Ed McMahon, Chairman Emeritus of Main Street America and Senior Fellow at the Urban Land Institute in Washington D.C., recently published an op-ed in the Richmond Times Dispatch ahead of the 2022 Main Street Now Conference. The article explored the role of place and economic development in Virginia, the value of building strong entrepreneurial ecosystems … More Ed McMahon Publishes Op-Ed Focused on How to Breathe New Life Into Smaller Communities

In July 2020, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) began working to provide comprehensive capacity building services through the federal Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) to six recipient organizations located in rural and/or economically challenged regions of Virginia. The RCDI program seeks to increase a community’s readiness to undertake community and economic development projects through technical … More South Hill Chamber of Commerce Awarded $30,000 Rural Community Development Initiative Grant

The Town of Farmville’s local Main Street program, Farmville Downtown Partnership (FDP), seeks a dynamic and highly motivated individual to serve as the organization’s new executive director and assist the organization’s board of directors, committees and volunteers, as well as the greater community, in the achievement of the FDP mission: The mission of Farmville Downtown … More Farmville Downtown Partnership Seeks New Executive Director

Excitingly, Todd Wolford, Executive Director of Downtown Wytheville, Inc. (DWI) in Wytheville, Virginia, an Advancing Virginia Main Street (AVMS) community, received the prestigious 2022 Mary Means Leadership Award during the Closing Plenary session of the 2022 Main Street Now Conference! This award recognizes outstanding leaders in comprehensive preservation-based commercial district revitalization, highlighting the critical role … More Todd Wolford Named 2022 Mary Means Leadership Award Recipient

There simply aren’t enough words to express how incredible it was being together again in Richmond, Virginia for the 2022 Main Street Now Conference! It was a wonderful experience welcoming everyone to our great state, and all of us at Virginia Main Street (VMS) hope that attendees from across the country enjoyed the thought-provoking and … More That’s a Wrap on the 2022 Main Street Now Conference!

Want to build a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem? The City of Danville has certainly figured out how to do exactly that! Beginning in 2019, the River District Association (RDA) started their exciting ecosystem building journey by receiving a Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Community Business Launch (CBL) grant, totaling $45,000, to attract new … More How Danville Built their Ecosystem (Hear the full story over Happy Hour at the Main Street Now Conference!)

In Culpeper’s historic commercial district, a new mural will pay tribute to seven notable African-American citizens of Culpeper County and be located in an area of downtown that was once a thriving Black business district, specifically on the side of a century-old building that housed Lightfoot’s Grocery, which was established in the 1870’s by Henry … More New Mural Will Pay Tribute to Notable African-American Citizens of Culpeper County

In October 2021, the Town of Scottsville received a Community Business Launch (CBL) grant, totaling $40,000, from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). In partnership with the Community Investment Collaborative (CIC), the Town of Scottsville hosted an eight-week workshop series followed by a business plan pitch competition, focused on downtown Scottsville. The … More Four Entrepreneurs Awarded Grant Funds Through Scottsville Community Business Launch Program

If you’re attending the 2022 Main Street Now Conference, get the most of your conference experience with the official Main Street Now Conference app! You’ll find the full schedule and helpful logistical information, plus you’ll be able to: Build a personal agenda and download sessions to your calendar Connect with speakers, sponsors and attendees Find … More The 2022 Main Street Now Conference App is Live!

In July 2020, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) began working to provide comprehensive capacity building services through the federal Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) to six recipient organizations located in rural and/or economically challenged regions of Virginia. The RCDI program seeks to increase a community’s readiness to undertake community and economic development projects through technical … More Highland County EDA Awarded $30,000 Rural Community Development Initiative Grant