Onancock, VA, a charming, historic town on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, has a new brand and tagline, reflecting the many attributes that make Onancock such a special and unique place. A new website, experienceonancock.com, rounds out a package of materials that reinforce the town’s essence. The branding project was commissioned by Onancock Main Street (OMS), which … More Onancock Launches Summer with New Branding and Website!

Recently, Governor Ralph Northam proudly announced that CNBC, a world leader in business news, has declared the state of Virginia as America’s Top State for Business in 2021. The Governor joined CNBC at the Port of Virginia for a live broadcast where the winner was revealed, following an extensive study of 85 distinct metrics across … More Virginia Named #1 Top State for Business (Again)

Excitingly, the PastForward Online 2021 registration has opened, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation invites preservationists and preservation lovers to celebrate the power of place, virtually, from November 2-5, 2021! With more than 32 thought-provoking educational sessions and engaging networking events, those that have a role in preserving places that made America and sustain … More PastForward Online 2021 Registration Open!

Excitingly, the City of Buena Vista was awarded a $1,000,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to help bolster downtown revitalization efforts and build upon recent work to formulate a comprehensive Downtown Revitalization Strategy, which was aided by a DHCD planning grant! The grant will provide … More Buena Vista Receives Community Development Block Grant to Help Bolster Downtown Revitalization Efforts

As they’ve done through previous years, Main Street America will be a co-sponsor of the awards program sponsored by CivicPlus, Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award (STACVA). The national program will honor 100 extraordinary public service volunteers in smaller localities , shining a spotlight on the growing need for citizens to fill critical civic roles that support key local … More Honoring Public Service Volunteers through CivicPlus’ Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award

Recently, the Powhatan Board of Supervisors proactively responded to the needs of county home-based food companies seeking commercial space by adopting an amendment that establishes a precise definition for companies that fall between home-based operations and large industrial ventures. Past zoning rules had not clearly defined small-scale food and beverage production facilities, but the new … More New Zoning Amendment in Powhatan County Caters to Small-Scale Food Production

The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill, represents a unique opportunity for localities across the nation to address community-driven priorities, and advocates of Main Street revitalization, ranging from local changemakers to national organizations, are seeking to make the case as to why funding that’s guaranteed to municipalities should go towards … More Making the Case for How Your Main Street Can Be Supported by the American Rescue Plan Act

As a 2021 Community Business Launch (CBL) grantee, Downtown Blackstone, Inc. (DBI), hosted its business launch pitch night on July 7, 2021, and eight entrepreneurs pitched their start up business / expansion ideas to a panel of expert judges. Five prize winners were named the following week! A prize pool, totaling $46,000 in cash awards, … More Blackstone Business Launch Kickstarts New Wave of Entrepreneurship Downtown

Our guest blogger, Rebecca Rowe (left), has more than 20 years of experience in community revitalization, working with state and local governments and nonprofits. Currently, she serves as the Associate Director for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s ( DHCD) Community Revitalization Office (CRO), working to ensure the vitality of localities across the … More I Scream, You Scream – We all Celebrate National Ice Cream Month on Main Street!

Educational Webinar In July, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) welcomed Kevin Byrd (left), Executive Director at New River Valley Regional Commission, to discuss changes in traditional services and infrastructure, emerging trends and methods to implement new approaches that help ensure services and infrastructure are not only maintained but also receive routine … More CCV Series: July 2021 Recap and Additional Resources