Gulfport Main Street Activates Façade Grant Master Plan Program
Partnership to encourage business growth in city’s Innovation and Quarters districts
GULFPORT, MS (March 31, 2022) -To help local businesses grow and thrive in a changing, often challenging economy, the Gulfport Main Street Association has activated a Façade Grant Master Plan Program for implementation in partnership with Mississippi Power, Mississippi Main Street and the City of Gulfport.
Funded through grants from Mississippi Main Street, Mississippi Power Foundation, and Gulfport Main Street events, the Façade Grant Master Plan Program will focus on proverbial “face lifts” enhancing the overall appearance of the city’s Innovation and Quarters districts to improve existing commercial businesses and attract potential investors.
“Our Gulfport Main Street vision for this Façade Grant Master Plan Program looks to spark renewed interest in these important districts within our community by helping businesses already operating in those areas and foster new business development,” said Gulfport Main Street Executive Director Laurie Toups. “We encourage private development and work to bridge financial gaps to cover costs for improvements and bring about additional aesthetic rehabilitation that helps our local economy grow.”
The Façade Grant Master Plan program is an important initiative to assist the private sector in pursuing renovation and improvements benefiting the city’s overall business climate. The program will award grants on a competitive basis, with priority for applications proposing projects that help the applicant business grow and use local vendors. The Innovation and Quarter districts located northwest of central downtown and north of the railroad tracks, in Gulfport already have many features key to becoming major destinations for business and specialty retail as well as Gulf Coast residential living.
A 501(c)3 organization, Gulfport Main Street Association is committed to cultivating Main Street districts’ resources, including embracing and assisting existing businesses.
To learn more about the Façade Grant Master Plan Program or Gulfport Main Street Association, contact Laurie Toups at ltoups@gulfport-ms.gov.
Gulfport Main Street Names New LeadershipExecutive Committee for 2022-24
It all begins with an idea.
Gulfport, MS - The Gulfport Main Street Association (GMSA), today announced four new executive board members who will each help support the nonprofit’s work to rehabilitate and rejuvenate Historic Downtown Gulfport, using a four-point approach: Organization, Promotions, Design and Economic Vitality. The goal is the revitalization of the downtown Gulfport affecting positive change on all of Gulfport.
“We’re excited to work with these members who will bring diverse expertise and insight to our work,” said GMSA Executive Director Laurie Toups. “We have worked diligently to ensure GMSA’s board and leadership represents a variety of experts from higher education, state leadership, and advocacy groups, and these board members are no exception.”
“I am personally delighted to welcome such a strong group of executive board members,” said Jennifer Lee, President elect of GMSA. “We have a very ambitious Strategic Plans for the coming term, and I look forward to serving with each of them in the coming year to reach our goals for 2022-24."
The new executive committee members began their two-year terms with GMSA February, 17, 2022, and can each serve a maximum of two terms. The four new board members are:
Jennifer Lee, President, Marketing & Entertainment Manager for Island View Casino (Member since 2014)
Sherri Carr Smith. Vice-President, Director of Workforce Projects for MS Gulf Coast Community College (Member since 2019)
Joy Saucier, Secretary, Community Development, MS Power (Member since 2020)
Keith Williams, Jr., Treasurer, Vice-President of Community Bank in Gulfport (Member since 2019)
For more information visit our website at www.downtowngulfport.org, or contact Laurie Toups at ltoups@gulfport-ms.gov or call 228-236-6724