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North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center (2021) Print
2021 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Community Health and Economic Empowerment
└ Entrepreneurship and improved economic resilience
└ Entrepreneurship and improved economic resilience
This project created a toolkit to grow local tourism along the Main-to-Main Trail. The trail winds across North Carolina, connecting more than 60 Main Street communities to showcase public art and murals, local food and cultural history and experiences. North Carolina Main Street hoped to build capacity among participating communities, helping them identify their assets and create an economic development strategy. To do this, they created a template for a tourism itinerary, which visitors can follow to find local attractions. They also developed a playbook for affective social media marketing. Since publishing the toolkit, the Rural Planning center has provided guidance on photography, videography and destination writing. Additionally, they are helping local small businessowners to better serve tourists.
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See More Projects Like This One
Puyallup, WA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020
Project Category: Entrepreneurship and improved economic resilience
Description: This project created an age-friendly business certification program, which identifies businesses that intentionally accommodate older adult customers. After recruiting businesses to participate, project organizers scored each one based on customer service, environment, access and discounts. To incentivize businesses to participate, the Main Street Association chose six businesses with a 90 score to win decorative planter boxes. Participating businesses signed a pledge to be age-friendly and received certification stickers to display in their storefront windows. Businesses can apply to be re-certified every two years.
Augusta, GA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Entrepreneurship and improved economic resilience
Description: Music and farming are deep parts of Augusta's culture. To support Black musicians and farmers through agrotourism, Garden City Jazz created a series of outdoor concerts, dubbed Soul Soil. The concert series -- which took place at local farms -- featured performances by professional gospel, jazz and blues musicians and attracted visitors from all around the region. The series also sparked important conversations about the inequities Black farmers face. This resulted in new partnerships, as well as the creation of cooperatively owned farmers market.
Portland, OR
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Entrepreneurship and improved economic resilience
Description: Following COVID-19 shutdowns, Alberta Main Street wanted to encourage residents to visit small businesses in the Alberta District. To increase foot traffic in the neighborhood, they hosted a series of community events. Christmas, Halloween and other holiday-themed gatherings drew large crowds to the district. Additionally, they launched a monthly Last Thursday series, which showcased local artists' work and offered activities for families with children. Organizers worked to ensure each event celebrated the neighborhoods' diversity and culture, as well as its African American business owners. Alberta Main Street hopes future events help shield legacy businesses from displacement. In the future, they are also planning a grant program to help owners historically overlooked by traditional lenders.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
Raleigh, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Bike Audits
Description: Older adults in Raleigh faced unsafe biking conditions and missing sidewalks, limiting mobility and access to transit. Oaks and Spokes launched bike audits on key corridors, engaging older residents and students to document hazards. Findings prompted City Council to adopt protected bike lanes on Brookside Drive and plan sidewalk improvements. A second audit on Garner Road highlighted urgent safety gaps and drew council attention during a live stream. These efforts accelerated infrastructure changes and built advocacy momentum for safer, age-friendly streets.
Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.
Raleigh, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2026
Project Category: ADUs, tiny homes, missing middle and manufactured housing
Description: The organization will host tours, workshops and provide design guidance to help residents age 50-plus understand how accessory dwelling units can support aging in place. The project focuses on accessible design and housing planning tools.
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