Virginia Main Street

Through Virginia Main Street’s (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 sixth principle relates to collaborating with communities.

Actionable items include:

• We seek collaboration where it makes sense as a grounding principle of doing business, and we leverage partnerships for greater impact with nonprofits, public, private and higher education sectors, and community members with lived experience;

• We acknowledge and understand root causes for systemic challenges, and we take action by joining forces and allocating resources toward a common goal of addressing root causes and changing systems; and

• We center the community we serve in informing our work and making our decisions. We value and promote a culture of humility, adaptability, and continuous learning where we encourage reflection on lessons learned, questioning the status quo, and taking risks in support of better service.

“One of the best things I learned from being an executive director for so many years is to take more risks, the opportunity to fail. Failure creates innovation.”

Local nonprofit leader

Bringing It Back to Main Street

Collaboration lies at the heart of success for local Main Street programs, serving as a catalyst for impactful change within communities. Main Street organizations often operate with limited resources and face multifaceted challenges in revitalization-related areas. By leveraging partnerships, they can pool resources, expertise, and networks to achieve greater impact.

Furthermore, collaboration fosters a sense of unity among stakeholders, aligning diverse interests toward a common goal of downtown revitalization. When community members, local businesses, government entities, and nonprofits share a collective vision, they become empowered to enact meaningful change and address systemic issues. This unity not only enhances the organization’s credibility and influence but also cultivates a sense of ownership and pride among residents, fostering a sustainable culture of civic engagement and investment in the community’s future.

Embracing collaboration also requires a willingness to take calculated risks in pursuit of the organization’s mission. Downtown revitalization often demands innovative approaches and bold initiatives that may entail uncertainty or push the boundaries of conventional strategies. However, by embracing risk-taking, Main Street organizations can unlock new opportunities for growth and innovation, igniting transformative change that revitalizes local economies, preserves cultural heritage, and enhances quality of life for residents. Ultimately, by sharing a common goal and embracing risk-taking, communities can harness the collective power of collaboration to realize their vision for vibrant, thriving downtowns that serve as the heartbeats of their respective towns and cities.

At CNE, our vision is equitable, thriving, and just communities powered by healthy nonprofits, and our mission is to be a champion, learning partner, and advisor for Virginia nonprofits.