Monday, April 25, 2011

Main Street Arkansas Update - April 25, 2011


Downtown Siloam Springs


The Siloam Springs Resource Team is this week. Greg, Susan & Samantha will be in Siloam all week.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar April 25 - 29, 2011
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MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY Cary – Summit on Volunteerism - LR (leading Capacity Building session); Cary, Mark & Nancy – Siloam Springs Resource Team presentation in the evening
FRIDAY Return from Siloam
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Main Street El Dorado Press
Development in Downtown Ft. Smith
New Freeware Forecasts Impact of Historic Preservation Investment
IRS Webinar: What 501c3 Organizations Need to Know
Seminar for New Restaurants
4 Grant Opportunities



Main Street El Dorado Press:
http://www.magnoliareporter.com/entertainment/festivals/article_29f07030-6b1b-11e0-988e-001cc4c03286.html

Development in Downtown Fort Smith
http://www.swtimes.com/business/article_24a1c6c8-6b53-11e0-8547-001cc4c03286.html

New Freeware to forecast the total economic effects of the rehabilitation of commercial historic buildings
http://ntcicfunds.com/services/preservation-economic-impact-model-2-0/

IRS webinar re-broadcast entitled Starting Off Right: What New 501c3 Organizations Need to Know.

The 45-minute webinar is scheduled for 2 p.m., Eastern, on Thursday, April 28. Content includes:
• Doing what you said you would - meeting your organization's "operational test"
• Five ways to avoid jeopardizing your 501(c)(3) status.
• Annual filing requirements for exempt organizations
• What records should your organization maintain?
• Tools you can use for tax compliance as your organization grows
For more information or to register, go to http://www.visualwebcaster.com/IRS/78434/reg.asp?id=78434.


New Seminar: Restaurant 101

Restaurants are among the hardest businesses to start up and to operate. This seminar covers the step-by-step details such as menu development, site configuration, personnel, financing, marketing, advertising and legal issues.
Restaurant 101 Tuesday, May 312:30 pm to 4:30 pm Reynolds Business Center, UALR Cost: $40

Resources for Current and Potential Restaurant Owners

Clients of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center enjoy access to not just free consulting services, but also amazing resources for current and potential restaurant owners. For instance, the ASBTDC can provide its clients with a copy of The 2010 Restaurant, Food & Beverage Research Handbook. With a thorough and in-depth analysis of the $580 billion restaurant and foodservice industry, this handbook provides consumer spending data, market forecasts, trends assessments for all segments, and more.

The trends assessments include discussions of consumer behavioral trends, menu trends, daypart analysis (including snacks and late-night), and more. Comprehensive demographic data for all dayparts at full-service and quick-service restaurants as well as an analysis of restaurant spending in each state and dining statistics for 85 metro areas are provided. The handbook also assesses post-recession consumer spending, discusses restaurant strategies for sales growth, and identifies market opportunities brought on by changing consumer behaviors.

Contact an ASBTDC consultant today to setup an appointment and begin receiving your free services!

Grant Opportunities
2011 Kodak American Greenways Awards
The Eastman Kodak Company, The Conservation Fund and the National Geographic Society team up each year to present the Kodak American Greenways Awards. One major element of the Greenways Program involves "seed" grant awards to organizations that are growing our nation's network of greenways, blueways, trails and natural areas. These projects connect Americans to the outdoors and their heritage. For 2011, the Greenways Program anticipates awarding up to fifty percent of the grants to those greenways projects that demonstrate the convergence of economic prosperity and the environment. Grants range from $500 to $2,500. The 2011 application deadline is June 15th.
For more information and to download an application, visit: http://grants.conservationfund.org

Home Depot is Giving Truckloads of Merchandise to Needy Charities and Nonprofits
It's literally true. Qualified nonprofits often receive entire truckloads of Home Depot merchandise thanks to Good360’s product donor partnership. If your organization needs the types of merchandise typically carried at Home Depot, or one of our other hundreds of partners, visit Good360.org to determine if you qualify to be a recipient. If so, you could soon be receiving merchandise from the Home Depot right in your neighborhood. Visit Good360.org now to find your perfect donation partner.

Support for Community and Public Education Enhancement Projects
Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation
The Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in the communities where Lowe's operates stores and distribution centers throughout the United States. Grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 are provided for community improvement initiatives and K-12 public education projects. Funding priorities for community improvement initiatives include park, neighborhood, and community facility enhancements; outdoor learning programs; and community clean-ups. Funding priorities for public education projects include construction-related education initiatives; playground enhancements; clean-up, landscaping, and painting projects; and minor repair of public school buildings. Since schools and community groups are struggling to make ends meet in 2011, this year the Foundation will give priority to basic, one-time project needs. Requests may be submitted at any time. Visit the company’s website to take the eligibility test and submit an online application.

