Initially presumed to be isolated from the worst of COVID-19, the virus has begun spreading to smaller and more rural areas. Not only do rural communities lack the critical health care infrastructure and financial resources to adequately address the crisis, but they are also disproportionately vulnerable to its economic ramifications. Rural areas have higher poverty … More Webinar – Mitigating the Economic Impacts of COVID-19 in Rural Areas

In the past few months, shopping behaviors have radically shifted amid the public health situation. Numerous industries have witnessed unprecedented loss while e-Commerce sales have risen by more than 8%. As a result of the pandemic, the need for small businesses to embrace social media and online sales has never been more important. Acknowledging such … More E-Commerce Renovation Program

Nonprofit financial management centers upon the most effective and efficient ways to deploy an organization’s resources while meeting overall objectives. Today, that practice has never been more prevalent. The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts on the nonprofit sector, and the disruptive effects have certainly hindered finances and constrained capacity, forcing organizations to plan for … More Organizational Financial Planning during COVID-19

On May 19, Main Street America announced the recipients of The Grills Fund for Main Street Revitalization, a grant program that will provide eight accredited Main Street America Programs across the nation $10,000 each to help fund innovative revitalization efforts to address the current and/or legacy impact of COVID-19. “These winning ideas represent the ingenuity … More Harrisonburg Named Grills Fund Recipient!

The Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) represents the most extensive business development program in the commonwealth, providing professional business counseling, training and business resources to help grow and strengthen businesses across the state. Today, as small businesses consider reopening and/or planning to transition to the “new normal,” the Virginia SBDC strongly encourages business owners … More Virginia SBDC: Review, Reopen, Recover

Since 1982, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has administered the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, helping local governments address critical needs, such as housing, infrastructure and economic development. Today, amidst an unprecedented public health emergency, CDBG funds continue to serve as a valuable resource, assisting eligible localities in responding to … More Using CDBG Resources in Response to COVID-19

Revolving Loan Funds (RLF) serve as sources of critical financing when credit access remains limited, supporting the development and expansion of small businesses, property owners, micro-enterprises and other special initiatives. RLFs are self-replenishing pools of money that utilize interest and principal payments on past loans to issue new ones, providing access to flexible sources of … More Revolving Loan Funds: A Basic Overview

In 2019, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) program worked with designated and commercial affiliate communities to employ the Main Street Approach™ to create qualitative and quantitative outcomes through targeted design, economic, organization and promotional strategies and activities. Through grant opportunities, trainings and technical assistance focused on the latest in economic development, entrepreneurism, place-making and fundraising, … More VMS 2019 Annual Report