The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has designated Galax as Advancing Virginia Main Street (AVMS), along with eight other communities! The City of Galax entered the two-year Mobilizing Main Street (MMS) accelerator program in January 2023. Through its participation, the Downtown Galax Association was refreshed and revamped to lead the downtown revitalization … More Galax: Local Main Street Movement Grows Through Advancing Virginia Main Street Community Designation

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has designated Martinsville as an Advancing Virginia Main Street (AVMS) community, along with eight other communities! Established in 2020 as a 501c3 nonprofit organization, Uptown Partnership (UP) formed to revitalize Uptown Martinsville and foster community-driven economic growth. The local Main Street organization joined Virginia Main Street‘s (VMS) two-year Mobilizing … More Martinsville: Advancing Virginia Main Street Community Designation Fuels Uptown Revitalization

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has designated Clarksville as an Advancing Virginia Main Street (AVMS) community, along with eight other communities! The Town of Clarksville entered Virginia Main Street‘s (VMS) two-year Mobilizing Main Street (MMS) accelerator program in January 2023, led by a steering committee of dedicated volunteers and municipal staff. … More Clarksville: Virginia’s Only Lakeside Town Achieves Advancing Virginia Main Street Community Designation

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has designated Hilton Village as an Advancing Virginia Main Street (AVMS) community, along with eight other communities! The City of Newport News’ Hilton Village entered Virginia Main Street‘s (VMS) two-year Mobilizing Main Street (MMS) program in January 2023. Through MMS, a new nonprofit organization, Hilton Village … More Hilton Village: A New AVMS Community Preserving Their Village & Fostering Local Entrepreneurship

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is excited to announce its second Mobilizing Main Street (MMS) cohort through the Virginia Main Street (VMS) program! The 2025-2026 MMS cohort includes: Through the two-year MMS program, communities will work to build a comprehensive downtown revitalization program that champions grassroots leadership and preservation-based economic development. … More 11 Communities Selected to Participate in the 2025-2026 Mobilizing Main Street Program Cohort

During the month of December, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) team published eight blog posts, highlighting the latest community-vitality news, events and more! Here’s a recap: VMS 40th Anniversary Disaster Relief VMS Community News Celebrating Success Small Business Support Alleyway Activation Communicating With Your State Legislators Virginia Rural Leadership Institute Stay tuned for lots more great content … More In Case You Missed It: December 2024 Digest

Small businesses in Southwest Virginia now have access to a vital new resource to help recover from the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The Virginia Small Business Disaster Response Portal, funded by a grant through GO Virginia, is designed to streamline recovery efforts by connecting businesses with essential services, funding opportunities, and technical support. This innovative … More New Disaster Recovery Portal Empowers Southwest Virginia Small Businesses to Rebuild

Kate Pickett Irving serves as Enterprise Zone Program Administrator for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). In this position, she runs the statewide program that provides Real Property Investment and Job Creation grants for eligible businesses in the 45 designated enterprise zones. Before working at DHCD, Kate served as Director of Economic … More Advocacy Made Simple: How to Effectively Communicate With Legislators

In 2025, Virginia Main Street (VMS) will celebrate its 40th anniversary of revitalizing the built and business environments of historic commercial districts across the Commonwealth. From 1985 to 2023, VMS communities created more than 8,200 businesses; 27,000 jobs; and generated more than $2.6 billion in public and private investment. Join the Virginia Department of Housing … More There’s No Place Like Main Street: Celebrating 40 Years of Main Street in Virginia!

Every year, Main Street America selects three communities to receive the prestigious Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA). The GAMSA is given to communities whose successes serve as a model for comprehensive, preservation-based revitalization efforts in the downtown. This year, Wytheville, Virginia has earned the well-deserved distinction of being named one of just eight communities … More Wytheville Named 2025 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalist!