Downtown Lynchburg Association (DLA) was awarded a prestigious Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence for the Hill City Eats cookbook by the International Downtown Association (IDA). As defined by the IDA, this award recognizes an “excellent response to an urban place management challenge, demonstrating the application of industry knowledge and exceeding the jury criteria.” The Hill … More Lynchburg Wins International Downtown Association Award for Hill City Eats Cookbook

Experience Old Town Warrenton’s (EOTW) “You Are Home” mural is almost complete! The new mural, which showcases the Blue Ridge mountains in a bold and bright style, sits at the corner of Main and Culpeper Streets—a prominent intersection and entryway into downtown. It took EOTW a while to find a suitable location for the welcome … More Warrenton Brightens Up Downtown With New Mural

Through Virginia Main Street’s (VMS) Firm Principles, Flexible Paths series, the Center of Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) is diving into their 7 Actionable Principles (7APs) to strengthen nonprofits and their relationships with funders. The 7APs offer a common language around key and proven practices, infused with values of equity and growth. The fourth principle relates to … More Firm Principles, Flexible Paths: Prioritize Equity

During the month of December, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) team published seven blog posts, highlighting the latest community-vitality news, events and more! Here’s a recap: Training / Education In October, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Virginia Main Street (VMS) team welcomed Joe Borgstrom of Place + Main Advisors to Virginia to conduct a series of workshops focused on … More In Case You Missed It: December 2023 Digest

This season often prompts reflection as the days wind down and offers the opportunity to review the year’s challenges and achievements. Virginia Main Street (VMS) communities, as well as the Coordinating Program itself, have had a very eventful 2023.  In January, Advancing Virginia Main Street (AVMS) executive directors gathered in Wytheville for the annual VMS … More Virginia Main Street: A Year in Review

In fall of 2023, two of 10 Mobilizing Main Street (MMS) communities – Martinsville’s Uptown Partnership and The Phoebus Partnership – engaged in fund development training with consultant Jennifer Goldman of Jennifer E. Goldman, LLC. Board members and staff participated in a training and strategy session that included a presentation, discussions, and activities with an … More Mobilizing Fund Development Services for Long-Term Success and Sustainability

St. Paul continues to punch above its weight in downtown revitalization! With support from a $10,000 Virginia Main Street (VMS) Downtown Investment Grant (DIG), the community recently completed an alleyway activation project, creating a pocket-sized outdoor eating space between two restaurants that hosts both permanent and temporary art exhibits. One temporary exhibition space is truly … More Activating an Alleyway With Art in St. Paul

In early October, Rebecca Rowe, associate director of community vitality at DHCD, presented “Virginia Main Street: Partnering for Success” to the towns meeting at the Virginia Municipal League Conference in Norfolk. This post contains a synopsis of the key takeaways from that presentation. What is Main Street, and why does it matter to your community? … More Effective Partnerships for Local Governments and Main Street

In October, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Virginia Main Street (VMS) team welcomed Joe Borgstrom of Place + Main Advisors to Virginia to conduct a series of workshops focused on what it means to be a “development-ready” community. Each training provided participants with a deeper understanding of real estate development and … More Reflection & Opportunity: A Look Back at the Development-Ready Communities Workshops