Missouri Main Street Connection Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Missouri Main Street Connection is the leading statewide nonprofit organization devoted to preservation-based economic development. Through the Main Street America movement and our partners, we empower community revitalization by celebrating, supporting, and sustaining Missouri historic commercial districts in both rural and urban settings.
- Income
- $1.8 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 3.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 72%
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $149,815, state director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 3.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 39% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 31, 2024, 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 (5)
- $796,252 spent. Community Advancement: Missouri Main Street is continually working with new communities to teach them the principles of Main Street and bring them into our network. We assess community interest through the hosting of workshops that specifically highlight how Main Street can help their community revitalization efforts. Selected new communities are provided a slate of programming designed to establish their Main Street organization and support their success in its implementation. These services address aspects covering all four points of the Main Street Approach including a town hall meeting to gather community input and support, board of director training, survey work and market analysis, strategy development and implementation training, and specialized services for each community. Missouri Main Street provides technical assistance and training to communities competitively selected for the Missouri Main Street Community Empowerment Grant Program. Through the Missouri Main Street Program, intensive on-site assistance and training are provided to grant recipients and is an expansion of our new community recruitment. Services are for two years and include MMSC town hall meetings, organizational visits, survey work and data collection, specialized technical services, consultation by phone, training and reference materials, networking, and the opportunity to attend regional Main Street workshops and the state conference. Missouri Main Street will provide tailored, technical services directly in up to 40 Main Street communities with the capacity to implement additional economic development initiatives. Each of these community organizations will receive one technical visit from MMSC staff or consultants meant to target a need in strengthening how their organization operates. Resource visits will be provided up to 23 Main Street organizations. These visits involve more intensive technical assistance through a consultant that addresses the organization and their community's needs on a specific project in their historic district. These visits will focus primarily on projects related to the three Main Street points of Promotion, Design, and Economic Vitality. Additionally, MMSC will provide dedicated technical services to 30 communities that are currently implementing Main Street in their communities but are ready to expand their capacity and advance their implementation and programming. These services will be designed to help guide these organizations to move strategically toward the goal of Main Street Accreditation.
- $314,536 spent. Conference: Missouri Main Street Connection, Inc. (MMSC) hosts an annual state conference to educate Missouri communities. The conference provided focus on the importance of people, preservation, and places in community development and revitalization. The conference brings together historic preservation, community revitalization, and economic development professionals to learn new techniques and ideas related to the Main Street Approach to revitalization. The three-day conference hosted attendees from across Missouri for education and networking. Proceeds from the conference are utilized by MMSC to provide in-community services directly with the local Main Street non-profit.
- $215,431 spent. Workshops and Trainings: Training is offered for nominal fees or at no cost to the attendees. Participants in the training include community development groups, local Main Street organizations, preservation groups, city and county officials, specialists in historic preservation of buildings, downtown betterment groups, chambers of commerce, and other groups interested in preservation and revitalization of historic districts. MMSC selected topics for the 2024 workshops and conferences that helped existing groups strengthen their local revitalization programs and help those starting a revitalization program to achieve success quickly. The training in regional workshops focus on the development of revitalization skills for governing boards, staff, and volunteers who support the local revitalization efforts. Topics included: Main Street 101, Neighborhood Assistance Program, People Engaging People, Urban Main Street Partners: processes included creating a Main Street downtown revitalization program, board and volunteer development, encouraging local resources for building rehabilitation and development, communication, promotion, and fundraising. In 2024, MMSC held numerous training sessions in person depending on the audience size and local restrictions 3,399 individuals received training with the Main Street Approach and served 578 total communities and districts. Consulting services were conducted by staff upon request by communities seeking this type of revitalization training and mentoring.
- $150,575 spent. Community Empower Grant: Missouri Main Street Connection through the Community Empower Grant assisted 18 communities in 2024. This grant program helps communities start a Main Street program and begin building a successful downtown with new investment, businesses, residents, and events celebrating all that makes a downtown the heart of the community. The grant program provides two years of hands-on training and provides "over the shoulder" guidance and encouragement to help build a strong foundation for long-lasting economic vitality for downtown. Other program services included training for local Main Street programs via the virtual Mornings on Main Street webinar series, Lunch and Learn, Doctor is in to address questions, and We Care calls with Main Street Directors from across the state. Program participants gained valuable knowledge to expand the program services and technical training offered by MMSC.
- (Expenses $ 150,575 including grants of $)(Revenue $ 262,167) Community Empower Grant: Missouri Main Street Connection through the Community Empower Grant assisted 18 communities in 2024. This grant program helps communities start a Main Street program and begin building a successful downtown with new investment, businesses, residents, and events celebrating all that makes a downtown the heart of the community. The grant program provides two years of hands-on training and provides "over the shoulder" guidance and encouragement to help build a strong foundation for long-lasting economic vitality for downtown. Other program services included training for local Main Street programs via the virtual Mornings on Main Street webinar series, Lunch and Learn, Doctor is in to address questions, and We Care calls with Main Street Directors from across the state. Program participants gained valuable knowledge to expand the program services and technical training offered by MMSC.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 2005.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 2026.
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