Virginia Main Street

Why do Main Street programs need firm boundaries? Short Answer: A Main Street organization’s Articles of Incorporation, 501(c)(3) application, and Mission Statement all state that the purpose of the organization is to revitalize the historic commercial district or simply downtown. Therefore, by focusing its limited program resources on downtown, the organization is meeting the expectations … More Why Main Street Programs Need Firm Boundaries

One of the true pleasures of working on Main Streets is witnessing the transformation of ideas into realities that seamlessly integrate into the fabric of a community. During my recent visit to Luray, I was met with the sight of Creekside Commons, a captivating gateway pocket park that came to life thanks to the support … More A Welcome Space in Luray

The Town of New Castle, which is the county seat of Craig County, received a T-Mobile Hometown Grant, totaling $50,000, to build a covered colonnade pavilion at the Craig County Farmers Market. The project will help foster local connections, support merchants and farmers so that they can better sell their goods, and aid the creation … More New Castle Receives T-Mobile Hometown Grant to Support Craig County Farmers Market

In 2021 the Downtown Lynchburg Association (DLA) embarked on a project to give an economic boost to the historic Fifth Street District as part of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) FY22 Virginia Business District Resurgence Grant (Resurgence) program. The vision for a revitalized Fifth Street corridor is a thriving business center in … More Main Street Boundary Expansion Case Study: Lynchburg

This month, Main Street America (MSA) will hold a three-part webinar series revisiting some of the most popular sessions from the 2023 Main Street Now Conference! Practitioners from across the network will share their expertise and provide practical information on a range of perennial Main Street issues. Scheduled At-a-Glance Wednesday, July 12 | 2:00 PM … More Revisit Popular 2023 Main Street Now Conference Sessions Through Summer School Webinar Series

During the month of June, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) team published seven blog posts, highlighting the latest community vitality-related news, events and more! Here’s a recap: VMS Community News Enhancing the Physical and Visual Elements of Downtown Promoting Strategic Use of Space and Development Home Ownership Month For-Impact Storytelling Backing Small Businesses Stay tuned for lots … More In Case You Missed It: June 2023 Digest

As people, we gain knowledge and connect with others by sharing stories. Imagine your Main Street leadership team using storytelling to engage and motivate different audiences. What would that look like? Recently, leaders from the Mobilizing Main Street (MMS) cohort met for their monthly huddle to learn about and apply organizational storytelling to build a … More Reflection & Opportunity: For-Impact Storytelling

In 2021, American Express and Main Street America (MSA) created the Backing Small Businesses grant program to help economically vulnerable small business owners recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their businesses. In its first year, the program provided $1.65 million in grants to 330 small business owners across the country. Now in its second year, … More Nine Virginia Businesses Among Those Named 2023 “Backing Small Businesses” Grant Recipients

It looks like the time is right for Main Street in the Town of Leesburg! A local Main Street effort has been on the table multiple times in the past, but it never gained the traction needed to get off the ground. This time around, the town took their time to ensure community interest was … More Leesburg’s Main Street Movement

After extensive planning and design, Lexington has installed a new garden as a gateway to its downtown district. The Gateway Triangle Garden project grew from Main Street Lexington’s (MSL) Design Committee and has been a high priority design project for the organization for several years. As one of the essential points of the time-tested Main Street Approach, … More Lexington’s Gateway Triangle Garden Flourishes