One of Virginia Main Street’s strong partnerships is with the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC). Through their grant offerings and programs, our local designated Main Street communities and commercial district affiliates can leverage local dollars into more for their project. The Marketing Leverage Program is designed to stimulate new tourism marketing programs through the creation of tourism … More Leverage your marketing dollars!
Are you looking for new and exciting ways to raise funds for a civic project, your Main Street organization or entrepreneurs in your community? The Local Crowd is a new crowdfunding platform that has been developed to help communities raise support for local businesses and projects. The Local Crowd can help you do several things … More Crowdfunding for Main Street
Guest Blogger Ken Heath, Director of Community and Economic Development, has been working for downtown revitalization since 1994 with the Town of Marion. Read his inspirational words and how it has taken over twenty years to get where the Town is today. Working hard at revitalization every day, and the job is never done. It’s … More Overnight Success, 20 Years In The Making
Sometimes our downtown business owners are busy minding their shop and cannot attend in-person training. Sometimes they have just an hour during lunch break to take advantage of a short class. Knowing these challenges, the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator has teamed up with the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD) and Washington County Virginia Chamber … More Small business training resource
The application deadline for the 2017 Building Entrepreneurial Economies (BEE) grant program has been extended through May 31, 2016. BEE grants provide resources to small business development organizations, local governments, planning district commissions and other nonprofit organizations that deliver services to entrepreneurs in new and original ways. Organizations may apply for up to $15,000 for … More Building Entrepreneurial Economies (BEE) grant deadline extended to end of May
Often times, it doesn’t take a lot of funding to spark community energy. Read about Farmville Downtown Partnership‘s SOUP event and become inspired to host your own similar event. Guest blogger, John Burton, executive director for the Farmville Downtown Partnership, describes how this inaugural event was very successful for the small community. Good community, good music … More Farmville Downtown Partnership Awards $5000 At SOUP Event
Virginia Main Street is currently accepting grant applications for FY 2017. Grants are available only to designated VMS communities and must be administered through the designated local VMS organization. Downtown Investment Grants (DIGs) allow Main Street organizations to take on unique, one-time projects that measurably, creatively and sustainably advance the organization’s goals and strategies. FY … More Virginia Main Street Grant Opportunities
Spring has sprung! Are you ready to shake off the winter blues and enjoy downtown? Check out some of the exciting downtown festivals happening in a Main Street community near you: Winchester: Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival – April 22-May 1 Culpeper: Gnarly Hops and Barley Fest – April 30 Harrisonburg: Rocktown Beer and Music Festival – April 30 … More Check out some great spring festivals in Virginia Main Streets
In February, Governor McAuliffe announced award winners for DHCD’s Industrial Revitalization Fund for fiscal year 2016. Of those, three were Virginia Main Street Communities: the towns of Bedford and Warrenton and the city of Lynchburg. The IRF program can help rehabilitate derelict structures into economically viable uses again. The Center for Community Progress also posted an article about … More Community blight has a cost and DHCD has a solution
Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced the designation of four communities in the Virginia Main Street (VMS) program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). The newly-designated communities include the town of Wytheville, the cities of Danville and Lexington and Gloucester Courthouse in Gloucester County. The communities were selected based on their … More Virginia Main Street designates four new communties
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