On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, the Town of Chatham was notified of its acceptance into the ‘Exploring Main Street’ (EMS) program. EMS is a tier of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Virginia Main Street program.
EMS communities are pedestrian-oriented commercial centers supporting renewal of historic assets and community engagement that drives increased economic activity in the center. Each EMS location has specific needs and goals that are explored and defined during the tier one phase. The Main Street Approach is a successfully proven method for municipalities to achieve their economic goals within the commercial center.
EMS municipalities utilizing the Main Street Approach for downtown commercial revitalization have access to organizational development services and grant opportunities through VMS. Participants have access to Community Vitality Grants (CVG) and Financial Feasibility Grants (FFG) which provide funding for specific projects. EMS projects include organizational development consulting services, entrepreneur support programs, place-making projects, façade programs, and environmental design consulting services.
June 3, 2026 What is Main Street Presentation
A presentation was given on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, regarding the Main Street program. The presenter was Zach Whitlow of the Virginia Main Street program. His presentation is attached below.