Main Street Arkansas Update - December 21, 2009

Caroline – out all week

Main Street Arkansas Calendar December 21-25, 2009
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MONDAY Susan, Nancy – out
TUESDAY Nancy, Greg - out
WEDNESDAY Mark, Greg – out; Cary – out, p.m.
THURSDAY office closed
FRIDAY office closed
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IN THIS ISSUE:

LEED Buildings Still Waste Energy
Ghosts of Shopping Malls Past
Does Shopping Local Really Matter
Free Shop Local Ads/Posters
Civil War Marker Program
Add Your Town to the Community Almanac – Free
7 Grant Opportunities

LEED-certified buildings are clean, innovative, and environmentally friendly. But why are they wasting so much energy?
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200911u/green-buildings
- I tried to ask a very similar question at Mr. Fredrizzi’s appearance at the Clinton School, but wasn’t lucky enough to get called on. You can watch Mr. Fredrizzi here:
http://www.clintonschoolspeakers.com/lecture/view/ceo-us-green-building-council/
It’s worth noting & the article points out that LEED-EB (for existing buildings) is addressing some of these issues.

Ghosts of Shopping Malls Past
http://www.themorningnews.org/archives/galleries/ghosts_of_shopping_past/

Does Shopping Local Really Matter?
http://philhardwick.blogspot.com/2009/12/does-shopping-locally-really-matter.html

Free Shop Local Ads/Posters
http://amiba.net/educational_comps.html

Civil War Marker Program
The Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission invites groups and organizations around the state to sponsor a historical marker telling how the Civil War affected their area.

The Commission is urging local groups around the state to tell the stories of how the Civil War impacted their communities. The Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Historical Marker Program is intended to provide a lasting record of the legacy of the war in Arkansas.

Through the program, which received initial funding from the federal Preserve America program, the ACWSC will contribute up to $1,000 toward the creation of historical markers. Commission historians will work with the local sponsors to ensure that all of the information on the markers is accurate.

Application forms are available by writing Arkansas Civil War Sesquicentennial Historical Marker Program, 1500 Tower Building, 323 Center Street, Little Rock, AR 72201 or sending an e-mail message to acwsc@arkansasheritage.org or shelle@arkansasheritage.org. They also can be downloaded at http://www.arkansascivilwar150.com/historical-markers/.

For more information on sesquicentennial plans, visit www.arkansascivilwar150.com or e-mail acwsc at arkansasheritage.org. We hope to work with you on this important commemoration.


Add Your Town to the Community Almanac
Community Almanac was designed to be accessible to people of all ages and technical abilities, from students in the classroom to officials on the local planning board. For those without easy access to a computer, there is even a simple way for one person to post another’s content. This makes for a broad body of material that is reflective of a town’s true character.

NEW! National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grants in United States History and Culture 02/03/10 Help institutions and organizations strengthen their ability to explore significant themes and events in American history Non-profit institutions (excluding public and private elementary and secondary schools) working wholly or in part with the humanities; award amount will vary depending on match available; cost sharing is required Successful applicants will be offered a matching grant. Recipients must raise three times the amount of federal funds offered
Office of Challenge Grants
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 420, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506 202-606-8309
http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/CG_UShistory.html




NEW! Fiskar’s Project Orange Thumb Gardening Grant 02/19/10 neighborhood beautification and horticulture education Community garden groups, as well as schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities; up to $1,000 worth of Fiskar’s gardening tools and up to $1,000 worth of other gardening materials; number available is unknown Fiskars
Attn: Project Orange Thumb
780 Carolina Street
Sauk City, WI 53583
http://www.fiskars.com/content/garden_en_us/Garden/ProjectOrangeThumb


Arkansas Department of Rural Services Rural Community Grants Program 3/19/2010 Improvement of local fire protection & related emergency services and construction, development & improvement of local facilities Incorporated cities/towns & unincorporated communities in RURAL areas of less than 3,000 in population; cost sharing is 50/50 match; max award $15,000; number available will vary AR Dept. of Rural Services
101 East Capitol, Suite 202
Little Rock, AR 72201
www.arkansas.gov/drs




Entergy Corporation Open Grants Program OPEN Focuses on improving communities as a whole Non-profit organizations; number of awards available and amount of award will vary http://www.entergy.com/our_community/Grant_Guidelines.aspx



Kresge Foundation OPEN Building nonprofit sustainability through capital challenge grants 501c3 organizations; amount/number of awards available will vary 3215 W. Big Beaver Road
Troy, MI 48084 248-643-9630
www.kresge.org


Verizon Foundation OPEN To improve the quality of life in Verizon communities Non profit org., elementary/secondary schools; award amounts/# available vary http://foundation.verizon.com/grant/application.shtml




Tony Hawk Foundation Offers Grants for Skatepark Construction
Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to nonprofits, state and local government agencies, and public school systems working to create or develop high-quality public skateparks in low-income areas across the country....

Posted on December 10, 2009
Deadline: March 1, 2010

Main Street Arkansas Update - December 14, 2009

Main Street Arkansas Calendar December 14 - 18, 2009
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MONDAY Caroline, Susan – Heber Springs (working with merchants, merchandising & marketing); Greg - out
TUESDAY Greg – out
WEDNESDAY Caroline, Susan, Mark & Nancy - Paragould, Rector (working with merchants); Greg – out
THURSDAY
FRIDAY Cary, Greg & Nancy – off
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IN THIS ISSUE:

WinterFest sponsored Main Street Rogers
Texarkana Earns Preserve America Designation
Downtown Rogers Best of NW AR 2009
Russellville Letter to the Editor
MS Helena Survey, Blues Fest
The Return of the Two-Way Street
Meet LR
LR-NLR 11th Fastest Recovering Area
3 Grant Opportunities

WinterFest sponsored by Rogers
http://bvwv.nwaonline.com/news/2009/dec/02/winterfest-promises-family-fun-20091202/

Texarkana Earns Preserve America Designation
http://www.underthedome.com/2009/12/texarkana-earns-preserve-america.html
- if you look closely, you’ll see Caroline in the background of this photo
- I videoed the announcement with my FlipCamera & embedded in our blog here:
http://mainstreetarkansas.blogspot.com/2009/12/texarkanas-main-street-in-black-white.html
I just bought a GorillaPod to help with the shakiness

Best of Northwest Arkansas 2009
Main Street Rogers is happy to announce that the Rogers Historic District was listed as one of the Top 5 Best Kept Secrets in NWA as voted by readers in CitiScapes Magazine’s Best of NWA 2009. The other four listed are: Arkansas World Trade Center, Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, Hobbs State Park, and Terra Studios.

Nice Main Street Russellville Letter to the Editor
http://www.newsdemocratleader.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Thanks+for+support-Dear+Editor-%20&id=4923101&instance=secondary_opinion_left_column

Main Street Helena Survey Reveals Interesting Facts About Blues Festival
http://southernbancorp.com/2009/12/02/survey-reveals-some-interesting-facts-about-blues-festival-attendees/

The Return of the Two-Way Street
http://www.governing.com/column/return-two-way-street

Meet Little Rock
http://spiritmag.com/city_profiles/article/meet_little_rock/

- thanks to Boyd Maher for this one
LR-NLR-Conway 11th Fastest Recovering MSA
http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/19/cities-recovery-unemployment-lifestyle-real-estate-top-ten-chart.html

Grant Opportunities

National Endowment for the Humanities: America's Historical and Cultural Organizations Implementation Grants
This program provides funds for the final preparation of a project for presentation to the public in multiple formats. Projects that make innovative use of emerging technologies are encouraged.

