In Case You Missed It: November 2023 Digest

Posted on by Department of Housing and Community Development

During the month of November, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) team published six blog posts, highlighting the latest community-vitality news, events and more! Here’s a recap:

Downtown Accessibility and Inclusion

  • When we make the effort to think beyond ourselves to the lived experiences of people of other backgrounds, abilities, and sensibilities, we are able to take steps towards a more inclusive Main Street effort. Click here to learn more!

Celebrating Volunteers

  • Demonstrating gratitude is key to a robust volunteer recruitment and retention program and can be as simple as sending a thank you card, spotlighting volunteers on socials, and/or celebrating them on your website. Click here to learn more!
  • Main Street Lexington (MSL), a volunteer-based, non-profit organization established in 2013 that works to create a prosperous and welcoming downtown while preserving Lexington’s unique and historic character, recently celebrated its 10th anniversary with a reception at the Gin Hotel ballroom in downtown Lexington. The event honored past and present staff, board and committee members, volunteers, partners and other supports of the MSL program. Click here to learn more!

Adding a Youth Seat to Your Board

  • Cultivating new volunteers and perspectives is an ongoing process for every local Main Street program, and this effort can even begin with high school students. Click here to learn more!

7 Actionable Principles

  • Through the VMS Firm Principles, Flexible Paths series, the Center of Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) is diving into their 7 Actionable Principles (7APs) to strengthen nonprofits and their relationships with funders. The 7APs offer a common language around key and proven practices, infused with values of equity and growth. The second principle relates to effectively managing your financial position. Click here to learn more!

Community Business Launch (CBL) Spotlight

  • Last month, Crystal and Jason Burton cut the ribbon on a brand new location for Sweet Tooth Café in downtown Gloucester, a location they now own. What started for the Burton’s as being the owners of a micro-cupcakery in the back of a shared commercial space in 2015 has since transformed them into not only business owners but building owners. Click here to learn more!

Stay tuned for lots more great content in December!