Main Street Arkansas

NEXT WEEK - Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15
We still have 2 seats available if anyone needs a ride.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 6 – 10, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY closed – Labor Day
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY Mark & Susan – West Memphis (merchant visits)
THURSDAY Greg, Mark, Susan - Monticello – 4 Point Training
FRIDAY
**********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
Ozark: City on the Verge
MSR – 2 Press Pieces & a New MSR blog
2 Grant Opportunities


Ozark: City on the Verge
http://www.thecitywire.com/index.php?q=node/11504
nice article about the town which includes some coverage on the branding work we did

Main Street Rogers Picks Up Sponsorship
http://www.arvestblog.com/blog/2010/8/26/arvest_benton_county_sponsori.aspx
& MSR Frisco Fest Press
http://www.4029tv.com/news/24813269/detail.html
& a new MSR blog
http://thewordonwalnut.blogspot.com/

Grant Opportunity

$10,000 Award Ceiling - Deadline October 1, 2010

The Southern SARE Program and the Southern Rural Development Center, the sponsors of this competitive SCIG program, are seeking to invest in projects/programs that promote a stronger alignment between sustainable agriculture and community development strategies in the South. This type of alignment cannot be realized without strong and balanced working partnerships among people and organizations representing both sustainable agriculture and community development perspectives. As such, applicants MUST demonstrate that their project team has a good mix of backgrounds and experiences relevant to these two key arenas (i.e., sustainable agriculture and community
development).

http://www.southernsare.uga.edu/callpage.htm

T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES FOUNDATION
The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the financial services Company. It has a long tradition of philanthropy in the communities where its associates live and work. The Foundation provides grants to U.S.-based nonprofits that enhance community life through education, arts and culture, human services, and civic and community initiatives. Additional information can be found on the Web site. | Grant Range: $50 To $140,000 | Contact Info: T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES FOUNDATION, 100 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, MD, 21202, Ph: 410-345-2000, Visit Website, Toll free number: 800-638-7890.

Downtown Siloam Springs
Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15

Main Street Arkansas Calendar August 30 – September 3, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY Nancy – off
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY Cary – Blytheville Rotary; Susan – off
FRIDAY Susan – off
*********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
Brownfield Fund Opportunity
Grant Opportunity
Know a Do-Gooder?
Preservation Wiki
Advisory Boards: Should We Have One?
Grant Opportunity

Brownfields Fund Opportunity
This is to let you know that the proposal guidelines for the FY2011 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup grant competition were released today.

Proposals are due October 15.

The guidelines are posted on the Brownfields website: http://www.epa.gov/brownfields/applicat.htm

HUD ANNOUNCES $189 MILLION AVAILABLE TO REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES
Obama Administration prioritizes early childhood education, community supports with $124 million in HOPE VI awards and $65 million in Choice Neighborhoods pilot grants

http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2010/HUDNo.10-185

Know a Do-Gooder?
We bet you do, and now you can recognize their efforts by telling us about them!
We are pleased to announce Foundation for the Mid South Do-Gooders—an innovative online program to highlight good deeds in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The program was established with $300,000 to give Mid-Southerners the voice to decide what to fund within their communities and states.
Visit our brand new, interactive website and nominate organizations and individuals, contributing to or supporting great deeds within their communities. No good deed is too big or too small to be considered. Nominations will be accepted until September 17, and, beginning October 3, the public will be invited to visit our website and vote to determine which finalists will receive grant awards. To nominate a Do-Gooder or review the rules and eligibility, go to www.fndmidsouth.org/do-gooders.

Preservation Wiki Seeks Contributors

Preservapedia, is a wiki-style (think Wikipedia) encyclopedia for preservation professionals sponsored by the National Center for Preservation Training and Technology. Their staff and interns have contributed over 300 articles on topics from linoleum to landscapes and they are seeking editors to help add, edit or expand articles. For more information see http://www.ncptt.nps.gov/preservation-wiki-seeks-contributors/ or contact Ed FitzGerald at admin@preservapedia.org.

