Virginia Main Street

Larry Hancock (left), owner of Legacy Roasting Company, and Crisman White (right), owner of Room ESC, have joined forces to save downtown Hopewell’s coffee shop and communal gallery space, Guncotton Coffee and Gallery, from permanently closing as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Having businesses only a few steps away, Hancock and White chose … More Local Entrepreneurs Save Hopewell Coffee Shop

On Dec. 29, 2020, Governor Northam allocated an additional $20 million to the Rebuild! VA grant program. The funds will help meet demand and fulfill pending grant applications, enabling more than 300 small businesses and nonprofit organizations that applied before the last round of funding was exhausted in early December to receive grants. “Small businesses … More Governor Northam Commits Additional $20 Million to Rebuild VA Grant Program!

A few months ago, Main Street America (MSA) announced the first-round recipients of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant, a program designed to fund solutions that help merchants respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the country, 67 brick-and-mortar small businesses, ranging from bakeries and boutiques to salons and museums, received grant awards. MSA … More Ashland, VA Business Spotlighted by Main Street America

Luray’s local Main Street program, Luray Downtown Initiative (LDI), has begun searching for a new program director! As a Main Street America™ Accredited program, LDI is a recognized leading program among the national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities who share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities … More Luray Downtown Initiative Seeks New Executive Director

Recently, Governor Northam announced that the town of Blackstone and city of Buena Vista were awarded Community Business Launch (CBL) grants, totaling $90,000, to conduct business plan competitions and offer training to entrepreneurs that aligns with local and regional economic development strategies, primarily in Virginia’s downtown commercial districts. Administered through the Virginia Department of Housing … More Town of Blackstone and City of Buena Vista Named Community Business Launch Grant Recipients

Excitingly, a new funding opportunity from Virginia Housing (VH) has emerged! Annually, VH reinvests a portion of their net revenues into Virginia’s communities through REACH Virginia (Resources Enabling Affordable Community Housing in Virginia), a multifaceted resource that the organization uses to support vital housing initiatives through their Homeownership, Rental and Community Outreach programs. As a … More Funding Opportunity: Virginia Housing Launches New Capacity Building Grant Program for Non-Profits

Over the past year, Main Street programs across the nation have encountered unprecedented challenges, ranging from the novel coronavirus pandemic to cascading climate crises. Truthfully, we can never foresee what the future holds, but we’ve come to learn how Main Street programs withstand such events and pressures, demonstrating inspiring tenacity and creativity throughout all they’ve … More Main Street Forward Awards

The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will hold a how-to-apply workshop for the 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program on Wednesday, Jan. 20th from 2-4 p.m. Attendees will be informed about project eligibility, funding availability, submission requirements and the methodology used for evaluating applications for the upcoming round of 2021 CDBG … More 2021 CDBG How-to-Apply Workshop: Register Today!