Our Vision
We are dedicated to enhancing historic Downtown Colfax as a vibrant, walkable, and cohesive destination where businesses thrive and our community gathers.
Our Mission
Colfax Main Street's Mission is to preserve our city's past and plan our future while maintaining our historic charm.
Transformation Strategies
In March 2024, our program adopted 3 Transformation Strategies to help guide our program and Downtown Colfax into focused future success. These strategies are areas of concentrated efforts which our program creates goals and plans projects and activities to support those goals.
Create A vibrant, walkable downtown district through improving the downtown streetscape and pedestrian amenities.
Focus on improving the infrastructure, walkability, and aesthetics of Downtown Colfax so that it is a safe, vibrant place to conduct business. Key projects will include: improving Downtown Colfax’s streetscape on Walnut Street ((HWY 117), Howard Street, and other Downtown Colfax streets to promote pedestrian safety, vehicle traffic calming measures, ADA accessibility, etc. to create a vibrant and safe district.
Improve business support services for Colfax businesses.
Support a strong, sustainable Colfax Main Street nonprofit program.
Focus on providing technical support services, training, and financial resources to support business retention, expansion and recruitment efforts in Colfax.
Focus on increasing volunteerism, sustainability fundraising practices, and enhancing communication about the Main Street Colfax program to increase awareness.
Get to know us!
Colfax Main Street, Inc. (Colfax Main Street) is part of the Main Street Iowa Program with the Iowa Department of Economic Development. The Main Street Iowa Program was created to improve the social and economic well-being of Iowa's communities by assisting selected communities to capitalize on the unique identity, assets and character of their historic commercial district. This economic development is centered around historic preservation.
Colfax became a Main Street Iowa Community on May 18, 2009. The Colfax Economic Development Commission, the Colfax Chamber of Commerce, the Colfax Visioning Committee, and the Take Pride Where You Reside Committee combined to form Colfax Main Street.
Colfax Main Street is modeled after the Main Street America Program through the National Main Street Center with a Main Street Board, a program director and committees established to implement the Four Point Approach®.
OUR PEOPLE
THE FOUR POINT APPROACH®
Every community is different and has it's own assets and unique needs. Main Street America developed The Four Point Approach® as an adaptable framework of transformation strategies to revitalize and strengthen a downtown or business district. Colfax Main Street's activities are all planned under these four core areas:
Economic Vitality
ECONOMIC VITALITY focuses on capital, incentives, and other economic and financial tools to assist new and existing businesses, catalyze property development, and create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and innovators that drive local economies.
Design
DESIGN supports a community’s transformation by enhancing the physical and visual assets that set the commercial district apart.
Promotion
PROMOTION positions the downtown or commercial district as the center of the community and hub of economic activity, while creating a positive image that showcases a community’s unique characteristics.
Organization
ORGANIZATION involves creating a strong foundation for a sustainable revitalization effort, including cultivating partnerships, community involvement, and resources for the district.
THE COLFAX MAIN STREET
Revolving Loan Fund
Colfax Main Street knows that small businesses are the life blood of Colfax's local economy. Our organization operates a revolving loan program for local Colfax businesses and industries. Sometimes businesses can find themselves in unique situations where bank financing is not an option, that is where The Colfax Main Street Revolving Loan can help! This program provides low-interest loans for proposed projects that will create new jobs, help businesses maintain and expand, and create new business options for the community therefore increasing Colfax's economic vitality. Any business or industry located within the City of Colfax, including start-ups or businesses moving to Colfax, may apply! Click the link to read more information about The Colfax Main Street Revolving Loan Fund and start the application process!
USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Recipients are required to notify applicants with disabilities and Limited English Proficiency (LEP) persons of their right to free language assistance and accommodations and provide free language assistance and accommodations upon request. To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; fax: (202) 690-7442; or email: program.intake@usda.gov . This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
De conformidad con la Ley Federal de Derechos Civiles y los reglamentos y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los EE. UU. (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés), se prohíbe que el USDA, sus agencias, oficinas, empleados e instituciones que participan o administran programas del USDA discriminen sobre la base de raza, color, nacionalidad, sexo, credo religioso, discapacidad, edad, creencias políticas, o en represalia o venganza por actividades previas de derechos civiles en algún programa o actividad realizados o financiados por el USDA. Las personas con discapacidades que necesiten medios alternativos para la comunicación de la información del programa (por ejemplo, sistema Braille, letras grandes, cintas de audio, lenguaje de señas americano, etc.), deben ponerse en contacto con la agencia (estatal o local) en la que solicitaron los beneficios. Las personas sordas, con dificultades de audición o con discapacidades del habla pueden comunicarse con el USDA por medio del Federal Relay Service [Servicio Federal de Retransmisión] llamando al (800) 877-8339. Además, la información del programa se puede proporcionar en otros idiomas. Para presentar una denuncia de discriminación, complete el Formulario de Denuncia de Discriminación del Programa del USDA, (AD-3027) que está disponible en línea en: How to File a Complaint. y en cualquier oficina del USDA, o bien escriba una carta dirigida al USDA e incluya en la carta toda la información solicitada en el formulario. Para solicitar una copia del formulario de denuncia, llame al (866) 632-9992. Haga llegar su formulario lleno o carta al USDA por:
(1) correo: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2) fax: (202) 690-7442; o
(3) correo electrónico: program.intake@usda.gov.
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.