A Partnership to build regional identity & bolster small businesses
Connecticut Main Street Center is partnering with the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce to strengthen local small businesses by crafting a regional identity and marketing the area’s village centers. This project is supported by a USDA Rural Business Development Grant.
CMSC and GNACC are combining their expertise in supporting businesses, municipalities, and main streets to collaboratively develop a regional marketing strategy to bring in visitors, residents, and new businesses that each of the towns can benefit from, while also supporting the growth and success of the local small businesses. The goals of the program are to:
- Identify business clusters and capacity in the GNACC region;
- Develop a regional strategy to sustain and grow individual Main Streets and Village Centers; and
- Provide long-term guidance, technical assistance, and resources as part of a regional strategy that supports and grows small businesses.
Representing eleven towns in the area, most with populations under 5,000, GNACC will continue to serve as the regional convener and resource to the area’s small businesses; CMSC will provide assessment and technical assistance to the entities tasked with managing the commercial corridors within the towns and as part of a regional strategy. This partnership will also provide ongoing support for the regional marketing project to ensure continuity and the resulting economic development activity.
About the Program
Work has already begun on the partnership’s first phase. CMSC is conducting Main Street Readiness Assessments in each community and will develop reports on both the regional and the local level with recommendations for strengthening downtowns, village centers and main streets. The Readiness Assessments include a walking tour to observe the community’s vision, built environment, assets, and local support. Concurrently, the GNACC is conducting an online business survey, hosting local coffee talks, and compiling data to inform workshops.
The findings will be used to inform the second phase of the project, where CMSC will design custom resources including workshops, trainings, and/or strategic planning to help the towns better serve the businesses.
Interested in partnering on a similar program for your region?
About Our Partner
The mission of the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce (GNACC) is to connect, support, and engage greater Norwich area businesses and the community enabling them to prosper and grow.
The majority of its members include businesses in Norwich and the ten surrounding towns in a 20-mile radius: Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Ledyard, Lisbon, Montville, Norwich, Preston, Salem, Sprague and Voluntown.
