Virginia Main Street

After 26 years of service to the nonprofit sector, 14 of which with the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE), Cindy Colson, Deputy Director of Partnerships, Consulting & Impact, will be retiring effective June 30, 2026. Since Virginia Main Street (VMS) and CNE began their partnership in 2018, Cindy has played a vital role in building … More Celebrating CNE’s Cindy Colson’s Nonprofit Service and Welcoming New Leadership

The Town of Clarksville was bursting with color, creativity, and community spirit this spring as Historic Downtown Clarksville‘s (HDC) inaugural Flower Crawl welcomed visitors from across the region for a unique shopping experience. The Flower Crawl began at Town Hall, which served as the official event check-in location, where participants received a vase, greenery, and … More A Downtown in Bloom: Clarksville’s Flower Crawl Connects Visitors with Local Businesses

Many communities know something isn’t working in their downtown, but struggle to pinpoint what. It’s not a lack of ideas. More often, it’s a lack of shared perspective of what’s happening on the ground. Without that clarity, it becomes difficult to prioritize improvements, move projects forward, or connect physical changes to broader goals like business … More Understand Your Downtown with an 8-Point Check

The City of Winchester‘s Taylor Pavilion is emerging as a vibrant hub for community life, arts programming, and public events. Recently unveiled improvements have brought new energy to Old Town, creating a more welcoming, connected gathering space for residents, visitors, and local businesses. The revitalization effort grew from a broader community conversation about the future … More From Vision to Vibrancy: Winchester Reactivates Taylor Pavilion

Sometimes, Main Street organizations are associated only with events or seen as the “party planners.” Although that’s definitely not all we do, it is a part of what we do; it’s always front and center in the heart of the community. Let’s be honest, events can drag staff and volunteers down, especially if they are … More Building Better Downtown Events Through Collaboration

Economic Vitality is one of the four pillars of Main Street work, and this spring, Main Street leaders and community partners from across Virginia gathered for the Virginia Main Street Spring Rev Up: Retail and Small Business support to learn new strategies for strengthening their downtown districts. Presented by the Retail Alliance, this year’s Spring … More Supporting Business on Main: A 2026 Spring Rev-Up Recap

Drawing from 10 years’ worth of experience, Andrea Dono, Executive Director of Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance, passes on lessons learned on key administrative, financial, and governance practices that nonprofits should regularly review or implement. When I became the executive director at Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR), it took several years for me to recognize that we were … More A Checklist for Creating Sustainable Organizations

There’s something powerful that happens when a community pauses to imagine its future—and then decides to take the first step toward it. In early January, Courtland community leaders came together to do just that. They described a downtown that, at its very best, is lively, safe, and welcoming—a place where people gather, linger, and feel … More Welcome Courtland to Exploring Main Street