Last year, Mecklenburg County received American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding – distributed by the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) – with the aim of revitalizing tourism in the region following the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of this initiative, Mecklenburg Tourism embarked on a project to enhance the county’s appeal by … More Mural Mania in Mecklenburg County

Earlier this month, Main Streeters from across the country came together for the 2024 Main Street Now Conference in Birmingham, Alabama! This yearly opportunity allows Main Streeters to do what Main Streeters do best; gather, learn, talk about big ideas, and make our communities stronger. The Virginia Main Street (VMS) network had over 40 attendees … More Sweet Home, Main Street Now!

In celebration of Business Appreciation Month, the Community Vitality Office (CVO) is highlighting small businesses throughout the Commonwealth that make each of their respective localities unique and provide quality of life to residents that doesn’t go unnoticed. Like most transformative projects, these businesses have been creative in bringing their dream to life, and many have … More Businesses That Inspire: Celebrating Business Appreciation Month in May!

Main Street America recently announced that 1,188 programs have achieved designations as MSA programs in recognition of their commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach. 26 Main Street programs in Virginia earned Accredited status – the top designation tier – for demonstrating a proven track record of achieving outcomes … More 39 Virginia Communities Receive Main Street America Designation

May is #PreservationMonth! The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) began celebrating and promoting the value of historic preservation back in 1973 with Preservation Week, which then extended into an entire Preservation Month in 2005. Preservation Month is meant to bring attention to historic places and heritage tourism, as well as promote both the economic … More Celebrating Preservation Month in May!

Downtown Front Royal, Inc. (DFRI) was established in 2007, and after a decade, the organization went dormant for a handful of years. In January 2023, a new, reinvigorated Board of Directors began meeting and sent Board President, Ellen Aders, to the 2023 Main Street NOW conference in Boston. Since then, DFRI has reconnected with Virginia … More Reestablishing Main Street in Front Royal

The Virginia Economic Developers Association (VEDA) Summer Meeting will be held in Danville, VA next month on Monday, June 3rd and Tuesday, June 4th. This year’s VEDA theme is “Exploring the Intersection of Community and Economic Development” which is right up our alley – and given that Danville is a recent Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) winner, it … More Virginia Main Street Partners with Virginia Economic Developer’s Association for Their Summer Meeting

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 … More Grow with Google Pilots Rural Coaching Model with Downtown Wytheville, Inc.

During the month of April, 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 VMS Training Succession Planning Budget Season Microfinance Small Business Support 7 Actionable Principles Stay tuned for lots more great content in May!