Community development partners across Southwest Virginia are piloting the use of the Kiva crowdfunding loan platform to help small businesses expand and add jobs. Opportunity SWVA, the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem collaborative identified five businesses in need of small loans. Over the next two weeks, the businesses are working to raise a total of $43,000 in … More Opportunity SWVA pilots Kiva loan strategy
Virginia Main Street (VMS) is hosting a series of three webinars throughout June covering topics related to downtown buildings and tools for revitalization. All webinars are FREE, however, registration for each one is required. Virginia Rehabilitation Code June 6, 2018, Noon-1 p.m. Speaker: Jeff Brown, MCP, Director of State Building Codes, DHCD The Rehabilitation Code … More Webinar Series – Downtown Buildings: Tools for Revitalization
If you want to grow your volunteer and donor pipeline, you must reach out to your locals and create an opportunity for input. Listen and find out what they love about where they live. If they see their ideas implemented, they are more likely to contribute their time and money, making Main Street’s mission much … More Collaborate for Impact
You have an idea. That’s where it starts. Now what do you do with the idea? You could start a business, but how do you make it viable? The Kauffman FastTrac program can help you find the answer. The Kauffman Foundation has been helping entrepreneurs for more than 50 years, and the FastTrac program has … More FastTrac Program Available for Entrepreneurs
Register now to attend Downtown Intersections, presented by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s Virginia Main Street Program, in partnership with Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. This event promises a packed schedule full of sessions spanning topics geared toward organization and promotions, as well as a Main Street Essentials track. There will be real-life examples from communities … More Downtown Intersections At-A-Glance Agenda
Lexington is celebrating the start up of four new downtown businesses! On the evening of April 11, more than 100 fans witnessed a group of aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their best ideas for new downtown businesses in a one-night version of “Shark Tank,” with $60,000 in grants awarded. Main Street Lexington hosted Launch Lex, which provided … More Increase Your Small Business Success During National Small Business Week
Downtown Intersections is just a few months away! Virginia Main Street staff have been working hard to craft an agenda, secure speakers, develop walking tours and create workshops that will educate, inspire and empower our communities. Now, we need your help to recognize achievement, innovation and success in our Main Street communities. Nominations are now … More Virginia Main Street 2018 Merit Awards – Nominations are Open!
How does your board keep itself strong and dynamic? How does it deal with difficult challenges? A team is only as strong as its members, yet boards often lose sight of the needs of individual board volunteers. Building a team is also a critical activity. However, in a quest to plan, fund raise, organize and … More Want a Stronger, Vibrant Nonprofit Board of Directors?
Join your nearby Virginia Main Street partners for the next Regional Rev Ups, coming April 17 to Warrenton, April 18 to Marion, and April 19 to South Boston. Our topic for this Rev Up will be Opportunity Analysis: Economic Vitality. Data is typically the driver in most opportunity analysis. However, we often underestimate the importance … More VMS Regional Rev Ups Coming Soon!
Do you have an idea for a new Main Street revitalization project idea you would like to start? Are you positive it’s something that will be a slam-dunk success? Then you won’t want to miss Virginia Main Street’s first annual Main Street Idea Pitch! competition. Main Street Idea Pitch! is a downtown revitalization idea competition … More Main Street Idea Pitch! Making Ideas Happen
Virginia Main Street 