Heart on Main Street

What Heart on Main Street does

Heart on Main Street is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2022 and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that supports independent Main Street retailers through disaster relief, education, and mentorship programs. Its core offerings include direct financial disaster relief grants (typically $5K–$25K per recipient), the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program (which delivers donated inventory from vendor partners to affected retailers via coupon codes), and the Independent Rebuild Project (a hands-on volunteer initiative launched in 2025 that physically restores damaged stores). The organization also runs educational programming through webinars, a content library, and the Quarterly Retail Insights Reports, alongside a Vendor Partner Program, the Main Street Friends affiliate network, a Monthly Giving subscription program, and Donor-Advised Funds. The organization does not build or sell technology products; its core 'platform' is a curated network of vendor partners, market centers, donors, and volunteers.

Revenue is generated entirely through donations and fundraising, with giving tiers at $25 (emergency supplies), $100 (inventory restocking), and $250 (rebuilding grants), plus a $25/month recurring subscription. Corporate contributions are sourced from ~12+ gift and home décor vendor partners (Mud Pie, Creative Brands, Primitives by Kathy, Nora Fleming, etc.), wholesale distributors (OneCoast), and market centers (Dallas Market Center matches donations up to $5K). Distribution and donor activation run through a multi-channel approach spanning the website (heartonmainstreet.org), email newsletter, Instagram (@HeartOnMainStreet), industry events at Dallas Market Center and Atlanta Market, earned media (notably Good Morning America coverage), and field engagement via the Main Street Monday community visit program.

Heart on Main Street serves a single customer segment—small, locally-owned independent retailers not affiliated with national chains—with particular focus on those impacted by natural disasters across US states including Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Documented disaster responses have covered Hurricane Ian (The Islander, Fort Myers Beach, FL), the Rolling Fork EF-4 tornado (EJ's Café, Green Apple Florist), an Oklahoma tornado (The Mix Mercantile, Sulphur), and Hurricane Helene flooding (Dogwood Darlings, Bette's Boutique in Asheville, NC). The organization has received industry recognition through the 2026 ARTS Awards HEARTS Award and maintains partnerships with major gift industry trade publications.

Name

Heart on Main Street

Legal name

Heart on Main Street

Website

https://heartonmainstreet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Heart on Main Street is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2022 that supports independent Main Street retailers through disaster relief grants, donated inventory programs, hands-on rebuilding projects, and educational resources across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Retail Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Operative Builders (1531)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Independent retail support
• Disaster relief grants
• Small business education
• Community rebuilding services
• Nonprofit retail advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization raises funds through individual donations, monthly giving programs, and corporate contributions. Donation tiers include $25 for emergency supplies, $100 for restocking inventory, $250 for rebuilding grants, and flexible amounts for general support. Monthly donors contributing $25+ receive a thank-you t-shirt.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heart on Main Street is a nonprofit that provides disaster relief grants, donated product inventory through its Jumpstart Program, hands-on store rebuilding via the Independent Rebuild Project, and ongoing education (webinars, quarterly retail insights reports) to independently owned retailers across the United States. It funds these programs through individual donations, monthly giving, corporate sponsorships, and vendor partnerships with major gift and home décor brands and wholesale market centers.

Product overview

Heart on Main Street is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs to support independent retailers. The core offerings include disaster relief grants (direct financial assistance), the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program (donated inventory from vendor partners), and the Independent Rebuild Project (hands-on volunteer rebuilding efforts). Educational resources include webinars and Quarterly Retail Insights Reports. The organization also runs a Vendor Partner Program, Main Street Friends affiliate network, Monthly Giving program, Donor-Advised Funds, and Grant Application program. These programs work together to provide immediate disaster relief, long-term recovery support, and ongoing education for independent retailers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disaster Relief Grants Direct financial grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 awarded to independent retailers recovering from natural disasters, covering costs such as building repairs, equipment replacement, and other rebuilding expenses. Distributed to qualifying independently owned retail businesses impacted by hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and similar catastrophic events.
• Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program Program providing free products and merchandise to disaster-impacted independent retailers through vendor partnerships, enabling affected retailers to restock inventory and resume operations quickly. Vendor partners (Mud Pie, Creative Brands, Primitives by Kathy, Nora Fleming, Bridgewater Candle Company, and others) donate coupon codes that retailers redeem for replacement stock.
• Independent Rebuild Project Hands-on initiative bringing together volunteers, vendor partners, and donors to physically rebuild disaster-affected independent retail stores — including moving fixtures back into the space, restocking inventory, organizing merchandise, and preparing the store for reopening. The first completed project restored Dogwood Darlings Children's Boutique in Asheville, NC after Hurricane Helene flooding.
• Webinar Library and Education Programs Educational resources including upcoming live webinars, an on-demand webinar library, and topic-specific programming designed to help independent retailers operate, market, and grow their businesses more effectively.
• Quarterly Retail Insights Reports

