Just as there are many formulas for success in the development or redevelopment of a downtown, there are multiple models for staffing a downtown development program. The staffing model adopted depends on a number of factors.

In smaller communities where many of the downtown buildings are older, possibly historic, structures, it may be important to hire staff with the education and experience necessary to direct the restoration and preservation of those structures. These buildings will be a primary asset in attracting businesses and visitors to the downtown area, therefore enhancing and maintaining the authenticity of the downtown area will be critical to the success of the redevelopment effort.

In smaller communities, where historic buildings and tourism are not the driving strategies for redevelopment, an executive director may be hired by a merchants association or a chamber of commerce.

In both of the above scenarios, communities may seek funding from state or federal Main Street programs. Once a local Main Street organization has been established, an executive director would be hired to manage downtown redevelopment initiatives.  

In mid-sized municipalities, downtown development activities are frequently staffed by government employees within a city administration. These are typically city planning and/or economic development specialists charged with directing and coordinating the activities of other city agencies and staff, and with working closely with chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, neighborhood associations. 

In other mid-sized communities, chambers of commerce or economic development agencies will sometimes take the lead in staffing downtown development efforts. This may be a designated individual on the Chamber or ED agency staff; or a separate quasi-independent organization with its own staff and board of directors may be formed with funding from multiple sources including the Chamber, the ED agency, and local and state government. The objective is to separate the staffing of downtown development activities from the interests and agenda of any one organization and to spread the responsibility for funding.

In large cities, there are typically multiple organizations with responsibility for and interests in the development of healthy and thriving downtowns, and each of these will usually hire staff to advance their own organizational objectives. These include municipal and county governments; regional economic development agencies; Chambers of Commerce; neighborhood associations; and independent alliances of businesses, civic organizations, and non-profits. The challenge and responsibility is to subjugate the interests of individual organizations in order to achieve coodination and cooperation for the collective and greater good.