Main Street Arkansas Update - March 28, 2011

Historic Downtown Rogers, A Great American Main Street Award winning city

Main Street Arkansas Calendar March 28 – April 1, 2011
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MONDAY Mark, Susan – Rogers
TUESDAY Mark, Susan – Rogers & Ozark; Cary – guest lecture at UALR Economic Development course
WEDNESDAY Cary – Sherwood Rotary, LR Downtown Partnership; Greg, Russellville & Searcy (assessments)
THURSDAY Greg, Russellville & Searcy (assessments)
FRIDAY Greg & Susan – Siloam Springs
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IN THIS ISSUE:

A Day on Main Street, Blytheville
Main Street Rogers Removes Shake Shingled Awnings
National Volunteer Week April 10-16
Event Promo Opportunity
2 Grant Opportunities
Governor’s Arts Awards
Application for 100 Best Communities

A Day on Main Street, Blytheville
http://www.couriernews.net/gallery/dayonmain

Main Street Rogers Takes Down Shake Shingled Awnings
http://nwahomepage.com/fulltext-news?nxd_id=225906

http://www.4029tv.com/money/27294292/detail.html

National Volunteer Week April 10-16, 2011
To learn more about national recognition programs:
http://www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/signatureevents/nvw

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.

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:
October/November/December 2011 April 8, 2011
January/February/March 2012 July 8, 2011
April/May/June 2012 October 7, 2011
July/August/September 2012 January 6, 2012


Grant Opportunity
http://kaboom.org/take_action/playful_city_usa
Let’s Play grants program launches with $2.1 MM in grants over the next three years exclusively for Playful City USA communities (New for 2011) Priority status for KaBOOM! playground builds and grants (totaling over $3.8 million since 2007) Local public relations and media support from KaBOOM! Highway signs identifying your community's commitment to children. Access to publications, research studies, and training opportunities Personalized activation materials to celebrate your Playful City USA status Recognition at national municipal leadership and recreation conferences

National Endowment for the Humanities: Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions
Application deadline: May 3, 2011
This program provides support to small and mid-sized institutions in order to improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections, including special collections of books and journals, archives and manuscripts, prints and photographs, moving images, sound recordings, architectural and cartographic records, decorative and fine art objects, textiles, archaeological and ethnographic artifacts, furniture, historical objects, and digital materials. Preservation activities eligible for support include general preservation assessments; consultations with professionals to address a specific preservation issue, need, or problem; purchase of storage furniture and preservation supplies; purchase of environmental monitoring equipment for humanities collections; and education and training.

2011 Governor’s Arts Awards – Applications Now Being Accepted
The Arkansas Arts Council is now accepting nominations for the 2011 Governor’s Arts Awards. The annual awards recognize Arkansas artists, arts patrons and corporations for their outstanding contributions to the arts community.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 6, 2011. Nominees must be current Arkansas residents or Arkansas-based corporations.

Nominations are accepted in seven categories: Arts Community Development, Arts in Education, Corporate Sponsorship of the Arts, Individual Artist, Folklife, Patron, and Lifetime Achievement.

A distinguished panel from the Arkansas arts community reviews the nominations, and the award winners will be honored at an awards ceremony later this year. Each nomination will be judged on the significance of the contributions made, the range of the individuals and groups served and the length of time and degree of the activity or contributions.

Governor’s Arts Awards nomination forms are available at www.arkansasarts.org. For more information, call Cheri Leffew at (501) 324-9767 or e-mail cheri at arkansasheritage.org.


Applications for 100 Best Communities Now Available
America's Promise Alliance: 2011 100 Best Communities for Young People
Is your community one of the nation’s best places for young people? If so, America’s Promise Alliance and the ING Foundation want to know about it! The 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING celebrates communities of all sizes – including cities, towns, counties and school districts – dedicated to improving life for young people and increasing graduation rates. The 100 Best Communities are intended to be representative of the nation as a whole. Each year, the winners vary dramatically in size, location, demographics, resources, and approaches to their unique challenges. Applications for the 2011 cycle are now available and are due by May 27. Please visit the America’s Promise Alliance website to learn more about the competition and to begin the application process.

