Commerce Announces First Ever Main Street Incentive Awards

The Oklahoma Department of Commerce announced the first-ever awards for the Oklahoma Certified Main Street Incentive Program. This incentive was created to encourage investment in public infrastructure projects that would improve the quality of life in certified Main Street Communities. In total, Commerce awarded $830,664 to nine Main Street Communities.

“At Commerce we don’t just value our Oklahoma Main Street communities, we strive to add value to these communities,” said Heather Turner, Deputy CEO at Commerce and Executive Director of CORE. “With this new incentive we are giving our Main Street partners across the state the tools they need to sustain or restore vibrancy to their downtown areas. It’s important that we continue to find ways to empower communities to invest in themselves.”

To be eligible, communities must be in the Main Street Program for at least one year and provide matching funds. Projects that were approved include renovating a WPA building into a community center in Hydro, installing new light poles in downtown Altus and the installation of a new district wide PA speaker system in Perry.

“We are thrilled to be part of the new Oklahoma Main Street incentive program,” said Laura Vollmer, Perry Main Street Executive Director. “We believe the addition of a downtown sound system will bring a new vibrancy to our beloved community, making it an even more inviting place for residents and visitors. We are grateful to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce and Oklahoma Main Street, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for this incentive program and the impact it will have across the state.”

Below is a full list of the awards for the 2025 calendar year. Commerce will begin accepting applications for the incentive in Fall 2025.