Virginia Main Street staff brief Staunton council on program tiers, accreditation

Virginia Main Street program staff gave an overview of the state Main Street coordinating program and the services available to Staunton on Oct. 9 during the Staunton City Council work session.

Courtney Maley, program manager for Virginia Main Street, reminded council that the program sits within the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and works as the state coordinating partner for the National Main Street network. “It’s a very, bare bones presentation, very much a 101,” Maley said, inviting councilors and local volunteers to ask questions throughout the presentation.

Maley described three levels of local engagement—Exploring, Mobilizing and Advancing—and said Staunton (referred to in the presentation as “Stan”) is in the Advancing tier, the program’s highest level. She told council that Staunton met the six Main Street standards but had been briefly out of accreditation for 2024 because of late reporting; that paperwork is now current and Virginia Main Street expects Staunton to be reaccredited for 2025.

Kelvin Whitehurst, the assigned Virginia Main Street coach for Staunton, said his role is hands-on support for the local downtown organization and noted frequent contact with the Staunton Downtown Development Association, including biweekly calls and in-person assistance to help the organization regain accreditation.

Maley and Whitehurst reviewed support available to designated communities: one-on-one coaching, technical assistance (for example, facade renderings and market analyses previously provided for Staunton), grant programs targeted by tier, continuing education and peer learning events. Maley highlighted the Main Street “4-point” approach—design, organization, promotion and economic vitality—and described the program’s transformation-strategy work, including prior recommendations that encouraged downtown housing and services for residents and workers.

Maley also recapped Main Street-related outcomes for Staunton since joining the program in 1995: more than $200 million in private downtown investment, about $85 million in public investment, over 2,000 jobs created or retained, and some 600 businesses created or retained. Whitehurst said Virginia Main Street can help the city and the downtown development association identify grant funding and technical support for pieces of the city’s draft downtown plan.

Councilors asked about the intended audiences for training, examples of technical assistance, and how Virginia Main Street staff interact with city staff and the local downtown association. Maley said trainings are open to volunteers and board members and that some executive-level gatherings are limited to executive directors or board members. Whitehurst emphasized the program’s willingness to assist with grant applications and feasibility work for downtown projects.

Maley and Whitehurst said they look forward to continuing to work with Staunton and that Virginia Main Street resources are intended to help local leaders sustain preservation, recruit appropriate businesses and advance downtown revitalization.

The presentation closed with Council and Main Street staff agreeing to keep contact lines open for training and grant opportunities.