National Endowment for the Humanities: America's Historical and Cultural Organizations Planning Grants
This program provides funds for pre-implementation planning which can include multiple projects.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CONSERVATION TRUST (OPEN)
The Trust supports conservation activities around the world as they fit within the mission of the National Geographic Society. It funds projects that contribute significantly to the preservation and sustainable use of the Earth’s biological, cultural, and historical resources. Preference is given to cutting edge programs that might be overlooked by other organizations, due to the risk involved in working with new investigators and in new fields. Applicants aren’t expected to have doctorates or advanced degrees, but must provide a record of prior research or conservation action as it pertains to the proposed project. Funding is not restricted to United States citizens. Researchers planning on working in foreign countries should include at least one local collaborator as part of their research teams. Applicants must submit a pre-application form online. Additional information including details on covered expenses can be found on the Web site. | Grant Range: $15,000 To $20,000 | Contact Info: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CONSERVATION TRUST, National Geographic Society, 1145 17th St. NW, Washington, DC, 20090, Send Email, Visit Website

Texarkana's Main Street in Black & White and Preserve America Unveiling

Main Street Arkansas Update - December 7, 2009

Main Street Arkansas Calendar December 7-11, 2009
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MONDAY Cary, Caroline, Susan, Mark, Nancy – Texarkana; Main Street in Black & White unveiling
TUESDAY Cary – Federal Reserve’s CRA course, LR
WEDNESDAY Nancy, Mark & Susan – Helena
THURSDAY Mark – Hardy
FRIDAY
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Lots of Eureka Coverage
NR Layers for Google Earth
Arkansas’s Top Grant Making Foundations
OA Sings AR
Living Treasure Noms
Immigrants & the Suburbs
Delta Music CD

Eureka Springs Keeps Shops Open
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2009/nov/29/eureka-springs-keeping-shops-open-20091129/
- subscriber only, sorry

Eureka Coverage in the Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704112904574477360084334816.html

National Register Layer Available for Google Earth

The National Park Service has created downloadable Google Earth layers of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Used alongside the Google Earth program, the information will display listed properties on a map. The information is current through the beginning of 2007. It is provided for informational purposes only; some coordinates may not be entirely accurate. For detailed information and to download visit http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/Download.html.

Arkansas’s Top Grant Making Foundations
http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=6bfc566b-92b2-4d27-8ccb-c70f72cf7c74

OA Sings Arkansas
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=118633

Don't Miss Your Opportunity: Nominate a Craft Artist for Arkansas Living Treasure
The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Arkansas Living Treasure is quickly approaching. The postmarked deadline is Friday, Dec. 11.
The Arkansas Living Treasure designation is presented annually to recognize an Arkansan who is outstanding in the creation of a traditional craft and has significantly contributed to the preservation of the art form. Nominations of artists who work in traditional craft forms such as pottery, weaving, broom making, leatherworking, metalsmithing and wood carving are encouraged.
An independent panel of practicing craft artists will select the recipient based on the following criteria: quality of work, community outreach and total contribution to the field of traditional crafts. The recipient will be honored in May 2010 during Arkansas Heritage Month.
The nomination forms are available at http://www.arkansasarts.org/. For more information, contact Sally A. Williams, artist services manager, at (501) 324-9348 or email sally at arkansasheritage.org.

Immigrants & the Suburb Influx
http://www.governing.com/node/5195/

Delta CD Arrives
http://www.rexnelsonsouthernfried.com/?p=496
- a similar article was printed in Saturday’s D-G. It’s behind a pay wall, however.

Main Street Arkansas Update - November 30, 2009

Main Street Arkansas Calendar November 30 – December 4, 2009
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MONDAY Nancy – Russellville; Mark & Susan – Helena
TUESDAY Caroline – Batesville
WEDNESDAY Caroline – Batesville; State Review Board; Susan – UCA, p.m.
THURSDAY Susan – out, a.m.; Nancy – El Dorado
FRIDAY
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Heber Press
LR/NLR 6th Most Livable Bargain City
Blytheville Money for Main Press
Hollowing Out the Middle
Talk by Urban Affairs Director
Arkansas Chambers Persevere
AR Site Selection Website Not Just for Consultants
Free Webinar on Downtowns Hosted by IDA
Grant Opportunity

Good Heber Springs Press, including a section on downtown
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=118513

LR Ranked 6th Most Livable Bargain Cities
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=118454
- nice mention of the Distinctive Dozen Destinations award which we wrote

Good Blytheville Chamber/Money for Main Press
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=118516

Hollowing Out the Middle – The Rural Brain Drain & What it Means for America
Video of a Talk by the author, Patrick Carr
http://www.booktv.org/Program/11006/Hollowing+Out+the+Middle+The+Rural+Brain+Drain+and+What+it+Means+for+America.aspx

- website of the book:
http://hollowingoutthemiddle.com/

more video of a lecture
http://forum-network.org/lecture/hollowing-out-middle-rural-brain-drain

and more video
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/id/215732

This is an interesting & important subject leaders in rural Arkansas should be addressing & learning about. Take a look at a blurb about the book:

One reason is that many small towns [are dying is they] simply aren’t regenerating, but another is that its educated young people are leaving in droves.
In Ellis, Iowa authors Carr and Kefalas met the working-class “stayers,” struggling in the region’s dying agro-industrial economy; the high-achieving and college-bound “achievers,” who often left for good; the “seekers” who head off to war to see what the world beyond offers; and the “returners,” who eventually circled back to their hometowns. What surprised them most was that adults in the community were playing a pivotal part in the town’s decline by pushing the best and brightest young people to leave, and by under-investing in those who choose to stay, even though these young people are their best chance for a future.
The emptying out of small towns is a national concern, but there are strategies for arresting the process and creating sustainable, thriving communities. Hollowing Out the Middle is a wake-up call we cannot afford to ignore-¬not only because 60 million Americans still live in rural communities and small towns, but because our nation’s economic health and future is tied to the Heartland.

Interesting Talk by Adolfo Carrion, White House Director of Urban Affairs
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/290002-5

Arkansas Chambers Persevere in Downturn
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=118509

- where does your chamber rank membership wise? Find out here:
- http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/news/print_editions/ab_chambers_list_09.pdf

Site Selection Website Not Just for Consultants
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=118487

- have you made sure your information is correct? Have you added information on your downtown buildings?
- http://www.arkansassiteselection.com/

Free Webinar - Friday, December 4, 2009 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST
The Role of Downtown in Attracting and Keeping Young Talent

International Downtown Association Webcast with Rebecca Ryan
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/353523832
North American cities are engaged in an unprecedented war for people. The urban heart of a city beats with the energy of young professionals. Your downtown is your city’s showroom, and it’s what the next generation studies when deciding where to live and work. Therefore, it is imperative that governments at all levels increase their investment in downtowns. Rebecca Ryan is a human spark plug. She’s the founder of Next Generation Consulting and author of Live First, Work Second. As a sought-out communicator, Rebecca inspires thousands of audience members each year to build better places to live and work for the next generation. Get a recap of Rebecca’s presentation at IDA’s annual conference in Milwaukee. Learn how your downtown plays a critical role in attracting and retaining the well-educated, talented workforce your entire city needs.


Applications Invited for American Hiking Society's 2010 National Trails Fund

The American Hiking Society's National Trails Fund is the only privately supported national grants program that provides funding to grassroots organizations working to establish, protect, and maintain foot trails in the United States.
National Trails Fund grants are designed to give local organizations the resources they need to secure access, volunteers, tools, and materials to repair and protect America's hiking trails. To date, American Hiking has granted nearly $382,000 to 105 different trail projects across the U.S. for land acquisition, constituency building campaigns, and a variety of trail work projects.
Awards typically range from $500 to $5,000 per project.
Visit the American Hiking Web site for complete program information.
Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Main Street Arkansas Update - November 23, 2009

Main Street Arkansas Calendar November 23 - 27, 2009
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MONDAY Nancy – Searcy
TUESDAY Nancy – out a.m.
WEDNESDAY Mark – off
THURSDAY closed for Thanksgiving
FRIDAY office closed
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Downtown Pine Bluff News
Main Street Paragould Press
Fledgling Firms Hear the Score from Non-Profits
Hampton Inn’s Arkansas Save a Landmark Program
Arkansas Media Room Seeks Tourism Releases
Enter the Digital Age of Arkansas History
2 Grant Opportunities

Downtown Pine Bluff News
http://www.pbcommercial.com/articles/2009/11/13/news/news2.txt

Main Street Paragould Press
http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2009/11/16/local_news/doc4b01aded28e38968838237.txt

Fledgling Firms Hear the Score from Nonprofits
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=118354

Hampton Inn’s Save a Landmark Program – 3 Arkansas Finalist
http://www.hamptonlandmarks.com/VoteLandMarkResults.aspx?statename=Arkansas&state=4&cat=10&vote=1
- the finalists are in West Memphis, NLR & Sherwood

Arkansas Media Room Seeks Tourism Releases
The communications section of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism has added a new area to the Arkansas Media Room on www.Arkansas.com entitled From the Industry. This new page is a special area for releases written by members of the Arkansas tourism industry.

