In partnership with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR), Preservation Virginia will be offering a series of virtual workshops on the fundamentals of historic preservation. The 2022 Preservation Academy will feature live lectures from preservation professionals of varying backgrounds, with interaction between participants and presenters through Q&A sessions at the end of each workshop. 2022 Preservation Academy … More Registration Open for 2022 Preservation Academy

Creating a thriving downtown is no small task! It requires local leaders, business owners and community residents to come together to identify their assets, strategically situate themselves in their regional economy and develop a shared vision and identity. Communities make this vision a reality by creating quality public spaces, prioritizing local entrepreneurship and supporting downtown … More Start With the Essentials: VMS Launches Webinar Series Around the Four Points of the Main Street Approach

Undeniably, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way we work. Telecommuting and remote work are no longer simply a trend, but rather here to stay. Remote worker / resident attraction has emerged as a powerful way to tie opportunity to place and can fill a key missing piece in today’s local downtown and community development … More Work from Home Pilot Program: Request for Interest

Special thanks to our guest bloggers, Karice Luck-Brimmer (left) and Kirsten Aherron (right), for crafting a post for Virginia Main Street’s Black History Month blog series! Katrice is an historian and genealogist, as well as the Community Initiatives Program Associate for Virginia Humanities. Kirsten serves as the Communications and Events Manager for the River District … More Danville’s Black Heritage Tour

Next month, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will hold a webinar on Wednesday, March 09, 2022 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. to discuss getting capital into your local ecosystem! We all know that relying on “Aunt Marge” to loan you the money to start your company is not the best strategy, but what else … More Registration Now Open for DHCD Microfinance Webinar: Getting Capital into Your Local Ecosystem

At the 2022 Main Street Now Conference, we’ll celebrate the community resilience and reinvestment championed by our Main Street programs and begin envisioning strategic opportunities to strengthen and expand our downtowns as we emerge into a new economic future. Volunteering for the conference is a cost-effective way to hear from leading Main Street experts and … More Volunteer at the 2022 Main Street Now Conference!

It is widely known that Richmond, Virginia has a rich and varied history. All of the neighborhoods and districts within the city have a unique character and story. Jackson Ward, once known as the “Harlem of the South,” is one the city’s most significant neighborhoods due to its remarkable African-American heritage and culture. In the … More Black History to Black Futures in Richmond, VA

Since the inception of Cambridge Retail Advisors (CRA) – Economic Development (ED), our guest blogger, Joe Lawlor, has worked tirelessly for the advancement of small businesses alongside a dedicated team of passionate professionals. He brings over a decade of small business consulting and mentoring experience spanning retail, restaurant and service sectors. In that time, Lawlor has worked with over 100 businesses from Maine to … More Addressing the Technology Gap in Your Downtown

The Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) has begun soliciting applications for the 2022-2023 Survey and Planning Cost Share Program to help local governments in meeting their preservation planning goals! Cost share projects are funded through a partnership between DHR and a local government and/or regional planning district commission, and eligible projects usually encompass a … More Virginia Department of Historic Resources Opens 2022-2023 Survey and Planning Cost Share Program

Last year, the Town of Rocky Mount received a grant from the Virginia Outdoors Foundation’s Preservation Trust Fund, totaling $100,000, to further develop and connect a downtown park with hiking trails and stream-side relaxation at the upper reaches of Furnace Creek to the heart of Rocky Mount in Franklin County. Demonstrating the importance of leveraging … More Rocky Mount Leverages Natural Amenities by Connecting Wooded Trails to Downtown