Historic Tax Credits Lead in Revitalization

Main Street Arkansas Update - March 21, 2011

Historic Downtown Russellville

Susan – annual leave M-F

Main Street Arkansas Calendar March 21 – 25, 2011
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MONDAY Greg – out
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY Nancy – Russellville (site visit)
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Main Street Searcy Press
AEDC Unveils Revised, Updated Target Industries List
BR&E Success Stories
AR State Parks Survey
AR Urban Forestry Conference
Workshop for Rural Bizs: Online Marketing

Main Street Searcy Press:
http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=404336

http://searcy.todaysthv.com/news/business/farmers-market-prepares-season-opening/56844

Arkansas unveils revised, updated target industries

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission has revised and updated its target businesses – those that create strategic investments designed to transition the state’s economy to one supported by higher-paying, knowledge-based jobs. These targets provide specific niche opportunities based on existing strengths and competitive advantages. The target industries are:
• Advanced Manufacturing (Advanced Food Manufacturing and Packaging, Aerospace/Aviation, Automotive – Electric Cars and Suppliers, Energy Storage Devices, and Paper and Timber Products);
• Green Energy and Related Products (Green and Sustainable Building Products, Sustainable Agriculture – Bioenergy and Supporting Industries, Power Electronics – Smart Grid Enabling Technologies, Solar Component Manufacturing, and Wind Component Manufacturing);
• Information Technology (Data Centers, Software Development and Data Management Services, Technical Support Centers, and Telecommunications)
• Biosciences, Distribution and Logistics Services and Regional Headquarters

For more information about AEDC’s target industries, click here.

Business Retention and Expansion Division seeks success stories

AEDC’s Business Retention and Expansion Division recently sent messages to community leaders in an effort to gather local experiences and best practices that promote business retention, identify challenges to growth or prosperity, or laud innovative work done by communities. The information will be shared to help others with similar experiences statewide. For more information or to share your story, contact LaJuana Delph at 501-682-7382 or ldelph@arkansasedc.com.

Arkansas State Parks Survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2011ASPGuestSurvey

Arkansas Urban Forestry Council’s 20th Annual Conference
"Forests for All: Managing Modern Urban Forests"
April 18-20, 2011 Clarion Resort on the Lake. Hot Springs
http://www.arkansastrees.org/register.html

WORKSHOPS TO TEACH RURAL BUSINESSES HOW TO USE ONLINE MARKETING TO DRAW TOURISTS
Rural tourism expert Joanne Steele wants to help Arkansas’ rural communities and businesses capture the immense potential of the Internet for attracting tourists.

In April, she will present the workshop “Promoting Rural Tourism: Making the Internet Work for Your Business and Your Town” in seven locations around the state. The Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center is sponsoring the training, which is funded through a grant award from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

As owner and operator of Rural Tourism Marketing Group, Steele has worked for more than 15 years to help rural communities become tourist destinations. She served 11 years as director of tourism for rural Siskiyou County, Calif. Through her acclaimed blog, http://RuralTourismMarketing.com, she shares her knowledge of the rural tourism industry and her dedication to rural culture and values.

Steele’s 6-hour presentation will show participants how regular small-town business practices such as knowing your customers and serving their needs are exactly the principles that are used to create an effective online marketing strategy. Participants will learn how all the pieces of this strategy – including a business website, social media, e-mail marketing, review sites and directories – work together. They will use this new knowledge to create a personalized Internet marketing strategy that fits their business, their time constraints and their skill level.

The workshop schedule:
• April 16 – Van Buren, Adult Continuing Education Center, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
• April 18-19 – Eureka Springs, The Basin Hotel, 6-9 p.m.
• April 20-21 – Mountain Home, Liberty Bank, 1-4 p.m.
• April 23 – Little Rock, University of Arkansas at Little Rock Reynolds Center, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
• April 25-26 – Hot Springs, Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, 6-9 p.m.
• April 27-28 – Magnolia, Southern Arkansas University Science Center, 1-4 p.m.
• April 30 – Dumas, Dumas Community Center, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Registration fee for the workshop is $30 per person. Advance registration is required and available by phone or email. Contact the ASBTDC’s Shannon Roberts at (501) 683-7700 or toll-free (800) 862-2040, or e-mail her at sxroberts at ualr.edu.