Chambers of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureaus, attractions and other tourism-related businesses now have another resource to promote upcoming events, attractions and news. Articles should be submitted for consideration to the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism travel writer who represents the appropriate area of the state.

• Northwest Arkansas/Arkansas River Valley: Jill Rohrbach, jill.rohrbach at cox-internet.net
• North Central/Eastern Arkansas/Delta: Kim Williams, Kimberly.j.williams at arkansas.gov
• Ouachitas/South Arkansas Timberlands: Zoie Clift, zoie.clift at gmail.com
• Central Arkansas: Kerry Kraus, Kerry.kraus at arkansas.gov

To visit this page, go to http://www.arkansasmediaroom.com/industry/. For more information, contact Dena Woerner, communications manager, at dena.woerner at arkansas.gov or 501-682-7606.

ENTER THE DIGITAL AGE OF ARKANSAS HISTORY!
Entries Accepted to January 4, 2010

Participants can enter original, short, non-fiction video or audio webcasts about Arkansas history. The competition will feature two age categories for entrants: students in grades 5–12 and adults (college and up).

Awards will be presented and entries will be featured at a special event on February 4. Prizes include myspace page-building services provided by Aristotle Interactive and cash awards.

Official rules and entry forms are available at www.ARDigitalShorts.com

National Leadership Grants
Deadline: February 1, 2010
Contact Information:
Institute of Museum and Library Services
http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/nationalLeadership.shtm
Program Overview
National Leadership Grants support projects that have the potential to elevate museum and library practice. The Institute seeks to advance the ability of museums and libraries to preserve culture, heritage and knowledge while enhancing learning. IMLS welcomes proposals that promote the skills necessary to develop 21st century communities, citizens, and workers.
Successful proposals will have national impact and generate results—new tools, research, models, services, practices, or alliances—that can be widely adapted or replicated to extend the benefit of federal investment. The Institute seeks to fund projects that have the following characteristics:
Strategic Impact—Proposals should address key needs and challenges that face libraries and museums. They should expand the boundaries within which libraries and museums operate, show the potential for far-reaching impact, and influence practice throughout the museum and/or library communities.
Innovation—Proposals should demonstrate a thorough understanding of current practice and knowledge about the project area, and show how the project will advance the state of the art of museum and library service.
Collaboration—While partners are not required in all National Leadership Grant categories, the Institute has found that involving carefully chosen partners with complementary competencies and resources can create powerful synergies that extend project impact. Proposals should show understanding of the challenges of collaboration and propose means for addressing them.
Applications may be submitted in the following categories: Advancing Digital Resources, Research, Demonstration, and Library and Museum Collaboration Grants.
Collaborative Planning Grants are also available in any of the four categories to enable project teams from more than one institution to work together to plan a project for a National Leadership Grant.

For full grant information visit the IMLS website.
Cities of Service Coalition Offers Grants to Mayors for Community Service Plans
The Cities of Service Coalition was founded in September 2009 by mayors from around the United States seeking to respond to the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act's call to action by finding new and innovative ways to deploy volunteers in addressing local challenges.
With support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the Fund for Cities of Service will award ten cities $200,000 each over two years to hire Chief Service Officers to lead local efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive service plan on behalf of their mayor.
To be considered for the grant, a city's mayor must be a member of the Cities of Service coalition. Coalition members have signed a Declaration of Service that commits them to developing a comprehensive service plan for volunteers in their own cities and to work with other elected officials in promoting the service movement across the United States.
The coalition is open to all mayors who agree to the program's provisos. (Mayors interested in joining the Cities of Service Coalition should visit: http://www.citiesofservice.org for registration information.) In addition, all applicant cities must have at least 100,000 residents and be home to at least one community college or a four-year public or private university.
Applications must be submitted by the city's Office of the Mayor. Applications from nonprofits or other external groups on behalf of a mayor will not be accepted.
Visit the coalition Web site for complete program information.
Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Main Street Arkansas Update - November 9, 2009

Main Street Arkansas Calendar November 9- 13, 2009
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MONDAY
TUESDAY orientation - Morrilton
WEDNESDAY Veteran’s Day – office closed
THURSDAY Greg, Susan & Mark - Rogers
FRIDAY Greg, Susan & Mark – Rogers
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Making Preservation Relevant for the Next 50 Years
Paragould Attorney Breathing New Life Into Local Landmark
Murals
4 Essential Fundraising Tweaks for your Appeal in the Recession
9 Funding Opportunities

Making Preservation Relevant for the Next 50 Years
http://www.placeeconomics.com/2009/10/making-preservation-relevant-for-next_18.html


Paragould Attorney Breathing New Life Into Local Landmark
http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2009/11/02/local_news/doc4aecccc83e55e661827789.txt

Murals
http://www.cartridgesave.co.uk/news/the-50-most-stunning-wall-murals-from-around-the-world/

4 Essential Fundraising Tweaks for your Appeal in the Recession
http://www.fundraising123.org/article/four-essential-tweaks-your-appeals-recession

9 Funding Opportunities

Arkansas Department of Rural Services Community Enhancement Grant Program 11/20/09 Assist rural communities with the development and improvement of local facilities Incorporated cities/towns & unincorporated communities in RURAL areas of less than 20,000/population; max award $50,000; cost sharing not required; number available varied AR Dept. of Rural Services
101 East Capitol, Suite 202
Little Rock, AR 72201
www.arkansas.gov/drs


Arkansas Department of Rural Services Rural Community Grants Program
12/11/09
03/19/10 Improvement of local fire protection & related emergency services and construction, development & improvement of local facilities Incorporated cities/towns & unincorporated communities in RURAL areas of less than 3,000 in population; cost sharing is 50/50 match; max award $15,000; number available will vary AR Dept. of Rural Services
101 East Capitol, Suite 202
Little Rock, AR 72201
www.arkansas.gov/drs


National Endowment for the Humanities Interpreting America’s Historic Places – Implementation and Planning Grants 01/13/10 Support public projects that exploit evocative power of historic places to explore stories, ideas, & beliefs that deepen our understanding of our lives and our world 501c3 organizations and state/local government entities; 18-36 month project period; cost sharing is not required; planning award range $40,000-$75,000; implementation award approximately $400,000

Division of Public Programs
National Endowment for the Humanities
Room 426
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20506
www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/IAHP_Implementation.html

Entergy Corporation Open Grants Program
OPEN Focuses on improving communities as a whole Non-profit organizations; number of awards available and amount of award will vary http://www.entergy.com/our_community/Grant_Guidelines.aspx

Kresge Foundation
OPEN Building nonprofit sustainability through capital challenge grants 501c3 organizations; amount/number of awards available will vary 3215 W. Big Beaver Road
Troy, MI 48084 248-643-9630
www.kresge.org

The Rebsamen Fund
OPEN Arts/culture, education, health, youth dev., wildlife preservation & protection, human services Contact the foundation for specific eligibility information Rebsamen Fund
11219 Financial Centre Parkway, Suite 303
Little Rock, AR 72211

