In 2023, Downtown Wytheville, Inc. (DTW) signed on as a Grow with Google training partner as part of a nationwide Google-Main Street America pilot project in 10 states. To implement the program, DTW leveraged both in-kind and grant support from Google, Main Street America (MSA), Virginia Main Street (VMS), UVA Wise, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center and Locus Community Focused Capital.
DTW intended its Grow with Google program to assist small businesses in rural areas. It provided Google certified training to 1,936 individuals across Southwest Virginia, Central Appalachia and the entire state of Virginia. Many of the businesses assisted were engaged in tourism, travel and hospitality, as well as being critical for the revitalization of downtown Wytheville and other downtowns in Central Appalachia and Virginia. The organization’s 25 trainings, plus small group coaching and countless one-on-one technical assistance sessions, focused on pandemic recovery for small businesses by building their digital presence and capacity for e-commerce with the expertise of locally-based Grow with Google coach, Courtney Stringer.
“Led by local experts, these trainings equipped business owners with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly competitive and digitally based economy. Supporting local entrepreneurs is an essential component of our mission to create more vibrant Main Streets. This initiative has been instrumental in helping us continue to work towards this goal.” – Hannah White, MSA Chief Impact Officer
Because Virginia’s team was one of the most successful of the 10 states selected, Google, MSA, and the DTW Board of Directors extended the program past the original deadline of December 2023 to March 2024. DTW also intends to continue offering digital training to small businesses in downtown Wytheville in the future!
Click here to learn more about the final results of this program nationwide!
Virginia Main Street 