Main Street Arkansas Update - March 14, 2011

West Memphis of a Few Years Ago

Main Street Arkansas Calendar March 14 - March 18 , 2011
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MONDAY Cary – annual leave
TUESDAY Greg, Mark & Susan – West Memphis
WEDNESDAY Greg, Mark & Susan – Heber Springs
THURSDAY Susan – South Main
FRIDAY
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Main Street Looking to Boost Tourism with Street Performershttp://www.eldoradonews.com/news/localnews/2011/03/09/main-street-looking-to-boost-tourism-wit-28.php

Main Street Russellville Participating in Clean and Green Programhttp://www.couriernews.com/story.php?ID=27406

The Keys for M-Es – Micro Enterprise Business Conference (http://esdn.ticketbud.com/keysconference), April 18 and 19, 2011 at the 1905 Basin Park Hotel will be presented by the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) and Eureka Springs Downtown Network and is sponsored by the 1905 Basin Park Hotel. The 2-day conference focuses on the tools needed for Small Businesses to survive, thrive, and grow. Most small businesses in our region are 1 - 15 people and they have different needs then other larger businesses - the Keys for M-E's Conference is developed just for you and what you need.
The conference will give Real World Tools that you can apply immediately to your business and will focus on three areas: Internet Marketing, Customer Service and Motivating You & Your Staff. With these three areas you will be able to power into 2011 with confidence and the knowledge to grow your success.
Featuring noted Marketing Expert, Joanna Steele presenting Making Internet Marketing Work for You, Your Business and Your Town – Sponsored by the University of Arkansas - Small Business and Technology Development Center. Steele’s 6 hour workshop, part of the Keys for M-Es Conference, will show participants how regular small town business practices such as knowing your customer, and serving his or her needs are exactly the principles that are used to create an effective internet marketing strategy. Members will learn how all the pieces of this strategy including a business website, social media, email marketing, review sites and directories work together. They will use this new knowledge to create a personalized Internet marketing strategy that fits their business, their time constraints and their skill level.
“The internet has given small towns and rural businesses a chance they have never been able to afford to compete with the biggest corporations and most popular tourism destinations. With the advent of internet marketing and social media, anyone can speak directly to people who are online looking for exactly what these towns and businesses have to offer,” states Joanne Steele. “But the internet requires a little knowledge and grit to conquer and get comfortable with. That’s my job.”
Three other sessions are planned to round out the conference and provide ongoing training and tools that small businesses can use the moment they return from the conference. Linda McFarlin, noted Customer Service Trainer will focus on bringing best practices to very small businesses. When the economy is down the only thing that really matters is customer service and she will build your skills to enhance your business. Sharon Spurlin, personal coach and mentor, will present a workshop featuring tools to keep yourself motivated and your staff. Her approach is to build your communication skills and refuel your passion for what you do everyday. Walk away feeling like you can share your enthusiasm with your customers and your staff to create excellence in your business. The ASBTDC will include a session on resources that are available with easy access through the University of Arkansas Center.
Tickets are $65 for the 2-day conference and include all sessions and the Reception Monday evening and can be purchased at http://esdn.ticketbud.com/keysconference.


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About ESDN: Eureka Springs Downtown Network in partnership with Main Street Arkansas as part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation program and the City of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, works to support preservation, business education, promotional programming, economic development and beautification in downtown Eureka Springs with the understanding that a vibrant downtown is in the best interest of the City as a whole.
For more information regarding ESDN, its programs, initiatives and volunteer opportunities, one should contact Wolven by phone at 479-244-5074 or via email at .

Main Street Arkansas Update - March 7, 2011

South Main, Little Rock


If anyone has a Heritage Month event for May 2011, please register it at your earliest convenience at http://www.arkansasheritage.com/plan/heritage_month_registry.aspx.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar March 7 – 11, 2011
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MONDAY Cary – Governor’s Conference on Tourism, LR
TUESDAY Cary – Governor’s Conference on Tourism, LR
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY Mark – Hardy (interviews); Cary – out
FRIDAY Cary – out
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Main Street El Dorado Press
Main Street Texarkana Press
Main Street Russellville Press
Delta Byways Award Winners
Clinton School Seeks Field Service Partners
Scholarship to Community Development Institute
Scholarship to National Trust Conference
National Trust Survey
Americorp Workshop

Main Street El Dorado Welcomes Travis Tritt
http://www.eldoradonews.com/news/localnews/2011/02/26/tritt-to-perform-unplugged-show-at-munic-99.php

Main Street Texarkana Press
http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2011/02/28/preserving-the-past-planning-the-future-310813.php