USDA/Communities Facilities Program Rural Emergency Responders
OPEN Provide fire, police and ambulatory equipment Non-profits and public bodies; max award $50,000; CAHs that need equipment upgrades in their ER department would be a high priority for grant funds if eligible Applications are processed through one of the 6 Arkansas Area Offices - www.rurdev.usda.gov/ar
www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/cf/brief_cp_grant.htm

Sunderland Foundation
OPEN Dedicated to community building (prefers capital and special projects) Publicly supported 501c3 charitable organizations; amount available varies, number available is unknown President, The Sunderland Foundation
P.O. Box 25900
Overland Park, Kansas 66225
http://www.sunderlandfoundation.org/

Verizon Foundation
OPEN To improve the quality of life in Verizon communities Non profit org., elementary/secondary schools; award amounts/# available vary http://foundation.verizon.com/grant/application.shtml

Main Street Arkansas Update - November 2, 2009

Main Street Arkansas Calendar November 2 – 6, 2009
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MONDAY Cary – out, a.m.
TUESDAY Cary - Commerce Arkansas; Susan – annual leave;
WEDNESDAY Cary – Conway, p.m.; Susan – annual leave
THURSDAY Susan – annual leave
FRIDAY
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Ozark Branding
Development District Proposed for Helena/West Helena
TN Main Street Video
Historic Hotel For Sale in Downtown Rogers
10 Small Biz Social Media Marketing Tips
3 Metro Areas on Upswing to Recover
Embrace Millennials LR Told
MSR Before Council
Article on Recent MS Session in Nashville
The Best Place to Buy an Old House
USGBC in LR
Federal Reserve Workshop
4 Grant Opportunities

Excellent Branding Results in Ozark last week. Check them out here:
http://www.downtownbranding.com/ozark/

Development District Proposed for Downtown Helena
http://www.helena-arkansas.com/homepage/x914715755/Development-district-looms-on-horizon

Check out TN Main Street’s Video Competition
http://tn.gov/ecd/tnopenforbusiness/

Historic Hotel For Sale in Downtown Rogers
http://www.4029tv.com/news/21356570/detail.html

10 Small Business Social Media Marketing Tips
http://mashable.com/2009/10/28/small-business-marketing/

Three Metro Areas On Upswing to Recovery
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.asp?aid=117742

Embrace Millennials LR Told
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.asp?aid=117822

MSR Goes Before Council
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/10/25/news/102609rzcouncil.txt

Article I Wrote on the Main Street Coordinators’ Meeting & Session at the NTHP Conference
http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/main-street-news/story-of-the-week/2009/main-street-coordinators-meet.html

captured live feed of our session
http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/training/npc/2009-nashville/virtual-attendee/session-feeds/saturday.html

The Best Place to Buy an Old House
PreservationDirectory.com teamed up with This Old House magazine to promote their search for "The Best Places to Buy an Old House." An upcoming issue and Web feature will identify affordable—or just plain magnificent—homes in historic neighborhoods in the US. Nominations due Nov. 16. Send information outlined above to This Old House Associate Editor, Keith Pandolfi at
keith_pandolfi at timeinc.com


November 23, USGBC Chief to Speak at the Clinton School
Richard Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chairman, U.S. Green Building Council
Monday, November 23, 2009 at 12:00 p.m. (Sturgis Hall)
- The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering a sustainable future for America through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.
*Reserve your seats by emailing publicprograms at clintonschool.uasys.edu or calling 501.683.5239.
Please make plans to attend the upcoming symposium sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Little Rock Branch:

Trends and Innovation in Rental Housing - A Neighborhood Stabilization Strategy.
November 12
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
(Continental breakfast will be served beginning at 8:30 a.m.)

Hilton Little Rock Metro Center
925 S. University Ave.
Little Rock, AR 72204

Innovative approaches to rental housing are proving effective both for neigh¬borhood stabilization and individual asset development. This symposium will feature national, state and regional experts who will discuss the latest trends in rental housing, replicable best practices and valuable resources for implementing a sustainable rental strategy in your community.
Symposium topics:
• Low Income Housing Tax Credits,
• resident-centered development strategies,
• innovative asset development strategies, and
• rural rental housing.

Speakers will include representatives from The Housing Assistance Council, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Mid-South Delta LISC, Great Lakes Capital Fund, Cornerstone Corporation for Shared Equity, The Arkansas Development Finance Authority and United Housing.



Registration fee: $25
Registration deadline: November 6
Register with a credit card online at www.stlouisfed.org/community_development.
If you prefer to pay with a check or cash, call Julie Kerr at 501-324-8296 or send an e-mail to julie.a.kerr at stls.frb.org.

4 Grant Opportunities
National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Public Programs grants
The Division of Public Programs at the National Endowment for the Humanities funds public projects at museums, libraries, historic sites, and other historical and cultural organizations. The organization offers grants that support historic site interpretation, exhibits, reading or film discussion series, symposia, and digital projects. For more information contact the Division of Public Programs, 202-606-8269 or www.neh.gov. The application deadline for funds from the America’s Historical and Cultural Organizations and Interpreting America’s Historic Places programs is January 13, 2010.

Home Depot Accepting Applications for Building Healthy Communities Grant Program
Deadline: December 15, 2009
Grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded to nonprofits for materials that equip volunteers working to improve the physical health of their communities through activities that enhance green spaces and community structures....

National Endowment for the Humanities: Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections
This program supports efforts to preserve large and diverse holdings of humanities materials for future generations by supporting preventive conservation measures that mitigate deterioration and prolong the useful life of collections.
Department of Agriculture: National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost-Share Grant Program
This program provides funds to urban and community forestry projects that have national or widespread application and impact.

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 26, 2009

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 26 - 30, 2009
***************************************************************************************************************
MONDAY Susan – Blytheville; Greg, annual leave
TUESDAY Cary & Caroline – Ozark (branding); Susan – Blytheville; Greg, annual leave
WEDNESDAY Cary & Caroline – Ozark (branding)
THURSDAY Cary & Caroline – Ozark (branding); Greg, Susan, Mark & Nancy at the unveiling, p.m.
FRIDAY
***************************************************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

Clinton Ave Among 10 Great Streets, says the AIA
Downtown Jonesboro Pedestrian Zone
Main Street Texarkana Press
Downtown Searcy Thriving
Downtown Siloam Springs Video
Obama Administration Sets Sights on Urban Renewal
Localism
Nov 5 International Volunteer Managers Day
Downtown Then & Now Book
Recap of NTHP Conference
Museum Promotes Downtown with Silent Tours
Paragould Press
AHPP Offers National Register Training
Google Trike

Clinton Ave. Among 10 Great Streets, per AIA
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.asp?aid=117531

Downtown Jonesboro Creates Pedestrian Zone
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.asp?aid=117450

Main Street Texarkana Press
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/localnews/2009/10/14/main-street-texarkana-is-wanting-to-educ-67.php

Downtown Searcy Thriving
http://ar72143.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/downtown-searcy-thriving/

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2009/oct/11/series-square-main-street-director-downto-20091011/

Downtown Siloam Springs Press
http://www.4029tv.com/video/21299947/index.html

Obama Administration Sets Sights on Urban Renewal
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/06/AR2009100601259.html?wprss=rss_politics
- worth noting is the naming of the Cities Czar Adolfo Carrion Jr & the Green Impact Zone pilot project
- you can read more about the Green Impact Zone here: http://www.marc.org/greenimpactzone/

Localism
http://www.newsweek.com/id/217029/page/1

November 5 - Remember to Celebrate!
International Volunteer Managers Day 2009 is almost here. This is OUR day to celebrate the critical roles we play in our organizations and our communities -- as well as an excellent opportunity to educate someone else about our profession! For more information about this day and how it is observed around the globe, visit www.volunteermanagersday.org

Downtown Now and Then (The Hanley book)
http://adg.nwanews.com/news/2009/oct/18/downtown-then-and-now-20091018/

