Singer-songwriter Dar Williams launched Virginia Main Street’s Finding Main Street book club at the 2018 Downtown Intersections with a performance and talk on “Thinking in Bridges.” “We think we have so much divisiveness,” she said. “But the opposite of divisiveness is not unity. It is collaboration.” Williams found plenty of collaboration in the successful communities profiled … More Host a Finding Main Street book club
We’ve all heard buzzwords such as incubators, co-working spaces and maker spaces. As the number of people working in the “gig” economy continues to grow, so will the places that support that industry. But what’s the difference in these spaces, and what do they provide not only to the entrepreneurs that use them, but the … More What’s in a Name? The Different Types of Shared Work Spaces
On May 2, during National Small Business Week, the city of Harrisonburg awarded $36,700 in grants to small businesses in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. Grant awards range from $1,200 to $4,900 and are the final portion of a three-pronged small business assistance program called Bricks & Clicks, which was designed to help businesses become stronger … More Bricks & Clicks Make Businesses Stronger Destinations
The weather is starting to turn the corner from Winter to Spring (right? please?) and you might find yourself struck with spring fever! So what’s the cure? A day trip to one of Virginia’s beautiful Main Streets! There is literally something for everyone happening around the state, and here is a sampling of what is … More What are you doing this weekend? Spend it on Main Street!
Virginia Main Street staff spends a lot of time on the road. One trip might take you from Richmond to Berryville to Bristol – all in one day (true story). That is a lot of miles logged and a lot of down time behind the wheel. How do we stay awake, and maybe even spend … More The District Digest Vol. 3 – Downtown Ideas to Put to Work
Governor McAuliffe and Senator Warner recently announced a new initiative to match Virginia entrepreneurs with investors, called “Virginia is for Entrepreneurs” (VA4E). This initiative includes a new website (va4e.org) that includes a standardized online application to better link entrepreneurs with more than 50 investment firms and potential funders to help launch or grow their Virginia-based businesses. Any … More Virginia is for Entrepreneurs!
The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will be holding a Building Entrepreneurial Economies (BEE) Innovation Day on Wednesday, December 6, in Charlottesville, VA. Community leaders and small business enthusiasts will discuss innovative ideas in entrepreneurship development, as well as offer inspiration and education to plan for and create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem … More BEE Innovation Day 2017
Virginia Main Street has opened the application process for our first ever Commercial District Affiliate Grants! Affiliate Grants are designed to assist organizations and communities in achieving their downtown revitalization goals and be used for projects or planning purposes. The maximum grant amount is $7,000 and can be used for… non-profit organizational development; vision/mission development; … More VMS Commercial District Affiliate Grants Now Available!
In my Virginia Main Street wanderings and conversations with directors I’ve been hearing a common refrain – “What should our Economic Vitality committee be doing?” A thought provoking question that I am sure goes unasked more often than asked. As fate would have it I recently participated in a Hillary Greenberg webinar on supporting small businesses … More Five Things your Economic Vitality Committee can do Today to Support Downtown
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