Main Street Russellville Press
http://russellville.todaysthv.com/news/community-spirit/volunteer-main-street-russellville/55154

Congratulations to Arkansas Delta Byways Award Winners:
• Boot Strap Award: Main Street Paragould’s Holiday Traditions
• Promotional Award: Main Street Programs in Blytheville, Helena, Paragould and West Memphis (sponsored by MSA)
• Outstanding Member Award: Rep. Sheilla Lampkin, Monticello (board member of Downtown Monticello)

Clinton School Seeks Field Service Partners
The Clinton School invites non-profits, government agencies, businesses, foundations or other organizations working on issues of social change to submit ideas for field service partnerships to be completed during the 2011-2012 academic year.
Field service at the Clinton School emphasizes the practice of public service through student projects focusing on systemic social justice issues. Clinton School students complete three for-credit public service projects during the two-year Master of Public Service (MPS) degree program.
“The students, the partner organizations and the community have all benefited from the field service projects,” said Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford. “We encourage interested organizations to submit proposals to work with us next year.”
Projects appropriate for partnerships with Clinton School students include:
• Conducting needs assessments to study a problem and determine a plan to develop and implement solutions
• Identifying and developing community/organization assets
• Designing and implementing surveys to collect information about a problem
• Building or strengthening partnerships, coalitions and/or teams
• Conducting interviews and focus groups
• Mobilizing people to take action on social issues
• Researching best practices
• Facilitating public discussions on social issues
Click here for all application materials. An information session for interested organizations will be on Wednesday, March 30 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Sturgis Hall. To attend that session or obtain additional information about how to apply contact Jeanne Busbea at jbbusbea at clintonschool.uasys.edu or (501) 683-5130.

Scholarships to Community Development Institute
http://www.uca.edu/cdi/scholarship.php

2011 Diversity Scholarship Program Applications Now Available
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is now accepting applications for the 2011 Diversity Scholarship program for the National Preservation Conference, to be held in Buffalo, NY, October 19-22, 2011. The program provides financial assistance to community leaders from diverse social, economic, racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds. It also gives attendees an opportunity to network and participate in the conference, and provides them with tools to strengthen their commitment and effectiveness in preserving historic places and revitalizing communities. Visit our website for more information on the program and how to apply. Have questions? Email: scholarship@nthp.org. Applications are due electronically by June 1, 2011.
Dear National Trust Partners and Colleagues:
Almost eight months ago, I was honored to become the 8th president of the National Trust. During my short time at the Trust, I have been energized by the excellent work and track record of the organization’s wide range of partner networks across the United States—Statewide and Local Partners, Main Street organizations, Forum members, National Trust Historic Sites, Save America’s Treasures projects, and others.
To ensure these partnerships continue to be relevant and mutually rewarding, the National Trust is conducting a number of assessments over the next few months to evaluate the effectiveness of our efforts, including how we relate to partners and constituents, and how they relate to us. This Needs Assessment Survey, the first in a series of targeted surveys, will help us determine where to focus our energy and resources in the future.
Access the survey here.
As a member of one or more of our partner networks, the information and feedback you offer in this confidential survey will provide valuable insight into National Trust services and resources that have the potential to have the greatest impact. As you know with respect to your own organization and work, it is not possible to be all things to all organizations, especially in a time of limited resources. We are striving to focus our work with partners on areas that are most needed and will achieve the most meaningful results.
We appreciate your setting aside approximately 20 to 30 minutes over the next few weeks to complete the online survey and submit it no later than Friday, March 18. The information gathered will be compiled and analyzed, and we will be glad to share how the results influence our decision-making in the months to come.
Many thanks for your help as we move forward together to save more places that matter.
With warmest regards,
Stephanie Meeks, President, National Trust for Historic Preservation

AmeriCorps Grant Writing Workshop Registration
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Friday, March 18, 2011

This workshop is for AmeriCorps specific grant applications. In it, participants will learn the information necessary to put forward an application for AmeriCorps program funding in the 2011 grant cycle. We will cover the service corps and six focus areas of Corporation for National and Community Service programs, identify performance measures with their outputs and outcomes and discuss the financial and programmatic requirements of a federal grant. You will learn the basics of AmeriCorps, the Arkansas Service Commission and the grant review and application process. This workshop is free of charge and open to any agency interested in hosting an AmeriCorps program. (Registration deadline March 10th.)