Training: Webinars
Downtowns, DDAs, and Main Street
DDA’s and Main Streets: Tools for Downtown Success in Georgia
Description: This presentation covers the differences between Downtown Development Authorities and Main Street Programs in Georgia. These are great tools for economic success in the central business districts of our state. This video covers where they differ, where they can partner, and how they can make an impact.
Economic Development Incentives
Special Tax Districts
Description: Special tax districts can be a great resource to Main Street communities, but it can be challenging for staff to know what tax district will actually work best for your current situation. Join us as Billy Peppers, City Manager with the City of Canton, walks us through the ABC’s of special tax districts.
Creative Funding for Maintaining a Thriving Downtown
Description: The ultimate goal of any Main Street program is to build a successful revitalization program that will spur job creation and preservation sensitive building rehabilitation. However, in today’s economy where money is tight and funding is competitive, it is important to make sure that as downtown development professionals we are diversifying and layering our revenue resources.
Packaging an Economic Development Deal
Description: This webinar will cover the basic concepts involved in financing an economic development deal. After discussing how to calculate Total Project Cost, Net Operating Income, Cash-on-Cash Rate of Return, and the Debt Coverage Ratio for standard projects, participants will take a deeper dive into gap financing through Georgia’s Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund (DDRLF) and state income tax credits with Georgia’s Rural Zone Program. The webinar will show how to utilize and layer these incentives to create the perfect deal.
Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund
Description: This webinar is designed to breakdown DCA’s DDRLF program. While we will review the basic overview of this financial program; we will also show you how gap financing can benefit a small business over traditional financing methods.
Making Short Term Rentals Work
Description: Join us as Tyler Reinagel and Jackson Lilly with DCA’s Office of Planning discuss how you can make short term rentals work for your community and downtown. DCA staff will discuss steps your community can take now to ensure that your “sense of place” can be maintained, while making sure your community is fully prepared to reap the benefits of visitors to your city or county.
Drive Economic Development Not Events
Description: Join us as Amy Johnson, Moultrie’s Downtown Economic Development and Public Relations Director, talks to us about “How to Drive Economic Development Not Events.” With over 20 years in the Main Street world, Amy has walked the walk and talked the talk. Speaking from personal experience Amy will take us through the shifts and changes that happened in Moultrie to move from an event focused downtown to a, GEMS level, economic development driven Main Street program.
Business Improvement Districts
Description: Business Improvement Districts are an incredibly valuable tool in your downtown redevelopment toolbox. In this webinar, Aundi Lesley, DDA Director of Rome, Georgia, leads you through this special tax district’s technical and practical application, illustrating best practices and strategies for success.
Training for Main Street Managers
How to Complete Your Monthly Reporting
Description: As a new Main Street manager you are responsible for completing monthly community activity reports highlighting your communities economic impact of your downtown district. This webinar will walk you through the process of completing the monthly reports and can be used as a resource for any questions that you have while completing your report.
The Switch to Six
Description: This webinar gives viewers a high-level overview of Main Street America’s new Six Standards for Accreditation.
Putting it All Together
Description: Get ready for the Annual Assessment Process! Whether you’re a presenting or non-presenting Main Street community, this video has all the essential information you need. Learn about the expectations, resources, and how to use Dropbox for a smooth assessment experience. Don’t miss out on this valuable guide.
Downtown Planning
Making Downtown a Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly Destination
Description: In this webinar Katelyn DiGioia, State Bicycle and Pedestrian Engineer with the Georgia Department of Transportation, will explore how to make streets functional and safe for all users. Planning safe walking and bicycling routes can both reduce fatalities and improve the aesthetics of your community.
Work Plan Essentials
Description: Join us as Elizabeth Elliott walks you through how to utilize our office’s work plan template and understand the role this document plays in supporting your community’s transformation strategy.