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dallas Market CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Dallas Market Center is a key partner hosting educational sessions for buyers during the Total Home & Gift Market. Heart on Main Street collaborates with DMC on Love Local Day events and the organization has been featured at multiple markets. DMC matches donations made to Heart on Main Street up to $5,000.
• Nora FlemingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 June 2024Nora Fleming's 'Band Together' initiative features a purple band where a portion of proceeds supports Heart on Main Street. The partnership connects the brand's commitment to community giving with Heart on Main Street's mission.
• OneCoastcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 June 2024Leading wholesale supplier of home and gift products partnered with Heart on Main Street on a 'Donate at Checkout' program. Shoppers can contribute to Heart on Main Street when purchasing on OneCoast's website, directly supporting independent retailers.
• Mud PiecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner participating in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program, providing coupon codes that enable affected independent retailers to purchase products at free or discounted rates for recovery.
• Creative BrandscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program, generously providing coupon codes as donations to Heart on Main Street for retailer recovery.
• Primitives by KathycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• Elsie and ZoeycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• Jane MariecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• Bridgewater Candle CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• Greenleaf GiftscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• Fresh ScentscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• VotivocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• Swig LifecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• NOTES CandlescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• Unemployed Philosophers GuildcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• tag ltdcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• SteiffcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVendor partner in the Disaster Relief Jumpstart Program providing coupon code donations for independent retailers impacted by natural disasters.
• Friends of Main StreetminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate partnership program where brands and businesses support independent retailers by offering exclusive affiliate partnerships and referral programs. A portion of proceeds supports Heart on Main Street's programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Independent We Stand: Nonprofit movement dedicated to supporting and promoting independent businesses, including independent retailers. Directly comparable mission, audience (small/local retailers), and community-driven GTM (social media campaigns, local advocacy events).
• Main Street America: National nonprofit focused on the revitalization of historic Main Street districts and the small businesses within them. Comparable nonprofit model serving overlapping audience of independent, downtown retailers with disaster-recovery-adjacent community development programming.
• American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA): National nonprofit federation of Independent Business Alliances supporting locally owned businesses. Comparable audience (independent retailers), mission (support independent business), and community-driven engagement model.

Broad incumbents

• SBP: Established national nonprofit focused on disaster preparedness, recovery, and rebuilding for homeowners and small businesses. Comparable disaster-recovery grant-making activity, though broader in scope (residential + commercial) and with much larger scale and longer operating history.
• SCORE: Long-established nonprofit providing free mentoring, education, and resources to small businesses. Comparable educational program pillar (webinars, mentorship) and SMB audience, though SCORE is much larger and does not focus on disaster relief.
• All Hands and Hearts: Disaster relief nonprofit providing direct reconstruction support to communities after natural disasters. Comparable disaster-recovery mission and hands-on rebuild-project model, though broader in scope (residential, schools) and international in reach.
• National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB): Largest small business advocacy organization in the U.S., providing advocacy, education, and resources to independent business owners. Comparable audience and education pillar, though primarily a member-driven advocacy body rather than grantmaker.

Emerging players

• Small Business Majority: National small business advocacy and research organization providing resources and education to entrepreneurs. Comparable SMB-support mission with educational content and policy advocacy, though focused more on policy/research than direct disaster relief.
• Team Rubicon: Veteran-led disaster response nonprofit mobilizing volunteers for direct disaster recovery operations. Comparable hands-on rebuild-project model and volunteer-driven disaster response, though targeting residential and community infrastructure rather than retailers specifically.

Others

• Faire: Wholesale marketplace connecting independent retailers with brands and suppliers. Comparable end audience (independent retailers) and relationship to many of the same vendor brands that partner with Heart on Main Street's Jumpstart Program, though it is a for-profit company rather than a nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/heartonmainstreet
• Facebookfacebook.com/heartonmainstreet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/heart-on-main-street

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Heart on Main Street