ReCap of NTHP conference
http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/?p=6775

Museum Program Promotes Downtown
Museum to Conduct “Silent city’ Tours
http://www.lovelycitizen.com/story/1578731.html

Converted downtown Paragould Building to NE History
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2009/oct/17/paragould-building-converted-ne-ark-history/

AHPP OFFERS FREE GRANT-WRITING WORKSHOP JANUARY 12

The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program will hold a grant-writing workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, at the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center at 501 W. 9th St. in Little Rock for people interested in applying for the agency’s County Courthouse Restoration or Historic Preservation Restoration grant programs, AHPP Director Frances McSwain announced today.
Admission is free, but reservations must be made by Tuesday, January 5, by calling Joia Burton at (501) 324-9883 [TDD 501-324-9811] or sending e-mail to joia at arkansasheritage.org.
The AHPP’s grant programs to be covered in the workshop are:
• County Courthouse Restoration Subgrants, which are financed through Real Estate Transfer Tax funds distributed by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council for rehabilitation of historic county courthouses across Arkansas
• Historic Preservation Restoration Grants, which distribute funds raised through the Real Estate Transfer Tax to rehabilitate buildings that are listed on the Arkansas or National Registers of Historic Places and owned by local governments or not-for-profit organizations

Google Trike
At www.google.com/trike, you can suggest interesting and unique spots in six categories:
• Parks & Trails
• University Campuses
• Pedestrian Malls (e.g., outdoor shopping areas, boardwalks)
• Theme Parks & Zoos
• Landmarks
• Sports Venues (e.g., golf courses, racing tracks, stadium grounds)
Nominations will be open until October 28. We'll then comb through all of the suggestions and let all of you cast your final votes on a winner from each category for the Street View trike to visit. For any privately-owned or operated location, like a campus or theme park, we'll work directly with the relevant organization prior to collecting the imagery.

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 19, 2009

I sent out last week’s update Friday before my departure to the National Trust/Main Street Coordinators meeting. I later learned no email sent from our office Thursday or Friday made it outside the department. Sorry about that. I’d have resent this last Monday but cannot access my address book remotely, so here it is again. It’s all still applicable,

Please take note of the calendar below. I won’t send as detailed calendar again. Not everything is necessarily applicable to you but the dates are worth noting as you might either consider attending or scheduling around.

Also, please note that we have scheduled the next Quarterly Training for February 9-10, 2010 in Little Rock. We’ll have more details closer to the event.

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 22 – Arkansas Community Development Society Conference – Little Rock
October 29 – Branding Unveiling in Ozark
November 12 – Branding Unveiling in Blytheville
November 20 – Nominations due for Preservation Awards
NEW!! February 9-10 – Quarterly Training – Little Rock
March 7-9 – Governor’s Conference on Tourism – Eureka Springs
April 15-17 – Arkansas Preservation Conference – Helena
April 29-30 – Summit on Volunteerism – Springdale
May 2-5 – National Conference on Main Street – Oklahoma City, OK
May 25-27 – Rural Development Conference – Eureka Springs
May 26-29 – Neighborhoods USA Conference – Little Rock
July 29-Aug 1 – National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, Grand Rapids, MI
September 13-15 – Destination Downtown, somewhere in Louisiana

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 19 - 23, 2009
***************************************************************************************************************
MONDAY Mark & Susan - annual
TUESDAY Cary – Nashville, AR; Caroline – Eudora, Dumas, Lakeport; Mark & Susan - annual
WEDNESDAY Susan & Mark – annual
THURSDAY Susan – Searcy; Cary, Caroline, Nancy – AR Community Development Society Conference – LR
FRIDAY
***************************************************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

Great Places: Streets – President Clinton Avenue
http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/streets/2009/index.htm#EN

The Buy Main Street Video Story
http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/?p=6608
- Joe confirms my theory that the real work happens after 5pm and in the Hospitality Suite.

2010 Henry Awards
http://arkindustryinsider.com/henry-awards/
The annual ceremony honoring Henry nominees and winners will serve as one of the highlights of the 36th anniversary of the Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism, which is scheduled March 7-9, 2010 in Eureka Springs. Each year we strive to recognize individuals, communities, and organizations that have performed above and beyond the call of duty in their contribution to the success of Arkansas’s tourism industry.
- you can now submit your nomination online or download the form on the website should you want to submit hardcopy
Deadline is October 30

Main Street in Black & White Press:
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/Entertainment-Blog/2009/10/08/main-street-in-black-and-white/

Main Street Russellville Fall Fest
http://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=22802

Main Street Hardy See Arkansas First Press:
http://www.areawidenews.com/story/1576933.html

Hometown Crawfordsville Festival Press:
http://www.crittendencountyarkansas.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71:hometown-crawfordsville-harvest-festival&catid=36:crawfordsville&Itemid=57

Arkansas Entrepreneurial Conference
http://www.dws.arkansas.gov/News/Get%20In%20The%20Game/GITGEntrepreneurs.html

Trade ideas and compare notes while participating in an array of powerful workshops including:
• Start Up Tips
• Business Planning
• Financing
• Marketing
• Taxes
• Insurance

There is no registration fee for this conference. If you have potential small business owners looking to locate in your downtown, encourage them to come to this event.

The Soul of the City
http://correspondents.theatlantic.com/richard_florida/2009/10/soul_of_the_city.php
- the Top 3 Factors that make up the Soul of the City/ones attachment to their community, per this survey are:
1. Openness
2. Social Offerings
3. Aesthetics

The United Nations of Main Street
http://blogs.nationaltrust.org/preservationnation/?p=6552

3 Great Social Media Policies to Steal From
http://mashable.com/2009/10/02/social-media-policy-examples/ \

See Moore Colors

Downtown warehouse gets fresh look






The Benjamin Moore Personal Color Viewer computer software, which Main Street Arkansas design consultants Susan Shaddox and Nancy Lowe began using in 2009, is a fast and easy way for them to show downtown constituents the transformative powers of paint. “It’s great for property owners to be able to see possibilities with their buildings. It helps them see things in a new light before ever picking up a paint brush,” says Interior Designer Susan Shaddox. Design changes can be abstract to talk about, and people often need to visualize them before they can begin to make rehabilitation plans. “This is a great way to get that conversation started,” says Lowe, who is Main Street Arkansas’s exterior design consultant.

The software allows Shaddox and Lowe to import digital photographs of downtown buildings and digitally render them in preservation-friendly colors to their constituents’ likings. There are nine Benjamin Moore paint collections from which to choose, although Main Street Arkansas’s purpose with the program is primarily to show clients color concepts. Sometimes, a new color rendering will inspire a property owner to intensively rehabilitate the interior or exterior of his or her property. In such cases, the Benjamin Moore program is used as a starting point for a larger project requiring high-tech design software that Shaddox and Lowe use, such as AutoCad and Adobe Photoshop.

Still, at its most basic level, the program shows how far a little paint can go. Shaddox and Main Street Arkansas design intern Erik Holbrooks just wrapped up a project for Abilities Unlimited, Inc, a non-profit consignment store opening in downtown Blytheville. “We wanted to give them a fresh, modern look, one that was not too uppity or upscale,” Shaddox said of the non-profit’s need adapt quickly to a property that consists of two adjacent warehouse buildings.

With the click of a mouse, Shaddox and Holbrooks gave the façade a fresh, two-tone green color scheme that helped define the entry and exit points of the buildings and visually connect the two properties. “We carried the fresh clean exterior look into the store’s interior to continue the store’s branding,” said Shaddox. The interior floors and walls were likewise painted to define the men’s and women’s clothing sections, which, Shaddox noted, “has increased profits.” When Shaddox and Holbrooks presented their exterior and interior renderings to Abilities Unlimited, the non-profit responded immediately by implementing the new color schemes. In fact, they will be using the same design layouts for their two other locations in Paragould and Jonesboro.