Advisory Boards – What Is It? Should We Have One?
http://www.blueavocado.org/content/what-advisory-board-and-should-we-have-one

Grant Opportunity
Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program
The purpose of this e-mail is to make you aware of, and to ask you to share with your local partners, the most recent Federal Register Notice on the proposed FY2011 Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program (STEP). The notice announces revisions to the STEP implementation strategy for FY 2011 and to request suggested lines of research for the FY 2011 STEP via the STEP Web site at http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep/step/index.htm in anticipation of future surface transportation legislation.
The full Notice is available at:
• Text version: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-07-02/html/2010-15949.htm
• PDF version: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-07-02/pdf/2010-15949.pdf
STEP is an FHWA-administered source of funding for research related to planning, environment and realty. The FHWA anticipates that the STEP or a similar program to provide resources for national research on issues related to planning, environment, and realty will be included in future surface transportation legislation.
Stakeholder input is required to identify the research topics that should receive priority consideration. Therefore, we are seeking input from all of our partners on the FY 2011 STEP.
FHWA will use STEP to fund research, field demonstrations, technology transfer, conferences, and workshops, as well as portions of various pooled fund research efforts. We anticipate that grants and cooperative agreements will continue to require a 50% match and that research contracts will not require a match.
The Office of Planning, Environment and Realty (HEP) has developed STEP research emphasis areas and has identified contacts for each (see below). The STEP contacts can answer questions that you may have regarding research planned or underway within a particular emphasis area.

Historic Downtown Eureka Springs

Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15

Main Street Arkansas Calendar August 23 - 27, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY
TUESDAY Cary & Mark – Arkansas Economic Developers Conference – Hot Springs; Greg & Susan – Siloam Springs (merchant & board visits)
WEDNESDAY Cary & Mark – Arkansas Economic Developers Conference – Hot Springs; Greg & Susan – Rogers (merchant & board visits)
THURSDAY Cary – Breakthrough Solutions – Federal Reserve Bank, Little Rock; Mark, Susan, Nancy – Osceola (museum site visit)
FRIDAY Cary, Greg, Mark – Arkansas City & Choctaw Island (market analysis visit)
***********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
Vote for Main Street Helena
Age of the City
Park Sponsorships
Networking. Old School

Vote for Main Street Helena & Help Them Win $25k
http://my.preservationnation.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=9353&security=2862&s_interest=2962

Beyond City Limits. The Age of Nations is Over. It’s the Age of the City
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/16/beyond_city_limits

This Park Sponsored By. . .
http://www.stateline.org/live/details/story?contentId=506217

Get Back to Business Networking
http://www.youngentrepreneur.com/blog/taking-it-offline-getting-back-to-traditional-business-networking/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YoungentrepreneurcomBlog+%28YoungEntrepreneur.com+Blog%29

Historic Hotel Seville, Downtown Harrison

Caroline’s now on maternity leave. We expect her return in mid-October

Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15
We were only able to get 17 people to commit to the bus. This kept the prices out of the range we decided was affordable. We will depart early September 13. See you there.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar August 16 - 20, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY Mark – annual leave; Susan & Greg – Sheridan
TUESDAY Cary – Harrison (meet with merchants association); Susan, Mark, Nancy – Helena
WEDNESDAY Cary – return from Harrison (a.m.)
THURSDAY Mark, Greg, Nancy – Jonesboro (4-Point Training); Susan – Russellville
FRIDAY Susan – DeWitt
**********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
Arkansas Coalition for Excellence Sponsorship Contest
Facebook ‘Like’/Profile Changes Coming (again)
Berryville Hears from Greg
Volunteerism Month Offer

Win a Free Sponsorship Makeover
The Sponsorship Network is coming to Arkansas this September. Register to attend this special training, “New Rules for Engaging Corporate Sponsors,” by Friday, August 27th, and you could win a FREE Sponsorship Makeover (valued at $500)! For more details visit the ACE website at www.acenonprofit.org or click here.

Facebook ‘Like’ Profile and Page Roadmap Update & Changes
Facebook.com announced plans last October to remove application boxes and application info sections as well as reduce the width of application tabs to optimize for the new profile and Facebook Pages format. They will be moving forward with these changes the week of August 23 and want to help you understand what to expect.
Based on feedback from developers, Facebook has committed to the following plans to ensure a smooth transition:
Boxes. We will notify users via messaging in profile boxes and in the Help Center that the "Boxes" tab, boxes on profiles and Pages, and application info sections will be going away.
Application Tabs. Next week, we will give Page admins the ability to preview their custom tabs in the new 520 pixel width so they can modify their layouts as needed. All profile and Page tabs will be resized automatically beginning the week of August 23.
These updates are designed to simplify navigation for users, reduce complexity for developers, and enable us to build the next generation of tools for growing your business with Facebook. Subscribe to the developer blog to learn about our new roadmap in the coming weeks.
Fran, a Platform product marketing manager, is busy updating the roadmap.

