Recently, Governor Northam announced that the town of Blackstone and city of Buena Vista were awarded Community Business Launch (CBL) grants, totaling $90,000, to conduct business plan competitions and offer training to entrepreneurs that aligns with local and regional economic development strategies, primarily in Virginia’s downtown commercial districts. Administered through the Virginia Department of Housing … More Town of Blackstone and City of Buena Vista Named Community Business Launch Grant Recipients

Excitingly, a new funding opportunity from Virginia Housing (VH) has emerged! Annually, VH reinvests a portion of their net revenues into Virginia’s communities through REACH Virginia (Resources Enabling Affordable Community Housing in Virginia), a multifaceted resource that the organization uses to support vital housing initiatives through their Homeownership, Rental and Community Outreach programs. As a … More Funding Opportunity: Virginia Housing Launches New Capacity Building Grant Program for Non-Profits

Over the past year, Main Street programs across the nation have encountered unprecedented challenges, ranging from the novel coronavirus pandemic to cascading climate crises. Truthfully, we can never foresee what the future holds, but we’ve come to learn how Main Street programs withstand such events and pressures, demonstrating inspiring tenacity and creativity throughout all they’ve … More Main Street Forward Awards

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will hold a how-to-apply workshop for the 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program on Wednesday, Jan. 20th from 2-4 p.m. Attendees will be informed about project eligibility, funding availability, submission requirements and the methodology used for evaluating applications for the upcoming round of 2021 CDBG … More 2021 CDBG How-to-Apply Workshop: Register Today!

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has its own podcast, and each episode features the voices of leaders and change makers from across the Commonwealth, looking at the innovation and inspiration at play as local, regional and state leaders work together to create safe, affordable and prosperous communities. To date, more than … More Virginia DHCD’s Partners for Better Communities Podcast

Martinsville’s local Main Street program, Uptown Partnership (UP), is currently recruiting for their first executive director! UP is a newly-formed, stakeholder-led historic commercial district revitalization organization that follows the National Main Street Center’s (NMSC) time-tested Main Street Approach to attract investment and renewal in Martinsville, VA. The organization’s active board has been very successful in … More Martinsville’s Local Main Street Organization Seeks Executive Director

Annually, the Main Street America Institute (MSAI) hosts two workshops that are designed to help Main Street professionals prioritize strategy, develop personal skills to lead revitalization and network with peers from across the country. To ensure the continuation of this essential content, the MSAI workshops will be held virtually this year! 2021 Leadership Development Workshop … More 2021 MSAI Workshops Have Gone Virtual: Register Today!

Developed in collaboration with the National Main Street Center (NMSC), the Brookings Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking published a new series of research briefs, highlighting the vital role that Main Street programs play in the revitalization of rural downtowns and promoting equitable rural economic and community development. The Brookings Bass Center sought to understand how … More The Value of Main Street Organizations: New Research from Brookings and the National Main Street Center

As of December 09, 2020, all available Rebuild! VA grant funds have been exhausted, and additional applications will not be accepted or processed. What does this mean for you? The state has compiled resources to address important and frequently asked questions (FAQ). Click here to view the FAQ sheet for more information! “Rebuild VA has … More Rebuild! VA Grant Funds Exhausted

Since 1985, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) program has been helping localities successfully revitalize the economic vitality of downtown commercial districts using the National Main Street Center’s successful Main Street Approach™. Serving as a preservation-based economic and community development program, VMS offers a range of services and assistance to communities interested in revitalizing their historic commercial districts. The program’s core … More 2020 Virginia Main Street Program Guidelines Released