Georgia Open Records Act
Description: As representatives and extensions of the local government Main Street programs and Downtown Development Authorities must know and comply with the regulations in the same way that any department of the local government would. But how do we know what’s admissible and what isn’t? Join us as Christy Barnes, Director of Legal Services at DCA, walks us through what open record compliance looks like in our state and gives you the inside scoop on what to do and what not to do to prepare yourself and your team for future open records requests.
Downtown Promotions
Publicity 101 for Main Street
In this seminar, Laurie Rowe and Rebecca Shirley offer insights and tools needed for a successful PR and Media Relations program. From the conceptualization of story ideas and editorial content to developing effective pitching skills and reporting published results, you’ll learn to garner valuable media coverage for your downtown shops, restaurants and businesses, as well as festivals and special events.
The Value of Effective Communication with Elected Officials
Description: During this session you will learn how to be a resource to both your local and state officials and how they in turn can be a resource to you and your program. Learn tips and tricks for dealing with and winning over difficult leaders and hear about our recent visit to the Capitol, including ODD’s presentation to the House of Representatives Small Business Development Committee.
Working More Effectively with Local Media
Description: As a Main Street program it is our responsibility to make sure we are sharing the story of our organization and its impact on the community at large. To ensure you are getting the most out of the coverage you desire it is imperative to have an effective and productive relationship with your local newspaper and media outlets.
Christmas in July
Description: Small business Saturday is universally recognized as the Saturday after Thanksgiving. While this is seen as the unofficial start to the holiday season, it is for many downtown development professionals also the start of their local shop small campaigns. In this webinar, we get to hear from two Georgia Main Street cities, Stockbridge and Perry, about what they have done over the past several years to drive business downtown during the holiday season.
Downtown Design
Outside the Storefront: A Guide to Historic Downtown Landscapes
Description: This presentation will explore three different types of downtown historic landscapes: streetscapes, parks, and cemeteries. Highlighting best practices from three of our very own Georgia Main Street communities, the presenters will discuss the planning process for treatment of these landscapes from concept to implementation of design. This webinar will take you beyond the typical facade rendering and show what we can do for our downtown when we step outside the storefront.
Incorporating the Arts in your Downtown
Description: Have you wondered how the Main Street program can better incorporate the arts in to your downtown district? Do you struggle to justify the role that the arts play in driving tourists to your community, or in encouraging economic development? Check out this webinar on “Incorporating the Arts in your Downtown” presented by Tina Lily, the Grants Program Director of the Georgia Council for the Arts.
Downtown Partnerships
Regional Commissions and Your Georgia Main Street Program
Description: Join us as Burke Walker, Director of the Northeast Georgia Regional Commission, explains to us the important role that Regional Commissions can play in your Main Street Communities success. Mr. Walkers presentation contains several great case study examples of rehabilitation projects that the Region 5, NEGRC has been a part of.
Collaborating Effectively with Your Chamber
Description: This insightful webinar delves into the symbiotic relationship between Main Street programs and chambers of commerce, exploring how their collaboration can lead to vibrant and thriving communities.
Historic Preservation
Online and On the Ground: Resources and Tips for Researching and Documenting Your Historic Property
Description: Do you have a historic building in your downtown that needs design assistance? The Georgia Department of Community Affairs’ Downtown Design Studio is always ready to help. In this WEB-U presentation, learn how to find key historical information about your building that can help the owner, community and our design staff in making good decisions for a historically based design strategy for restoration.
Façade Easements Preservation Tool and Incentive
Description: Are you interested in learning how to use façade easements to protect and preserve historic properties? Façade easements have long been a tool used by preservationists to protect historic community landmarks in cities throughout the United States and quite often in the City of Atlanta. We hope that you will enjoy our webinar with guest presenter Ms. Angela Threadgill, Executive Director of Easements Atlanta, Inc.