Berryville Hears from Greg
http://www.harrisondaily.com/news/article_3bd4c82c-a4ed-11df-9ff1-001cc4c03286.html


Volunteerism Month

Volunteers: Hear the cry, See the Need Lend a Hand!

Bookmarks have been created with this theme to help you show appreciation to your volunteers during September.

If you would like to order these bookmarks please email: beth.jacks at arkansas.gov with the following information:
Organization
Address
and the number of bookmarks you would like to request.

Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15

Susan – annual leave – Monday - Thursday
Main Street Arkansas Calendar August 9 - 13, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY Cary, Mark & Nancy - Batesville, merchant site visit & Hardy – 4 Point Training
TUESDAY Greg – Berryville: speaking with Chamber about Arkansas Downtown Network
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY Susan – Rogers & Siloam Springs; Nancy – Batesville
**********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
El Dorado Press
Eureka Springs Press
Next American City
Camouflaged Public Art
Grant Opportunity

Ride to El Dorado for a Weekend Jaunt
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20108010314

Eureka Springs snags preservation award
http://www.lovelycitizen.com/story/1654711.html

Next American City
Next American City has partnered with IBM's Smarter Cities blog and is looking for the Next American City, please tell us what your city and town is doing to move into the 21st century, how are they using technology, and open data to make your city more interactive? please post to http://smartercities.tumblr.com/ the 3 most popular posts will win a free subscription. Please share this! Thanks


Camouflaged Public Art
http://laist.com/2010/07/29/scavenger_hunting_for_culver_citys.php

Grant Opportunity
INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES (12/01/10)
The Institute’s Conservation Assessment Program awards grants for an assessment of a museums' collections as well as its environmental conditions and policies and procedures relating to collections care. The Program, supported through a cooperative agreement between the Institute and Heritage Preservation, supports a two-day site visit by a conservation professional to perform the assessment. For museums located in historic structures, the program supports a preservation architect site visit. The Program also helps institutions with living animal collections, such as zoos and aquariums that do not have an assessment of the animals’ physical conditions and habitats. Institutions with fully surveyed living animal collections may assess the conservation needs of their material collections only. Botanic gardens and arboretums may assess the conservation needs of both their living and material collections. Additional information can be found on the Web site. | Grant Range: $3,000 To $7,000 | Contact Info: INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES, Sara Gonzales, Coordinator, CAP, Heritage Preservation, 1012 14th St. NW , Suite 1200, Washington , DC, 20005, Ph: 202-233-0800, Send Email, Visit Website, Institute of Museum and Library Services: 1800 M St. NW, 9th Floor, Washington DC 20036; 202-653-4657; 202-653-4600; www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/conservAssessment.shtm

Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15
We’re still waiting on a response to our survey regarding bus rental to New Iberia from a few of you. Please let me know if you need me to resend the survey link.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar August 2 - 6, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY Cary – Conway (Community Development Institute Board Meeting)
TUESDAY Mark, Susan, Nancy – Rogers (work with merchants)
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY Cary – Conway (CDI), Ft. Worth (meet with new National Trust President)
FRIDAY
**********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
AR Community Development Society Accepting Awards Applications
In-Kind Advertising for Non-Profits from Google
Green Arkansas Travel
Grant Program to Support Green Technology in Arkansas
Urbanized – the Documentary

Arkansas Community Development Society Accepting Awards Applications
The purpose of this award of merit is to provide recognition of successful programs and projects taking place in Arkansas communities, and to promote best practices in community development across the state. Nominations are due September 27. You can find the nomination forms here and more information about the awards here

In-kind advertising for non-profit organizations
http://www.google.com/grants/
Google Grants is a unique in-kind donation program awarding free AdWords advertising to select charitable organizations. We support organizations sharing our philosophy of community service to help the world in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy, and the arts.

New Arkansas Tourism Website
www.GreenArkansasTravel.com

Grant Program to Support Green Tech in Arkansas
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=123003
The Arkansas Energy Office, a division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, announced Tuesday a $2.7 million grant program to support the improvement and continued growth of "green" technology companies in Arkansas.

Urbanized – the Documentary
http://www.urbanizedfilm.com/
Who is allowed to shape our cities, and how do they do it? Unlike many other fields of design, cities aren't created by any one specialist or expert. There are many contributors to urban change, including ordinary citizens who can have a great impact improving the cities in which they live. By exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, Urbanized will frame a global discussion on the future of cities.

Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15
We’re still waiting on a response to our survey regarding bus rental to New Iberia from a few of you. Please let me know if you need me to resend the survey link.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar August 2 - 6, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY Cary – Conway (Community Development Institute Board Meeting)
TUESDAY Mark, Susan, Nancy – Rogers (work with merchants)
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY Cary – Conway (CDI), Ft. Worth (meet with new National Trust President)
FRIDAY
**********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
AR Community Development Society Accepting Awards Applications
In-Kind Advertising for Non-Profits from Google
Green Arkansas Travel
Grant Program to Support Green Technology in Arkansas
Urbanized – the Documentary

Arkansas Community Development Society Accepting Awards Applications
The purpose of this award of merit is to provide recognition of successful programs and projects taking place in Arkansas communities, and to promote best practices in community development across the state. Nominations are due September 27. You can find the nomination forms here and more information about the awards here

In-kind advertising for non-profit organizations
http://www.google.com/grants/
Google Grants is a unique in-kind donation program awarding free AdWords advertising to select charitable organizations. We support organizations sharing our philosophy of community service to help the world in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy, and the arts.

New Arkansas Tourism Website
www.GreenArkansasTravel.com

Grant Program to Support Green Tech in Arkansas
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=123003
The Arkansas Energy Office, a division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, announced Tuesday a $2.7 million grant program to support the improvement and continued growth of "green" technology companies in Arkansas.

Urbanized – the Documentary
http://www.urbanizedfilm.com/
Who is allowed to shape our cities, and how do they do it? Unlike many other fields of design, cities aren't created by any one specialist or expert. There are many contributors to urban change, including ordinary citizens who can have a great impact improving the cities in which they live. By exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, Urbanized will frame a global discussion on the future of cities.

Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15
We’re still waiting on a response to our survey regarding bus rental to New Iberia from a few of you. Please let me know if you need me to resend the survey link.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar August 2 - 6, 2010
***********************************************************************************
MONDAY Cary – Conway (Community Development Institute Board Meeting)
TUESDAY Mark, Susan, Nancy – Rogers (work with merchants)
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY Cary – Conway (CDI), Ft. Worth (meet with new National Trust President)
FRIDAY
**********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
AR Community Development Society Accepting Awards Applications
In-Kind Advertising for Non-Profits from Google
Green Arkansas Travel
Grant Program to Support Green Technology in Arkansas
Urbanized – the Documentary

Arkansas Community Development Society Accepting Awards Applications
The purpose of this award of merit is to provide recognition of successful programs and projects taking place in Arkansas communities, and to promote best practices in community development across the state. Nominations are due September 27. You can find the nomination forms here and more information about the awards here

In-kind advertising for non-profit organizations
http://www.google.com/grants/
Google Grants is a unique in-kind donation program awarding free AdWords advertising to select charitable organizations. We support organizations sharing our philosophy of community service to help the world in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy, and the arts.

New Arkansas Tourism Website
www.GreenArkansasTravel.com

Grant Program to Support Green Tech in Arkansas
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=123003
The Arkansas Energy Office, a division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, announced Tuesday a $2.7 million grant program to support the improvement and continued growth of "green" technology companies in Arkansas.

Urbanized – the Documentary
http://www.urbanizedfilm.com/
Who is allowed to shape our cities, and how do they do it? Unlike many other fields of design, cities aren't created by any one specialist or expert. There are many contributors to urban change, including ordinary citizens who can have a great impact improving the cities in which they live. By exploring a diverse range of urban design projects around the world, Urbanized will frame a global discussion on the future of cities.

Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15

Main Street Arkansas Calendar July 26 - 30, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY
TUESDAY Cary – West Memphis (Your Town & Kitchen Incubator planning)
WEDNESDAY Mark, Susan – Rogers (site visits with merchants)
THURSDAY Mark, Susan – Rogers (site visits with merchants)
FRIDAY
*********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
Keep Arkansas Beautiful Awards
Reach Customers in 140 Characters
3 Grant Opportunities


Keep Arkansas Beautiful Awards
The July 31 deadline for cities to submit entries for the third annual Arkansas Shine Awards is almost here! This program of the Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission (KAB) honors communities that have adopted a comprehensive approach to keeping their hometowns clean and green.