The Benjamin Moore program is a service to all Arkansas Downtown Network and Main Street communities. Anyone interested should call Shaddox at susans@arkansasheritage.org or Lowe at nancy@arkansasheritage.org, or call either of them at (501) 324-9880.

Goodbye, Slipcover!

Jaw-dropping change: A recent rehabilitation in downtown Paragould is the talk of the town this fall. Owners Rita Ellington and Madelyn Holifield began work on their historic property, located at 209 and 211 South Pruett Street, in early Spring of 2009. Today, the building is virtually unrecognizable, unless you’ve time traveled from the 1920s, the period to which the building’s exterior was restored.

The historic façade on Pruett Street is one of many hidden architectural gems that lie beneath metal surfaces all over small town America. As was happening to historic buildings all over the country in the 1960s, a metal slipcover was placed over the façade in an attempt to compete with modern shopping malls of the era. On the bright side, the slipcovers have kept original facades considerably intact, as is the case in downtown Paragould. Still, much work was needed to appropriately restore the 1920s character of this building. The brick work was cleaned, tuck-pointed, repaired and replaced where needed. After a masonry primer coat was applied, the façade was painted a masonry spiceberry color. A new cornice was fabricated to resemble the original that had long since been removed. The project was finished with the installations of custom-made awnings and valances in the traditional style.

“The look of Pruett Street has greatly improved, thanks to this newest example of what interested, committed owners and a talented informed contractor can accomplish,” said Main Street Paragould executive director Gina Jarrett. Much of the work on the Holifield-Ellington building was done by a local contractor who is today the go-to person in Paragould for restoration work. The contractor, Chris Bass, one of the first advocates for Main Street Paragould, bought his first historic downtown property ten years ago when the program first started. Lacking a formal background in restoration but ever-willing to learn, the contractor trained himself over the years by using the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, preservation briefs, and online resources. Now a skilled craftsman in historic building rehabilitation, he has bought and restored three buildings downtown.

The new hallmark of downtown Paragould, the Holifield-Ellington rehabilitation is a catalyst for further economic growth in the Main Street area. Such projects create “a little bit of peer pressure on owners who know their buildings need work,” says Jarrett, which causes them to make improvements. Jarrett has also seen such changes impact the community in ways that are not measurable. “All of the [slipcover removals] have made an impact on the downtown area, not only in terms of design and how things look, but in a feeling of pride of ownership.”

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 5, 2009

Just a reminder about the unveiling of the exhibit Caroline is the Curator of:

Main Street in Black and White, a traveling exhibit of historical photographs featuring three downtowns in their heyday. The exhibit features downtown Blytheville, Texarkana, and Batesville. Photographs date from the late 1880s to the 1940s and range from circus elephant parade scenes to World War II marches.

Join us for this celebration of Main Streets at a reception during 2nd Friday Art Night on October 9, 2009, beginning at 5 p.m. 401 Clinton Ave, Little Rock. I hope you can make it.

Also, if you haven’t seen the Michigan Main Street Center’s “Shop Main Street” video, definitely check it out
http://www.michiganmainstreetcenter.com/video.aspx

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 5-9, 2009
***************************************************************************************************************
MONDAY
TUESDAY Nancy – ArtLinks
WEDNESDAY Nancy- out, seminar
THURSDAY Mark & Susan – Rogers
FRIDAY Mark & Susan – Rogers; all staff – Main Street in Black & White unveiling, Arkansas Studies Institute
***************************************************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

Changing the Grid: LR Considers the End of One-Way Streets
The Architecture of Place
Social Media & Third Places
Businesses Use Festivals to Keep Afloat
How Pittsburgh Bounced Back
Sonic City
Creative Class in the Country
Rock Island Bridge

Changing the Grid: LR Considers the End of One-Way Streets
http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=1ccc1945-49e9-4736-9b17-2bf6a083b8c8
- SoMa is a part of the working group

The Architecture of Place
http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/The_Promise_of_Architecture_for_the_Future/ArchofPlace

Social Media & Third Places
http://citiwire.net/post/1360/

thanks to Mark Givens for this one
Businesses Use Festivals to Keep Afloat
http://www.gazette.net/stories/09232009/takonew181419_32527.shtml

How Pittsburgh Bounced Back
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/24/cohon.pittsburgh.renewal/

Sonic City: The Evolving Economic Geography of the Music Industry
http://www.martinprosperity.org/research-and-publications/publication/sonic-city

The Creative Class in the Country
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Creative+Class+country/2030974/story.html

Rock Island Bridge Gets Stimulus Money
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125427218723151321.html

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 28, 2009

Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 28 – October 2, 2009
***************************************************************************************************************
MONDAY Cary & Susan – annual leave
TUESDAY Cary & Susan – annual leave; Greg – Russellville (branding)
WEDNESDAY Greg – Russellville (branding)
THURSDAY all staff – Russellville (branding unveiling 5:30)
FRIDAY
***************************************************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

Main Street Hardy Press
Fire in Downtown Texarkana
A Talking Head Imagines the Perfect City
HOME Funds
The World’s (Arguably) 10 Greatest Urban Parks as Seen from Above
6 Key Lessons from Portland’s Urbanism
A Plan to Add Supermarkets to Poor Areas, with Healthy Results
Pavement to Parks
Elkhart Project
Detroit: The Death & Possible Life of a Great American City
Grant Opportunity
Smith, Rypkema Named Top to 100 Urban Thinkers List

Main Street Hardy Press:
http://www.guardonline.com/content/rv-be-hardy

Fire in Downtown Texarkana
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/localnews/2009/09/23/downtown-fire-blaze-takes-out-downtown-j-89.php

A Talking Head Imagines the Perfect City
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203440104574403293064136098.html

HOME Funds to Purchase & Rehab Buildings
HOME funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) may be used to purchase and rehabilitate buildings that will provide affordable housing.

Here’s a little information on eligible uses for the grant funds: http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/affordablehousing/library/homefires/volumes/vol2no1.cfm

The World’s (Arguably) 10 Greatest Urban Parks as Seen from Above
http://www.infrastructurist.com/2009/09/10/the-worlds-10-greatest-city-parks-viewed-from-above/

6 Key Lessons from Portland’s Urbanism
http://crosscut.com/2009/09/20/portland/19249/

A Plan to Add Supermarkets to Poor Areas, with Healthy Results
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/nyregion/24super.html?_r=1
“the city would offer zoning and tax incentives to spur the development of full-service grocery stores that devote a certain amount of space to fresh produce, meats, dairy and other perishables.”

Pavement to Parks
http://arieff.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/pavement-to-parks/

Elkhart Project
http://elkhartprojectblog.msnbc.msn.com/
Stories of struggle and recovery in America msnbc.com is focusing long-term coverage on the city of Elkhart, IN

• take a look at the Downtown Elkhart video on this page:
http://elkhartprojectblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2009/09/18/3282826-elkhart-plays-the-downtown-card

Detroit: The Death & Possible Life of a Great American City
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1925796,00.html

ULI Memphis Will Use Greenways to Begin Connecting Region’s Dots
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/sep/23/a-regional-view/
- the chapter includes members from West Memphis

APA Urban Design and Preservation Division has extended our grant application deadline to October 15th

The Division's Grant Program is an outstanding opportunity for members. The grant program provides funding for members to infuse the urban design and historic preservation professions with new ideas, explore innovative design solutions outside the realms of everyday practice, and start a dialogue with colleagues about the future of the professions and the built environment.
Members in good standing of the Urban Design and Preservation Division are eligible to apply. Membership is easy, you do not need to be a member of the APA to join the Division.
For applications and more information contact info_UDP@planning.org
or visit us on Facebook or LinkedIn

Smith, Rypkema, Among Top Urban Thinkers
http://www.planetizen.com/topthinkers
both placed above Vitruvius and Price Charles, among others. Congratulations to our friends.

