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

VMS Community News

• In 2023, Winchester began to explore the possibility of restructuring to further their local Main Street initiative and improve its long-term sustainability, moving away from a municipal-led program to one managed by an independent, nonprofit organization that works in partnership with the municipality. Click here to learn more about their progress!
• At the 2024 Virginia Economic Developers Association’s (VEDA) Spring 2024 Conference, Harrisonburg, St. Paul and Waynesboro 2024 Community Economic Development Awards (CEDA) for outstanding projects that transformed their communities. Click here to learn more!

Cultivating Internship Opportunities

• Although Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HRD) had previously implemented an internship program focusing on event planning and marketing responsibilities, sustaining the program proved difficult due to funding constraints. In a stroke of serendipity, HDR discovered a valuable resource that helped address this challenge by covering half of the interns’ wages. Click here to learn more!

Main Street Impact Review

• In 2023, VMS staff worked with Main Street communities across the state to employ the Main Street Approach to create positive and catalytic impacts. These communities have achieved notable success in revitalizing and preserving their historic downtown / neighborhood commercial districts. From attracting new businesses to fostering community engagement, the unwavering dedication of local Main Street programs, big and small, has been instrumental in creating vibrant places and thriving local economies throughout Virginia. Click here to view 2023 reinvestment statistics!

Pedestrian Safety

• A walkable community isn’t just nice to have; it’s essential for encouraging residents and visitors to spend more time in your downtown! By fostering walkability in your Main Street district, you can help boost the local economy and cultivate a strong sense of place. Click here to learn more!

Grant Writing 101

• Applications for VMS FY2025 grants are due Friday, April 5, and the VMS team is excited to see thoughtful, well-developed projects come to life through submitted proposals. Articulating the vision for your project is not always easy so click here to view a few best practices to grant writing to help you get your idea off the ground and application drafted.

7 Actionable Principles

• Through the VMS Firm Principles, Flexible Paths series, the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) is diving into their 7 Actionable Principles 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. Click here to learn more!

Stay tuned for lots more great content in April!