A Manager’s Guide to the National Register of Historic Places Program
Description: Interested in learning more about the National Register of Historic Places? Do you want to garner a better understanding of terminology like eligibility, period of significance and criteria? Do you have downtown commercial owners interested in listing, and associated financial incentives? Is your Main Street Program involved in supporting designations in your community? Please join Stephanie Cherry-Farmer, Program Manager of the National Register and Survey Program at the Georgia Historic Preservation Division for an informative educational presentation about the NRHP Program in Georgia and how you at Main Street can benefit from the program locally.
Places in Peril
Description: Enjoy our webinar as Ms. Kate Ryan, Director of Preservation at the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, talks to us about the Georgia Trust’s Places in Peril program. Kate, a long-time advocate and partner of the Georgia Main Street Program, will discuss the requirements and steps for listing an eligible property, while highlighting some best practices from across the state.
Historic Rehabilitation Tax Incentives: Focusing on Georgia Main Street Programs
Description: Our colleague Ms. Rachel Rice, of the Georgia Historic Preservation Division presents a concise look at the three tax credit programs most often utilized in Georgia. Generating more than $750 million dollars in tax credits this past year alone, Georgia ranks 13th nationwide for the amount of federal approved tax incentive projects approved annually. While these credits have been utilized all throughout the state one of the most well known tax credit projects in Atlanta is visible through Ponce City Market, which qualified for over $72 million in historic rehabilitation tax credits.
The Development of Life Safety and Building Codes Working with Existing Buildings
Description: Join us as Tom Little, Senior Associate Director of Historic Preservation at Surber Barber Choate + Hertlein Architects provides us with an overview of how building codes came about and how we can work with them to accommodate our existing historic structures.
Historic Preservation in Georgia & the CLG Program
Description: The Certified Local Government (CLG) program is a preservation partnership program that provides local governments with technical assistance and the ability to apply for preservation grants. This webinar will share information about the CLG program, its requirements, and how it could benefit your community. We’ll also touch on how the program fits into the larger preservation framework, as well as current preservation projects & trends we’re seeing in the state.
DDA 101: Introduction to Historic Preservation:
Description: Historic Preservation plays a pivotal role in downtown development. This course will offer viewers a background on the importance of preservation, an overview of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Rehabilitation, and implementation of historic preservation at the local
level. Additionally, this course will deliver a deep dive into available federal and state tax incentives including Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits and property tax freeze case studies.
Downtown Organization and Volunteers
Attracting and Retaining Volunteers
Description: Learn from communities like Hartwell Main Street on how to attract and retain a solid volunteer base.
Activating Your Community’s Youth
Description: Join us as we learn about the award-winning Suwanee Youth Leaders (SYL), a nine-month leadership program led by Chris Hardin with the City of Suwanee.
Disaster Preparedness
Crisis Management + Communication
Description: Your organization and agency need to be ready to respond to a crisis because one is coming. It could be something small like social media anger that interrupts business to something large like a tornado or hurricane. Whatever the size, being prepared means your response will feel like a normal day at the office, and not a hectic, disorganized, out of control crisis of its own. Your response should not add to the crisis; rather, it should mitigate the damage and minimize recovery time. In this presentation, we’ll talk about how to prepare ahead of time and use Macon-Bibb County’s response to Tropical Storm Irma as an example.
Disaster Preparedness
Description: Check out this insightful webinar, which delves into disaster preparedness, drawing upon the comprehensive findings of the 2024 Annual Manager and Salary Survey conducted by DCA’s Office of Downtown Development. This webinar offers a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights derived from the survey results, which have been analyzed to provide a nuanced understanding of disaster preparedness strategies and how these elements relate to downtown development.
Filming in Downtown
Filming in your Downtown: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Description: This webinar will take you behind the scenes of filming in “The Original Hollywood of the South,” also known as Covington, Georgia. During this session we will discuss the necessary steps taken when film crews come to town and the impact filming has had on our local economy. We will also discuss how film tourism can be beneficial to your downtown.