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 21, 2009

Thanks to everyone for a great Destination Downtown conference. We have so many partners, I hesitate to list anyone for fear of leaving someone out. However, the citizens of El Dorado, including the city, A&P & Main Street El Dorado really stepped up to make the conference extraordinary. Again, thanks to all.

On a sad note, there was a terrible fire in historic downtown Morrilton last week. Five buildings were lost and more received exterior smoke damage. Our thoughts are with our friends in Morrilton.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 21-25, 2009
***************************************************************************************************************
MONDAY
TUESDAY Caroline, Susan & Mark – Texarkana
WEDNESDAY Caroline, Susan & Mark – Texarkana
THURSDAY Caroline – off
FRIDAY Cary – LR Sustainability Summit; Susan – Dumas; Caroline – off
***************************************************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

Fire in Historic Downtown Morrilton
Just Because it’s LEED, Doesn’t Make it Green
Main Street Texarkana Press
Livability Forum
For Festival & Event Producers
Preserving Arkansas’s Heritage
Twitter for Businesses

Fire in Historic Downtown Morrilton
http://www.fox16.com/news/local/story/Fire-destroys-4-buildings-damages-6-in-Morrilton/0KdqOVj8ik-h7CKkzDfWsg.cspx?rss=315

http://arkansasmatters.com/content/news/fulltext/?cid=255701

http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0909/659721.html

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=90981&catid=2

Just Because It’s LEED Certified, Doesn’t Mean It’s Green or Energy Efficient
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/31/science/earth/31leed.html?_r=1

MST Warns of Scam
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/localnews/2009/09/03/main-street-warns-city-of-scam-67.php

MST Mural Discussion
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/localnews/2009/09/09/main-street-texarkana-discusses-wood-str-7.php

Livability Forum
The Office of the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration will host a webinar to discuss the new transportation and livability initiatives of the Obama administration including the Partnership for Sustainable Communities.
The webinar will be held September 24 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. EDT. More information and a link to register can be found by clicking this link: http://tinyurl.com/nyue9e.

Festival & Event Producers –

Since 1985, the Southeast Tourism Society has published the Top 20 Events publication. Through a nomination process, the society chooses the Top 20 events going on in the Southeast for each month of the year, and publishes this list of winners quarterly. This publication is sent to over 300 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, and others, as well as 125 AAA publications. The combined circulation runs into the millions. Current Top 20 Events are listed online at http://southeasttourism.org/top20/top20_julsep09.html.

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is a member of the Southeast Tourism Society. As a result, festivals and events in Arkansas may be submitted for the Top 20 Events publication, if they meet the following requirements set forth by the Southeast Tourism Society:

• 1,000 in attendance
• 3rd year in existence
• Payment of $10 nomination fee per event

Top 20 Events strongly encourages you to strengthen your nomination by providing supporting material such as:

• Photos
• Posters
• Brochures
• Press Releases
• News Clippings
• Volunteer Programs
If you would like to nominate your event, contact the Tourism Development Section at (501) 682-5240 or e-mail kristine.puckett at arkansas.gov.

Deadlines for Applications:

Event Occurring In: Submit by:
April/May/June 2010 October 9, 2009
July/August/September 2010 January 8, 2010
October/November/December 2010 April 9, 2010
January/February/March 2011 July 9, 2010
April/May/June 2011 October 8, 2010
July/August/September 2011 January 7, 2011
October/November/December 2011 April 8, 2011
January/February/March 2011 July 8, 2011


Preserve Arkansas Heritage Project

In the spring of 2009, Arkansas received a Connecting to Collections Planning Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This project, titled the Preserve Arkansas Heritage Project, brought together the Arkansas History Commission, the Arkansas State Library, The Arkansas State Parks, and Amigos Library Services. This project will provide the opportunity for these institutions to work together in a collaborative effort to reach all cultural institutions in Arkansas.

As part of this IMLS planning grant, the project Preserve Arkansas Advisory Board will review a statewide survey to select an initial 25 institutions to receive a one day, free, site survey to assess the conditions of artifacts and historical records statewide. The first set of surveys and preservation workshop will take place in Little Rock in late October. Other workshops will be held in state park facilities in the Ft. Smith area, the Mountain View area, the Powhatan area and the Bismarck area until June 2010.

Whether you are a museum, library, archive, historical group, historic house or scientific organization, an onsite conservation survey of your institution and its collections is one of the best ways to either lay a foundation for good collection care or improve good practices that are already in place. Any size institution can benefit. Conservators are trained to find sustainable long-term and short-term solutions to problems faced by institutions of all sizes, budgets and staffs. The solutions to better collection care will be matched with your capabilities, resources and potential.

When it comes to securing funding to address your needs, whether you appeal to your governing authority or apply for a grant, the recommendations of a professional conservator are strong tools for justifying your requests and supporting your goals.

After a conservation survey, your staff, board and governing authority will have a clear road map to a future of better collection care and have common objectives that will result in being able to better realize your short-term and long-term goals.

If you are interested in receiving FREE site survey as part of this project, please complete the project survey at http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2kc1b6ufysy023g/start

The deadline for institutions in the Little Rock area to apply for the free site survey is Friday, September 18.
The deadline for all other locations throughout the state is Friday, October 16th.

TWITTER LAUNCHES NEW SMALL BUSINESS SITE
by Timothy Lee, Associate Extension Specialist, UALR Lead Center
Twitter, the popular social messaging tool, has launched a new site just for small businesses. Business.Twitter.com is a start-up resource for businesses wanting to learn about Twitter and how to begin to use Twitter in their marketing mix.

Twitter 101 is an online tutorial which explains Twitter to a small business owner in simple language. The tutorial advances into best practices and case studies.

Among the best practices, Twitter recommends making sure your tweets provide some real value. Here are a few examples to spark ideas:

• Offer Twitter-exclusive coupons or deals
• Take people behind the scenes of your company
• Post pictures from your offices, stores, warehouses, etc.
• Share sneak peeks of projects or events in development

Learn more at http://Business.Twitter.com.

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 8, 2009

REMINDER – 7 DAYS UNTIL DESTINATION DOWNTOWN
SEPTEMBER 14-16
THIS IS OUR NEXT MANDATORY QUARTERLY TRAINING

Caroline – out all week – annual leave

Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 7 – 11, 2009
***************************************************************************************************************
MONDAY Labor Day – office closed
TUESDAY Cary – Downtown organization’s meeting, NLR; speaking at Low Income Advocates & Community Development conference, pm; Susan – Dumas
WEDNESDAY Cary – speaking at ACHANGE conference, pm
THURSDAY Nancy – Rogers – Sustainability Conference
FRIDAY Nancy – Rogers – Sustainability Conference
***************************************************************************************************************
We depart for El Dorado Sunday. See you there.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Main Street Paragould Press
Recognize an Inspiring Small Business
Turning a Corner on Main Street, Little Rock
More Paragould Press
Get Down, Downtown Searcy
Main Street Batesville Press
Walkability Improves Property Value
Big Boxes Become ‘GreyBoxes’
Cheap Ways to Revitalize Your Downtown
Common NonProfit Facebook Mistakes
3 Funding Opportunities

Main Street Paragould Hosts Annual Community Meeting
http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2009/08/29/local_news/doc4a996de07b1a9201644790.txt

and announces a new & improved Loose Caboose event for 2010
http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2009/09/03/local_news/doc4a9f2415182c4379968522.txt

Recognize an Inspiring Small Business
- they could win up to $100,000 grant & marketing support. Nominators could win up to $3,000
http://shinealight.ivillage.com/

Turning a Corner on Main Street, Little Rock
http://www.arktimes.com/Articles/ArticleViewer.aspx?ArticleID=346cbec7-610b-48ac-aecb-2bda9946d90b
- one note here: the team did not actually call for more parking. By last count there were 8,200 surface parking spots in downtown LR c. a 2001 study. They noted that by restriping you could yield 15-20% more spots.

