Issues

Restoring Democracy

1,000 Main Streets Base-building

1,000 Main Streets is a national movement of Main Street leaders fighting for a fair economy—organizing in their communities, shaping policy, and electing champions who put Main Street first.

We're not just talking shop—we're building power.

Legal Action and Rapid Response

Small businesses don’t succeed in chaos. We rely on fair markets, functional public services, and a government that works for the people—not against them. But when extremist politicians gut funding for key agencies, it’s small businesses and working families who pay the price.

That’s why Main Street Alliance doesn’t just organize—we take the fight to the courts. Whether it’s blocking unlawful funding freezes, defending pro-small business policies, or stopping billionaires from turning federal agencies into their personal playgrounds, we elevate small business testimonies when Main Street is under attack.

Care & Competition

Small Business Tax Fairness Coalition

Main Street Alliance and Small Business Majority are teaming up to make sure Main Street has the last word in the renegotiation of our tax code—and shape the narrative around why tax fairness matters for our entrepreneurial class.

Focus state Campaigns

  • Active Campaigns:

    • Pro-Main Street Budget: MSA is organizing main street leaders from across the state to fight for a budget that strengthens local economies. MSA members are educating lawmakers on what protecting and expanding the Main Street Bounceback and Child Care Counts programs would do for working class families invested in the uplift of their communities. MSA is also advocating for the extension of postpartum Medicaid supports, as Wisconsin is the only state in the US not to offer it.

  • Active Campaigns:

    • Paid Leave Implementation: MSA members worked tirelessly in 2023 to pass Paid Leave in the state under Gov. Walz. Now, MSA is leading an educational campaign to ensure that entrepreneurs are equipped with the informational resources to plan for Paid Leave implementation—individualizing supports for immigrant, BIPOC, and women-run enterprises in the state.

  • Active Campaigns

    • 1,000 Main Street base-building and rapid response: MSA is working with local champions to elevate testimony highlighting the ways that executive orders, tariffs and certain policies are impacting Main Streets.

  • Active Campaigns:

    • Paid Leave Passage: MSA is organizing women entrepreneurs to build the case and educate lawmakers on why passage of Paid Leave would drive business sustainability and make the state more competitive.

  • Active Campaigns:

    • Aligning Labor and Capital: Working with Iowa Citizen Action Network and the Iowa Federation of Labor, MSA is identifying issue alignment between unions in the state and high-road employers and small business owners.

Care is Capital

Care Is Capital is our national campaign to stop cuts to Medicaid, the Child Tax Credit, and premium tax credits—and to remind lawmakers that care isn’t charity, it’s economic infrastructure. When families lose coverage, Main Street loses customers, workers, and stability. We’re organizing small business owners to say loud and clear: a strong economy starts with strong care.

Digital Organizing

Running a small business means constantly adapting—whether it’s navigating new technologies, embracing clean energy, or staying competitive in an evolving market. We provide entrepreneurs with the tools, insights, and connections to build a more resilient and sustainable business.

From understanding AI advancements to tapping into the fast-growing creator economy, our Getting Up To Speed (GUTS) webinar series provides practical resources and a network of like-minded entrepreneurs to help you stay ahead. Become a member and gain access to expert guidance, peer learning, and opportunities to grow your business.

Coming up next…

The Childcare Crisis: Supporting the Workforce & Families
Tuesday, June 17, 2025 2:00 PM -  3:00 PM ET

Across the country on Main Streets there is a childcare crisis. It's too expensive for many families to be able to afford quality care and yet early childhood educators are underpaid, overworked and on the edge. The system is broken and we need to fix it. Join Main Street Alliance and our child care partners to discuss what's at stake, how things can be different, and real solutions to address this crisis to build the strongest workforce possible.