Tiffin, OH – May 16, 2025 – Downtown Tiffin has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards. Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of designated 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.
“Main Street America is proud to recognize this year’s 821 Accredited Main Street America programs for their commitment to building strong and vibrant communities,” said Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America. “Their tireless efforts show what’s possible when engaged leaders work together to shape places that reflect the people they serve. The continued impact of our network shows that the Main Street movement remains a powerful force for positive transformation.”
Downtown Tiffin’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, Heritage Ohio, 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 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 2024, Main Street America programs generated $7.65 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,324 new businesses, facilitated the creation of 33,835 new jobs, rehabilitated 10,126 historic buildings, and logged 1.9 million volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support their operations, $21.73 was reinvested into their downtown and commercial corridor communities.
In 2024, Downtown Tiffin welcomed 12 new businesses, reflecting continued growth and reinvestment in the district. The downtown hosted 36 events, attracting over 18,000 visitors and generating an estimated economic impact of $360,000. Signature events like the Third Thursday series helped drive foot traffic and community engagement. Volunteers contributed more than 1,810 hours to support revitalization efforts, from beautification projects to event coordination.
“I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished together in Downtown Tiffin, especially as we celebrate 10 years as a Main Street program,” said Donna Gross, Downtown Tiffin Main Street Manager. “In 2024, we welcomed a variety of new businesses, completed 11 façade projects, and brought thousands of people downtown through events like Third Thursdays, Trivia Nights, St. Paddy’s 5K, Downtown Clean Ups, and more. The support from our community and collaborating partners is what makes Downtown Tiffin such a special place.”