Reach Customers in 140 Characters, All of Them Free
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/business/smallbusiness/27sbiz.html?ref=smallbusiness

FORD FOUNDATION (09/17/10)
The Foundation’s Space for Change supports a new generation of arts spaces in the United States. The Program’s Planning and Pre-Development grants are administered by Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC). Grants will provide support for critical planning and pre-development activities that may precede partnering in or leading a facility project. Nonprofit arts organizations with strong track records of artistic excellence, who are intending to buy, build, renovate, partner in the development of, or become anchor tenants in a vibrant artist space can apply for up to $100,000 in support of a facility project. The deadline is for letters of inquiry for the final grant round. Additional information including an online letter of inquiry form can be found on the LINC Web site. | Avg. Grant: $100,000 | Contact Info: FORD FOUNDATION , Rise Wilson, Leveraging Investments in Creativity, Attn: Planni, 237 W. 35th St., Suite 1202, New York, NY , 10001, Ph: 646-731-3275, Visit Website

Museum Collections Projects Supported
American Heritage Preservation Program
The purpose of the American Heritage Preservation Program, an initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in partnership with Bank of America, is to fund the preservation of treasures held in small and mid-sized museums, libraries, and archives throughout the United States. Grants of up to $3,000 are available for the purpose of preserving specific items, including works of art, artifacts, and historical documents that are in need of conservation. Projects in the following areas are eligible for funding: treatment of library, museum, and archival collections; improvement of collections storage; and environmental improvement of collections. These grants are not intended to fund a small portion of a larger project, but are aimed at completing a stand-alone conservation project. The final application deadline for this program is September 15, 2010. Visit the IMLS website to download the grant program guidelines.

Grants Enhance Company Communities
Ameriprise Financial Community Relations Program
The Ameriprise Financial Community Relations Program is committed to giving back to company communities throughout the United States by supporting nonprofit organizations whose shared goal is to improve the lives of individuals from all walks of life. The company's community outreach focuses on three key priorities: The Meeting Basic Needs category focuses on programs that help at-risk populations stabilize their lives and become more self-sufficient. The Supporting Community Vitality category promotes programs that build strong communities by creating economic vitality and cultural enrichment. The Volunteer Driven Causes category provides grants to nonprofit organizations where company employees, advisors, or retirees volunteer. Requests are reviewed three times per year. The upcoming deadline is September 1, 2010. Visit the company’s website to submit an online application.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar July 19 - 23, 2010
**********************************************************************************
MONDAY
TUESDAY Quarterly Training – Paragould
WEDNESDAY Quarterly Training – Paragould
THURSDAY Quarterly Training – Paragould
FRIDAY
**********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

Main Street Matters in Community Development
CNNMoney Rates Rogers 10th Best Place to Live
AR Arts Council Needs Your Help
Reinventing the Parking Lot
Walking: Not Just for Cities Anymore
Multi-Use Downtown Development Puts Malls to Shame

Main Street Matters in Community Development
http://newfoundnation.com/2010/04/07/main-street-matters-in-community-development/
- this is kinda meta as I’m sorta quoting myself, but it’s a big deal to me that Rex Nelson said I “hit the nail on the head”. I’m a huge fan of his blog & Saturday Democrat-Gazette columns. Read his blog at http://www.rexnelsonsouthernfried.com/

CNNMoney Rates Rogers 10th Best Place to Live in the U.S. (note the photo is of downtown)
http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/100-best-places-to-live-in-america-2010-edition

The Arkansas Arts Council Needs Your Help
The AAC is conducting a statewide survey to seek input that will help us determine how to serve you better in the years to come. Your response will help us continue to advance the arts in Arkansas. All collected responses are confidential.
http://www.arkansasarts.org/news/default.aspx?id=193

Reinventing the Parking Lot
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1990806,00.html

Walking, Not Just for Cities Anymore
http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2010/0709_walkable_spaces_leinberger.aspx

Multi-Use Downtown Development Puts Malls to Shame
http://citiwire.net/post/2133/

Ozark Middle schoolers' murals, done in the style of urban street art, adorn several vacant building storefronts in downtown Ozark. Their art teacher, Nancy McKenzie, helped create the mural program to liven up the long-ignored buildings, and spark new interest in downtown properties with cartoon bubbles that read, "This location rocks!"

While school's out for the summer, Cindy Garmo, another local artist and active member on the Main Street Ozark Design Committee, will continue the mural program with her own creations.

Quarterly Training – July 21-22. Paragould.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar July 12 - 16, 2010
*********************************************************************************
MONDAY Mark – out
TUESDAY Cary – Texarkana; Susan – Heber Springs
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY Mark – Osceola
*********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
Tourism Study of the River Valley & Eastern Arkansas
WM Taste of the Town Press
Old Movie Houses Find an Audience
Rural Sourcing in Jonesboro
2 Grant Opportunities

Tourism Study of the River Valley & Eastern Arkansas
http://www.thecitywire.com/?q=node/10619
- Sandy Key of Ozark & others have been very involved in this work for years.

