National Main Street Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NATIONAL MAIN STREET CENTER, INC. (NMSC) LEADS A COLLABORATIVE MOVEMENT WITH PARTNERS AND GRASSROOTS LEADERS THAT ADVANCES SHARED PROSPERITY, CREATES RESILIENT ECONOMIES, AND IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH PLACE-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY PRESERVATION IN DOWNTOWNS AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
- Income
- $17.7 million
- Spending
- $19.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- -1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 40%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 13
- Highest pay
- $308,452, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 29 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 9% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1585% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $10.1 million spent. NMSC PARTNERS WITH A RANGE OF NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AND ORGANIZATIONS TO DELIVER GRANTS AND TECHNICAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT THRIVING LOCAL ECONOMIES AND INVITING SPACES. THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, NMSC WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING TO BACK UNDERREPRESENTED SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS AND RESILIENCE.
- $3.2 million spent. NMSC FOCUSES ON DELIVERING EXCELLENT BENEFITS AND HIGH VALUE SERVICES TO THE NMSC NETWORK THROUGH ITS MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM. NMSC PROVIDES MEMBERS WITH CUTTING EDGE RESOURCES, TRAINING, RESEARCH AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES. NMSC MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES ACCESS TO A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, THE E-NEWSLETTER, MAIN STREET NEWS, FEATURES ARTICLES ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, NEW TRENDS IN THE FIELD, SHOWCASES SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS, AND SHARES STRATEGIES FOR INCORPORATING HISTORIC PRESERVATION INTO EXISTING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.
- $3.0 million spent. NMSC FIELD SERVICES STAFF OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF TRAINING SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS, ALL TAILORED TO MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS, AND ADVANCE HISTORIC-PRESERVATION BASED COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. COMMONLY REQUESTED WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS INCLUDED A VARIETY OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT TOPICS, SUCH AS THE BASICS OF REAL ESTATE FINANCE, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, HOW TO FACILITATE EFFECTIVE MEETINGS, RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS, DEVELOP A FUNDRAISING PLAN AND BUILD AN EFFECTIVE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAM. NMSC ALSO PROVIDED CUSTOMIZED TRAINING WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS ON TOPICS OF CONCERN OR INTEREST TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.