COVID-19 and disaster recovery

Created by Main Street America in partnership with the National Parks Service through the Main Street Community Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Program, this publication is designed to help Main Streets and commercial district organizations better prepare for and respond to more frequent and severe disasters.

This CIRD-created document tracks potential funding opportunities and resources for various rural-related community design challenges. It will be updated periodically as new resources are identified.

Source: MASS Design Group. The design of our spaces has the power to hurt us or to keep us safe. At MASS Design Group, we have spent the last ten years building new spaces and retrofitting existing buildings to promote infection control, and to support our partners in providing the best patient care possible.

Source: Urban Design Forum and Van Allen Institute. This site has numerous resources and ideas to help neighborhoods rebound after the COVID-19 crisis, directly from urban design experts.

Coming back from a natural disaster can be especially difficult for small rural towns, but tough times can also be an opportunity for recreating the vision of a town. This paper describes the story of Live Oak, Florida, one of CIRD’s 2013 host communities, which experienced heavy flooding in 2010

Many rural economies are depending on local tourism and lodging, both of which were hard hit by the coronavirus. Small, independently-owned hotels would benefit from checking out this resource from Streetsense that offers guidance and recommendations for hotels to stay profitable as they look to reopen

How can rural main streets and downtown businesses bounce back from something as sudden and impactful as the coronavirus? The National Main Street Center put together this guide of tips and resources for local businesses to put together their own plan for recovery.

Amid unprecedented change due to COVID-19, retailers must get the "Back to Brick and Mortar" protocol right as public health and their business success ultimately depend on it. Recommended for Main Street projects in rural towns.