WM Taste of the Town Press
http://www.crittendencountyarkansas.com/guest-columns/from-the-wmcoc/205-8th-annual-main-street-west-memphis-taste-of-the-town

Old Movie Houses Find An Audience
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/us/05theater.html?_r=2&hp

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/07/04/us/20100705-THEATER.html?ref=us

Rural Sourcing in Jonesboro
http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/08/smallbusiness/rural_onshoring/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin


America’s Historical and Cultural Organizations Planning and Implementation Grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities
These grants support projects in the humanities that explore stories, ideas, and beliefs that deepen our understanding of our lives and our world. The projects can be traveling exhibitions presented at multiple venues, long-term exhibitions at one institution, interpretive Web sites or other digital formats, interpretation of historic places or areas, reading and discussion programs, panel exhibitions that travel widely, reach a broad audience, and take advantage of complementary programming formats (e.g., reading and discussion series, radio, or other media) or other project formats that creatively engage audiences in humanities ideas. The application deadline is August 18, 2010. Visit the NEH website for more information.

Interpreting America’s Historic Places Planning and Implementation Grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities
These grants support public humanities projects that exploit the evocative power of historic places to explore stories, ideas, and beliefs that deepen our understanding of our lives and our world. The projects should interpret a place that played a significant role in American history; enrich the visitor experience at one or more historic places by interpreting these places in light of broader themes in American history; make use of the specific features of one or more historic places—the site, its location, buildings, or other natural or built features—as integral parts of the proposed interpretation; be based on sound humanities scholarship; involve humanities scholars in all phases of development and implementation; approach the subject thematically, analytically, and interpretively through an appropriate variety of perspectives; interest broad audiences; and employ appealing and accessible program formats that will actively engage the public in learning. The application deadline is August 18, 2010. Visit the NEH website for more information.

Quarterly Training – July 21-22. Paragould. Memos went out early last week.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar July 6 - 9, 2010
*********************************************************************************
MONDAY office closed in honor of July 4
TUESDAY Mark – Hardy
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
*********************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:
ACE Accepting Applications for Workshops
Community Development Institute Scholarship Available to First Time Attendee
Documenting Each of America’s 10,466 Main Streets
The Economic Recession & Non-Profits – Lecture at the Clinton School
4 Grant Opportunities
Celebrate Independent Businesses
Responsible Leaders Award
CNN/Livable Cities
Vote for the Historic Preservation Fund

ACE Accepting Applications for Workshops
The Arkansas Coalition for Excellence (ACE) is currently accepting applications from nonprofit organizations for workshops on leadership, grant writing, financial management and other management topics that will begin this fall. Any nonprofit based in Arkansas can apply for the program. The workshops are provided at no cost to qualifying organizations and will be held at multiple locations throughout the state. Deadline for applications is July 19.

For more information, contact Joe Schafer, Education Director & ARRA Grant Coordinator, at jschafer@acenonprofit.org or by phone at 501.993.7932. Request for Applications, can be found Here. More information is also available at the ACE website www.AceNonprofit.org.

Community Development Institute Scholarship Available to First Time Attendee
The Community Development Institute is proud to announce that a Bill Miller Scholarship will be made available to a first-time CDI attendee for the 2010 Institute, scheduled for August 2-6 in Conway, Arkansas.

To download the application, visit http://www.uca.edu/cdi/billmillerapp.php. The deadline for submissions is July 2, 2010.

Documenting Each of America’s 10,466 Main Streets
http://current.newsweek.com/budgettravel/2010/06/documenting_10466plus_main_str.html?wpisrc=newsletter

The Economic Recession & Non-Profits – Lecture at the Clinton School - video
http://www.clintonschoolspeakers.com/lecture/view/economic-recession-and-nonprofits/


EPA Grant Opportunity: Climate Showcase Communities
Application deadline: July 26, 2010
This program provides support for planning, demonstration, and/or implementation projects designed to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
http://www.epa.gov/air/grants_funding.html

