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
Communities across Virginia and the country have been revitalizing their local economies by focusing energy, resources, and people-power on improving older and historic commercial districts. Central to these efforts is the preservation and maintenance of the historic properties that give these communities a sense of place and a thriving economic engine, i.e. downtown. Façade improvements, … More Establishing a Façade Improvement Grant Program Can Benefit Your Downtown and the Entire Community
On April 27th, Hopewell Downtown Partnership (HDP) welcomed supporters, citizens, partners, and the downtown-curious to an open house highlighting recently completed projects, teasing upcoming developments, and providing the opportunity for attendees to be a part of the community’s transformation. Attendees were greeted by Heather Lyne, HDP Executive Director, as well as a cadre of HDP … More Hopewell Downtown Partnership Holds a Downtown Open House
June is for vacations, weddings and celebrating Homeownership Month! And celebrate we will, with three events in Petersburg supporting home buying, homeowners, and housing production. Virginia Homeownership Program Lunch & Learn | June 7 This event will focus on making homebuying accessible, featuring speakers and organizations discussing grants and other assistance programs available to those … More Celebrating Homeownership Month in Petersburg!
During the month of May, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) team published eight blog posts, highlighting the latest community vitality-related news, events and more! Here’s a recap: Recognizing National Small Business Month Recognizing Historic Preservation Month Supporting Black-Owned Restaurants & Food Service Businesses Creative Placemaking VMS Community News Stay tuned for lots more great content in June!
Public art is a key component in creative placemaking. It’s a no brainer really: enhancing your environment increases residential and tourist footfall, which, in turn, improves local economies. Leveraging public art for placemaking is a visible symbol of renewal, fostering civic pride, and creating a strong community identity to attract investors, tourists and workers. Here … More Public Art and Creative Placemaking
As part of an ongoing streetscape improvement project on Piccadilly Street, the City of Winchester has turned street parking spaces into parklets designed by local artists. Arte Libre VA, a local nonprofit that works to empower Latinx, Black, and Youth of Color through equitable access to quality arts education and programming, was a major partner … More Winchester Adds Art to Its Streets
Virginia Main Street 