Gov. Tate Reeves signed legislation at the end of the state legislative session that allocates about $10 million to the Mississippi Main Street Revitalization Grant Program, the Mississippi Development Authority said. The funding will support 26 projects across the state and is administered by the MDA in partnership with the Mississippi Main Street Association.
“Economic development and quality of life go hand in hand,” Bill Cork, MDA executive director, said. “With the passage of these bills, Mississippi continues its commitment to strengthening downtown areas across the state—a key component of attracting new businesses and creating vibrant communities where their employees want to live. Strong downtowns help drive economic development while improving quality of life, and these three bills will support both.”
Officials said the grants will back work from historic building restorations to park expansions and infrastructure improvements. The MDA highlighted projects in communities including Greenville, Ripley and Woodville. The City of Gulfport celebrated the reopening of the historic Markham Hotel with a ribbon-cutting April 23, 2026; the eight-story, 124-room hotel marked its 100th anniversary, the city said.
The initiative coincides with observances that spotlight small business and tourism. National Small Business Week and National Travel and Tourism Week run May 3-9, and May is Historic Preservation Month. The Downtown Natchez Alliance, with funding from the Community Foundation for Mississippi, hosted “Downtown Unlocked” on May 2, the alliance said. The Jackson Redevelopment Authority, in partnership with Woodforest National Bank and Mississippi Main Street, said it will host a free Entrepreneurship Forum at Union Station on May 4.
State and local leaders emphasized matching funds and partnerships. “This grant program is another powerful example of what Mississippians can achieve when state leaders partner with local officials and the business community,” Kelle Barfield, president of the Mississippi Main Street Association board of directors, said. Jeannie Zieren, executive director of the Mississippi Main Street Association, said Main Street organizations have the capacity to implement the grants “in a meaningful way that will benefit the entire community.”
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
