It’s fall y’all, and that means students are back in school… Every fall, college towns experience an influx of new residents, as students move in and prepare for the academic year. Students are a unique, target audience and consumer demographic that can add a lot of excitement and vibrancy to a downtown. Main Street organizations … More A Welcoming College Town

Recently, FY24 Virginia Main Street (VMS) Downtown Investment Grant (DIG), Community Vitality Grant (CVG) and Virginia Business District Resurgence Grant (VBDRG) recipients were announced. $2.5 million will help communities across the state revitalize their historic commercial districts, expand small businesses and bolster local economies and quality of life for all. Every year, the VMS program … More 30 Communities Named FY2024 Virginia Main Street Grant Recipients

Have you heard the news? Main Street America has a new platform to tell the stories of Main Street’s small businesses and entrepreneurs. The podcast, Main Street Business Insights, follows Main Street America’s Chief Program Officer, Matt Wagner, Ph.D., across the country as he sits down with downtown and neighborhood entrepreneurs to explore their stories. … More Podcast Alert: Main Street Business Insights

Last week, Fiscal Year 2024 Community Business Launch (CBL) grants were announced, and $410,000 will assist the awarded communities with hosting a business curriculum and business pitch competition to fill vacant storefronts in their commercial districts. Grantees include three previously awarded communities, Lynchburg (Downtown Lynchburg Association), Covington, and Petersburg (Metropolitan Business League), as well as … More Six Communities Named FY2024 Community Business Launch Grant Recipients

While the Virginia Main Street (VMS) program seeks to bring increased vitality to the places people call home, Main Street empowers communities to set their own destinies and offers a road-map for locally-owned, locally-driven prosperity. Through the time-tested Main Street Approach, which is a framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization, your community, along with assistance from … More Getting Started With Main Street

In response to the increasing number of mural projects across Virginia, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) architecture and design firm, Frazier Associates, recently launched a technical briefing about murals and mural programs. The new Mural Tech Sheet is available online and covers best practices for mural program development and management, as well as community engagement … More Virginia Main Street Launches New Mural Tech Sheet

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE), a nonprofit resource center dedicated to helping nonprofits succeed, is excited to launch the 7 Actionable Principles for a Strong Social Sector. Building on themes from 10 discussion sessions with 67 community members, and several leading national frameworks for nonprofit health and impact, the 7 Actionable Principles aim to … More Firm Principles, Flexible Paths: Seven Actionable Principles for a Strong Social Sector

During the month of August, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) team published eight blog posts, highlighting the latest community vitality-related news, events and more! Here’s a recap: Harnessing Your Local Assets: The Cost of an Empty Building Promotions Farmers Markets Small Business Health and Organizational Wellbeing Virginia Retail Matters Stay tuned for lots more great content in … More In Case You Missed It: August 2023 Digest

Our guest blogger is Jenny Crittenden, President and CEO of Retail Alliance, an organization serving the interests of local retailers in Greater Hampton Roads. In this blog post, Jenny discusses the critical insights that will be unveiled at the upcoming Virginia Retail Matters event in Portsmouth, Virginia on September 22 and why you should attend … More Empowering Virginia’s Main Street Retailers

Harrisonburg is halfway through their 10-week summer concert series featuring a diverse line-up of national artists. Thousands of residents and visitors have enjoyed the concerts that covered wide range of genres including jazz, soul, bluegrass, indie rock, hip hop, and mariachi. Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR) received a $90,000 Levitt AMP [Your City] Grant Award to … More The Shenandoah Valley is for Live Music Lovers!