INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 3, 2026) –  The Office of Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced applications are now open for the 2027 Indiana Main Street program. Through the application process, communities may apply to join the Indiana Main Street program or apply to level up within the program.

The Indiana Main Street program consists of four levels, including the OCRA Downtown Affiliate Network, Aspiring-Indiana Accredited Main Street, Indiana Accredited Main Street and Nationally Accredited Main Street. To learn more about the Indiana Main Street levels, visit in.gov/ocra/mainstreet.

“Our Main Street communities play a vital role in Indiana's economy, and the resources provided by OCRA encourage growth and further economic development in our rural cities and towns,” Lieutenant Governor Beckwith said. “If your community is interested in enhancing its local pride and making downtown the place to be, I encourage getting involved with Indiana Main Street.”

Communities are eligible to apply for the OCRA Downtown Affiliate Network level if they attended a 2026 Indiana Main Street 101 training. Current OCRA Downtown Affiliate Network communities are eligible to apply for the next level, the Aspiring-Indiana Accredited Main Street one-year program, if they completed the required waiting periods.

“Our Main Street communities around the state are unique and vibrant places,” OCRA Executive Director Fred Glynn said. “I encourage all communities to get involved in the Indiana Main Street program and experience how it can be truly transformational. For organizations currently in the program, I urge you to continue to grow and look to level up by taking advantage of all the resources offered through Indiana Main Street.”

Communities seeking the OCRA Downtown Affiliate Network level must submit their Letter of Intent and achieve the fundamental baseline requirement by 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 2. A full application will be released on Oct. 6, with a submission deadline of 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 31.

Communities seeking the Aspiring-Indiana Accredited Main Street level must submit their Letter of Intent and application by 11:59 p.m. ET on Dec. 31.

Current Aspiring-Indiana Accredited Main Street and Indiana Accredited Main Street organizations interested in moving to the next Indiana Main Street level must submit their Letter of Intent to the Indiana Main Street program manager by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 2.

In 2025, Indiana Main Street’s Nationally Accredited Main Street, Indiana Accredited Main Street and Aspiring-Indiana Accredited Main Street communities saw nearly $100 million in public investment and around $56 million in private investment.

For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/mainstreet or reach out to the regional OCRA community liaison, which can be found at in.gov/ocra/about/community-liaisons/.

All new community designations will be announced in early 2027.

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Under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith, who serves as Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs’ (OCRA) mission is to work with local, state and national partners to provide resources and technical assistance to assist communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development. For more information, visit ocra.in.gov.