Façade Work in Historic Downtown Paragould
http://www.kait8.com/Global/story.asp?S=11014207

Get Down, Downtown Searcy
http://ar72143.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/chesapeake-energy-corporation-signs-on-as-presenting-sponsor-for-get-down%E2%80%A6downtown/

Main Street Batesville Press
http://www.kffb.com/blog/batesville-launches-annual-autumn-antique-and-crafts-festival-2/

Neighborhood’s Walkability Increases Property Values
http://www.good.is/post/how-a-neighborhoods-walkability-can-increase-property-values/

Big Boxes Become ‘GreyBoxes’
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31748428/ns/business-real_estate/

hit tip to Heritage Ohio for this one
Cheap Ways to Revitalize Your Downtown
http://www.metromodemedia.com/features/cheapdowntownrevitalization0126.aspx

Five Most Common Mistakes Made by NonProfit Admins on Facebook
http://nonprofitorgs.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/five-most-common-mistakes-made-by-nonprofit-admins-on-facebook/
- most of this advice can be applied to small businesses on Facebook, as well

Funds for Services in Company Communities
TJX Foundation
The TJX Foundation supports nonprofit organizations in the communities where TJX Companies, Inc. divisions operate stores, including locations in every U.S. state except Alaska and Hawaii. (The company also has operations in Puerto Rico, Canada, and Europe.) The Foundation's primary focus is on programs that provide basic needs services to disadvantaged women, children, and families. Funded programs should promote strong families, provide emergency shelter, enhance education/job readiness, and/or build community ties. Specific grant categories include: Civic/Community, Domestic Violence Prevention, Education, Health, and Social Services. Applications are reviewed quarterly; the final application deadline of 2009 is December 4. Visit the company's website for detailed funding guidelines.

NEW! Institute of Museums and Library Services Museums for America Program 11/2/2009 Supports high-priority activities that advance the institution’s mission and strategic goals All types of non-profit museums – large and small; award range $5,000-$150,000; project period up to 2 years; cost sharing is 1:1 match TA calls scheduled for 9/17 and 10/1
http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grantsforAmerica.shtm


USDA Rural Housing Service Rural Community Development Initiative 9/24/2009 Provide financial/technical assistance to projects related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic development Private, nonprofit, including faith-based, and Mr. Jerry Virden
community organizations; award range $50,000-$300,000; matching funds are required; number available will vary Arkansas State Rural Development Office
700 W. Capitol Ave., Rm. 3416
Little Rock, AR, 72201-3225 501-301-3250
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-15128.htm

English Flare at Vintage Square

Arkansas Downtown Network town Siloam Springs just celebrated the grand opening of The English Tea Room in July. Owners Dawn and Rob Cork, of England, opened their doors in the historic Vintage Square building in downtown. Friends and fellow downtowners joined in on a merry toast to the “Queen Mum” and sang “God Save the Queen,” to officially announce high tea on Main Street. Read more about the English Tea Room and downtown Siloam Springs at the “The Word on Main Street” blog: http://mainstreetsiloamsprings.blogspot.com/

Award-Winning El Dorado to Host Destination Downtown Conference

Main Street Arkansas is hosting Destination Downtown in El Dorado on September 14-16. Destination Downtown is the south’s premier conference on downtown revitalization, and is organized by the state Main Street programs of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. This year, we can’t think of a better place to host it than in the 2009 Great American Main Street Award-winning city of El Dorado.

“El Dorado’s boom to bust and back to boom again story is an inspiration to small town America,” said Doug Loescher, the director of the National Trust Main Street Center, who will open the conference on September 14. “The downtown has come full circle. The 20-block district boasts 65 specialty shops, restaurants, and accommodations with an exciting nightlife that includes a classic European pub as well as venues that support one of Arkansas’s strongest music scenes.”

Downtown El Dorado will serve as a living laboratory for conference attendees, who typically range from city mayors and chamber directors to downtown merchants, Main Street directors and dedicated volunteers. “We’re changing it up this year,” says Main Street executive director Cary Tyson. “In the past, we’ve hosted the event at a conference center. This year, attendees will walk the streets and actually engage in downtown on their way to the educational sessions.”

The conference sessions revolve around the four points of Main Street with specialized sessions on downtown housing, storefront design, and retail entrepreneurship. The speakers boast many years of work in the Main Street field and come from all over the country.

Director’s Picks: Tyson is looking forward to “It’s a Circus Out There: Better Work on Your Balancing Act,” a session about how non-profits can avoid overwork and burn-out. Tuesday night, the citizens of El Dorado will re-enact Showdown at Sunset, the historical reenactment of a courthouse duel that has earned them national recognition.

The Main Street Arkansas staff and citizens of El Dorado cordially invite you to register for Destination Downtown conference. For more details, contact Greg Phillips at (501) 324-9887 or email greg@arkansasheritage.org. See you in September!

Main Street Arkansas Update - August 31, 2009

REMINDER – 14 DAYS UNTIL DESTINATION DOWNTOWN
SEPTEMBER 14-16
THIS IS OUR NEXT MANDATORY QUARTERLY TRAINING

Main Street Arkansas Calendar August 31 – September 4, 2009
***************************************************************************************************************
MONDAY Susan, Mark & Nancy – Blytheville
TUESDAY Susan, Mark & Nancy – Blytheville
WEDNESDAY all staff – 530p – reception for new NTHP SW Director
THURSDAY Cary – 10a-3p Volunteerism Commission
FRIDAY
***************************************************************************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE:

LR Main Street Design Charrette
Rogers Frisco Festival
Main Street El Dorado Events Press
Mapping Main Street
AR Service Commission Survey
2 Grant Opportunities

LR Main Street Design Charrette
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.asp?aid=116659

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2009/08/main_street_matters.aspx

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2009/08/more_from_main_street.aspx

and a report from the final presentation
http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/2009/08/clear_off_the_shelf.aspx

On this note, take a look at the visual preference survey for downtown NLR’s masterplan
http://www.tunspan.com/argenta/ips.htm

Rogers Frisco Festival Changes with the Times
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2009/08/24/news/082509rzfrisco.txt

http://www.4029tv.com/news/20617619/detail.html

Main Street El Dorado Super Saturday Events Planned
http://www.eldoradonews.com/news/localnews/2009/08/26/super-saturday-events-planned-83.php

Mapping Main Street
www.mappingmainstreet.com

Arkansas Service Commission Survey

The Arkansas Service Commission is working to produce a State Service Plan for submission to the Corporation for National and Community Service. This State Plan is produced every three years and will cover 2010-2012 activities. It will determine the priorities for national service programs in Arkansas, in conjunction with our partners such as Learn and Serve, VISTA, Senior Corps, City Year, Delta Service Corps, etc.

You play a vital role in your community and are in touch with opinion leaders and constituents every day. You hear what the people of Arkansas feel are the most important issues for them-what really touches their lives.

Please take a minute or two and link to the survey and let us know what you hear about the needs for service areas in Arkansas. Feel free to send this survey to others you believe would be interested in sharing their opinion, as well.

The survey is at: http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB229G5N755Q3

National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Public Programs grants

The National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Public Programs funds public projects at museums, libraries, historic sites, and other historical and cultural organizations. The grants support historic site interpretation, exhibits, reading or film discussion series, symposia, and digital projects. For more information contact the Division of Public Programs, 202-606-8269 or www.neh.gov. The application deadline for funds from America’s Historical and Cultural Organizations and Interpreting America’s Historic Places programs is January 13, 2010.

Partnership in Scholarship Grants for African American Historic Places
These grants will support collaborative projects between African American historic places and college/university scholars. This year, four grants of $15,000 each (no match required) will be awarded in the fall of 2009 to projects that help sustain current or attract new audiences at historic sites or enhance the interpretation of challenging topics at historic sites. Guidelines for the Partnership-in-Scholarship Grants are available at http://historicsites.wordpress.com/2009/07/24/partnership-in-scholarship-grant-application-form/. For additional information contact Max van Balgooy at max_vanbalgooy@nthp.org. The application deadline is September 30.