACI focuses not only on the proposed project, but it also seeks to renew and build leadership in community economic development. It requires a group of stakeholders working in partnership with a tribal governing body, however, it does not require a non-profit board and paid staff as is required of designated MainStreet Programs.

Urban Neighborhood Commercial Corridors Initiative (UNCCI)

The UNCC Initiative is a new pilot program of the New Mexico Economic Development Department’s MainStreet program aimed at providing project-based community economic development support to urban neighborhood commercial corridors located in cities with more than 50,000 in population that may currently not have the capacity or resources to start or operate a full-fledged MainStreet Program.

Like the FNAC and NACI Initiatives, the UNCC requires a group of stakeholders working in partnership with a local governing body, however, it does not require a non-profit board and paid staff as is required of designated MainStreet programs. Selected communities receive NMMS professional services and technical assistance to implement and complete a community economic development project within 12 to18 months.