Grant Opportunity
http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/strongcommunities
Through the Strong Communities: Engaging Citizens, Strengthening Place, Inspiring Change competition, Ashoka's Changemakers andCommunityMatters are inviting individuals and organizations to submit innovative projects and ideas to engage citizens in building strong communities across the United States and Canada.
The Strong Communities competition is open to all types of individuals and organizations (charitable and nonprofit organizations, private companies, and public entities). The competition will consider all entries that reflect the theme of the challenge. To be considered for an award, entries must indicate growth beyond the conceptual stage and have demonstrated social impact and sustainability. While the program supports new ideas at every stage and encourages their entry, the judges are better able to evaluate projects that are beyond the conceptual stage and have demonstrated proof of impact.
CommunityMatters is interested in solutions from a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to)conservation, planning, economics, politics, education, deliberative democracy, and the arts, and especially encourages submission of interdisciplinary approaches. CommunityMatters has a special interest in receiving submissions from young people.
Online competition submissions will be accepted until August 11, 2010

$75 Million Available from USDOT and HUD Launch Groundbreaking, Collaborative Effort to Create Sustainable, Livable Communities
http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2010/HUDNo.10-131
Chase Community Giving Launches Summer 2010 Online Program
More than $5 million will be shared among two hundred local charities selected by the public via online vote at Facebook....

Posted on June 19, 2010
Deadline: July 12, 2010

Celebrate Your Independent Businesses.
Join the celebration of our nation's locally owned independent businesses during Independents Week, July 1-7, 2010. It's a time to reflect on unique businesses and entrepreneurs and the role they play in shaping the future of our communities! Visit AMIBA's Independents Week web page to view or download free templates for various Independents Week materials or start with this primer (pdf), which summarizes potential activities.

Responsible Leaders Award
http://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/responsible-leaders/
Teachers, community leaders, small business owners, firefighters, farmers, grassroots leaders, local government members, non-profit organizers, neighbors, you. All around us are everyday heroes who take on big responsibility as a matter of course. Nominate leaders in your community (it can even be you) for the Local Leaders, Big Responsibility Contest. They could be featured on ResponsibilityProject.com and win a donation to a charity of their choice.
Simply click below to submit your nominees and a few words on how they have made your community better. The top three nominees as judged by our panel will be featured on ResponsibilityProject.com, and interviewed on video to broadcast their story.

CNN Livable Cities website & award
http://advertisementfeature.cnn.com/philips/livable_cities/

VOTE FOR THE HPF!
On April 16, President Obama announced the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative, a multi-state agency effort to enhance and conserve America’s urban and rural natural resources. The Administration is encouraging public participation to shape the initiative in two ways: Listening sessions in select locations (the first one was this week in Montana) and an online forum where American’s can vote on initiative ideas.

We have posted the suggestion to include permanent and full funding for the Historic Preservation Fund but we need your help! Please take a few moments to go to the online forum and vote for HPF funding. Registering to vote is free and simple:

• Go to http://ideas.usda.gov/ago/ideas.nsf/
• Register in the top right corner
• Search for “Historic Preservation Fund” It may also be found towards the bottom of the right hand column under “What’s Hot”
• Click “Promote” next to Fully Fund the Historic Preservation Fund idea

Support for HPF Funding on the online forum is gaining ground but we definitely need your help!

*******************************************************************

MONDAY Greg, Susan, Mark & Nancy in DeWitt

TUESDAY Greg, Nancy & Mark in Helena; Susan in Paragould

WEDNESDAY Greg, Nancy & Mark in Russellville, Susan in Rogers

THURSDAY Susan-Rogers

FRIDAY

*****************************************************************

Arkansas Preservation Grants awarded last week Press coverage with video at http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=107024&catid=2 Nice Press for opening in downtown Paragould Tour (on video below) Harry Truman Moore's newly rehabilitated place in a historic bank building in downtown Paragould. With law offices below and new apartments upstairs, it's a Main Street showcase, and one of MSA interior design consultant Susan Shaddox's biggest projects this year. Downtown Rogers business wins national green award Brick Street Botanicals won a Green Plus North American Sustainable Enterprise award from the Institute for Sustainable Development. Brick Street can proudly call itself the Green Plus Sustainable Sole Proprietor of the Year. www.gogreenplus.org

Historic rehabilitation tax credit programs are efficient job creators

Rutgers University has comprehensively studied the impact of the Federal Historic Tax Credit Program since its beginnings, in 1976. Their report shows the tax program to be a “highly efficient creator of jobs.” Highlights and link to the report: http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/community-revitalization/jobs/

On a related note, PlaceEconomics just completed an economic impact assessment of the state of Delaware’s Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program, which has proven to be a major economic development tool in the state. We hope the same will come of Arkansas’s new program. http://www.placeeconomics.com/index.html

Face Time: How to Reach Young Donors

(May 11, 2010) Although we often associate people ages 20 to 40 with texting, Facebook and other high-tech communications, donors in that age group say that when it comes to requests for their time or money, they put high value on face-to-face communication. http://www.afpnet.org/Audiences/ReportsResearchDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=4455

Getting a Green Light from the IRS

We hear this complaint all the time. A Main Street program files an application for 501(c)(3) status using the model application provided by the National Trust Main Street Center (NTMSC). The organization has carefully conformed its articles of incorporation to the sample purpose statement endorsed by the NTMSC. The application is identical to the successful application filed by an organization in the neighboring town. And yet, the IRS turns them down. How could this be?

http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/main-street-news/story-of-the-week/2010/getting-a-green-light-from.html

Main Street Arkansas Interior Design Consultant Susan Shaddox met with new property owners of the historic Avenue Hotel in downtown Texarkana this week. The old place has been boarded up for years, but don't let its shady looks deceive you--it's a gem inside. Interior features include original tile floors, transom windows, gorgeous wood finishes, the old receptionists' office, light fixtures and virtually all of the building's windows remain intact, which is a rare find on Main Street. Susan spent the day measuring the space for possible plans to convert it into an apartment building. No final plans as of now, but we hope to get back to Texarkana soon to work on this building.

Below: shots of the exterior, front entrance with tile floor, transom windows, room number, fuse box, and arched doorway.

****************************************************************

MONDAY

TUESDAY Mark and Susan – Transportation Program Workshop in LR

WEDNESDAY Nancy – Batesville, Susan - Texarkana

THURSDAY Mark – Rogers, Susan & Caroline - Searcy

FRIDAY

********************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

Back to the basics of business

Retail Expert Rick Segel reflects on the basics of small business after a peaceful retreat without cell phone service. An excerpt reads:

As you revisit your dream, add this to the equation. Ask yourself how you and your business can enhance the lives of your customers. Are you bringing unique merchandise that they can’t find elsewhere? Are you providing a service that is so special they wouldn’t go elsewhere? Or realize that your competitive advantage is the location and the convenience you offer your customer? Just know what makes you special and/or why your customers think you are special. After all, if you are going to be a specialty business, it’s time you put special back into your businesses. http://blog.ricksegel.com/

Historic law library and more in downtown Paragould

For most of us a law library would not be very interesting. But what about the location that the library was located in? The building itself part of history..part of Paragould's history. http://www.kait8.com/global/story.asp?s=12661694

A Green Model in Arkansas

MSA staff attended a lunch seminar last week about the Green Built Arkansas Model Home. The Model Home is located in the Woodland’s edge, the first 4-star Green Certified Neighborhood in West Little Rock. Although not quite compatible with historic building rehabilitation, there are some basic principles on best practices in sustainability and green building on their web site. Web site also includes a list of Certified Green Professionals in the state. www.hbaglr.com/Green-Built-Arkansas.

Eleven principles for creating great community places

The Project for Public Spaces (PPS) identifies 11 key elements in transforming public spaces into vibrant community places, whether they’re parks, plazas, public squares, streets, sidewalks or the myriad other outdoor and indoor spaces that have public uses in common. http://www.pps.org/11steps/

Tips for State Transportation Fund Applicants

For those of you who are applying with your cities for the Arkansas State Highway Transportation Enhancement Funds (deadline: Augst 25!), the National Transportation Enhancements Clearinghouse’s web site is a great resource. There are plenty of Arkansas examples in the Project Examples section: West Memphis Broadway Revitalization, Rogers Frisco Park and Trail, and Hot Springs Creek Greenway. Also the Searles Prairie in Rogers in the Environmental Mitigation section, and the Big Dam Bridge Little Rock in the Pedestrian-Bike Facilities section. http://www.enhancements.org/index.asp

Application deadline for the Arkansas Transportation Enhancement Program is August 25, 2010. If you have questions about this program please call a Main Street staff member.

Arkansas's 2010 Endangered Historic Places featured on KARK. Nice job Vanessa and Rhea!

http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=323575

Main Street interior design consultant Susan Shaddox is currently working on paint colors and furniture placement for the Rabbit's Lair in downtown Rogers, which is moving from 101 West Walnut to 116 First Street. It's a lovely quilting/fabric/craft store--one of the best in the state, and the owner, tastefully, chooses to house her business in historic downtown buildings. She and Susan will integrate historic features of the building into the interior design and layout of her business. Can't wait to see the finished product! Above is the first store; below is the location where they'll me moving, soon to be rehabilitated. Check out their web site to see the plethora of fabric, crafts and classes they offer. http://www.therabbitslair.com/