Department of Housing and Urban Development: Healthy Homes Production Program
Application deadline: June 9, 2011
This program provides support for coordinated efforts to address a variety of high-priority environmental health and safety hazards, including the identification and remediation of multiple housing-related diseases and injuries, with a focus on units or buildings where children and elderly reside. Priority will be given to efforts that integrate healthy homes principles and practices into existing housing rehabilitation, property maintenance, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, and other housing improvement programs.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Main Street Arkansas Update - April 18, 2011


Downtown Eureka Springs


Main Street Arkansas Calendar April 18 - 22, 2011
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MONDAY Cary & Mark – Eureka Springs (microenterprise workshop)
TUESDAY Cary & Mark – Eureka Springs (microenterprise workshop); Susan & Samantha – Searcy (merchant visit)
WEDNESDAY Susan & Nancy – Blytheville (property owner site visit); Cary – UALR a.m.
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Fire in Downtown Fort Smith
Eureka Springs Save America’s Treasures Grant Still Unfunded
Downtown Rogers Awning Removal Press
12 Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation
Road Diet video
Urban Centers Drawing More Young, Educated Adults



Fire in Downtown Fort Smith
http://www.swtimes.com/news/article_b90fb990-646f-11e0-ad66-001cc4c002e0.html

http://www.swtimes.com/news/article_32970212-650d-11e0-8b03-001cc4c03286.html

http://www.5newsonline.com/news/kfsm-boomerang-bounces-back-in-fort-smith-20110413,0,5943167.story

Eureka Springs SAT grant still unfunded
http://www.lovelycitizen.com/story/1718445.html

Downtown Rogers Awning Removal Press:
http://www.5newsonline.com/news/kfsm-downtown-rogers-awnings-coming-down-20110411,0,3460909.story

12 Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation (pdf download)
http://my.preservationnation.org/site/DocServer/Economic_Benefits_of_HP_April_2011.pdf?docID=9023

Road Diet video – worth your time watching
http://www.streetfilms.org/mba-road-diet/

hat tip to Ron Drake for this one
Urban Centers Drawing More Young, Educated Adults
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-04-01-1Ayoungrestless01_ST_N.htm?sms_ss=gmail&at_xt=4da325749a45c218%2C0
“Educated 20- and 30-somethings are flocking to live downtown…”

Monday, April 11, 2011

Main Street Arkansas Update - April 11, 2011

Welcome Samantha Evans to our staff as the new Assistant Director. Her email is samantha at arkansasheritage.org

Main Street Arkansas Calendar April 11 - 15 , 2011
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MONDAY Mark – Rogers
TUESDAY Nancy & Susan – West Memphis (design committee training & site visits for CDBG project)
WEDNESDAY Cary – LR (Greening the Capitols); Mark & Susan – Monticello (merchant site visits)
THURSDAY Cary – Dardanelle (AR Downtown Network presentation); Susan – South Main (merchant site visits)
FRIDAY Cary – LR (Greening the Capitols)
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Main Street Trends Survey
Main Street Blytheville Launches New Website
National Tourism Week May 7-15
2 Grant Opportunities
USDA Survey


Main Street Trends Survey
The annual Main Street Trends Survey is OPEN! Your information provides vital feedback to help us determine the "State of Main Street," and track revitalization patterns, identify trends, and promote your successes.

Please take the survey by COB Friday, April 18.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HZZBSBX

If you’d like to preview the survey before you start taking it, you can find the link on our conference website.

Main Street Blytheville Launches New Website
www.mainstreetblytheville.com

National Tourism Week May 7-15
www.arkansas.com/national-tourism-week.

Grant Opportunity
TONY HAWK FOUNDATION (10/01/11)
The Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on encouraging and facilitating the design, development, construction, and operation of high-quality, public skate parks in low-income areas. Grants are awarded to projects that are designed and built by qualified and experienced skate park contractors; include local skaters in the design process; are in low-income areas and/or areas with a population of at-risk youth. Other *** include demonstrating a strong grassroots commitment; have a creative mix of street obstacles and transition/vert terrain; do not require skaters or their parents to sign waivers; and encourage skaters to look after their own safety and the safety of others. The Foundation also seeks proposals that allow the skate parks to be open during daylight hours year round; don’t charge an entry fee; and are in areas that currently have no skateboarding facility. Additional information including an online grant application can be found on the Web site. | Grant Range: $1,000 To $25,000 | Contact Info: TONY HAWK FOUNDATION, 1611-A S. Melrose Drive, Suite 360, Vista, CA, 92081, Ph: 760-477-2479, Visit Website

Support for Community Improvement Programs
Home Depot Community Impact Grants Program

The Home Depot Community Impact Grants Program provides support to nonprofit organizations, public schools, and public service agencies in the U.S. that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their communities. Proposals for the following community improvement activities will be considered: repairs, refurbishments, and modifications to low-income and/or transitional housing or community facilities (schools, community centers, senior centers, etc.); weatherizing or increasing energy efficiency of low-income and/or transitional housing or community facilities; planting trees or community gardens and/or landscaping community facilities; and development of community parks or green spaces. Grants of up to $5,000 are made in the form of The Home Depot gift cards for the purchase of tools, materials, or services. Requests will be accepted from April 4 through October 31, 2011. Visit the Home Depot website to submit an online application.


US EDA Asks Your Opinion
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), in collaboration with Portland State University, is creating a tool that will help practitioners and policy-makers better identify and describe the impacts of their economic development investments. This on-line tool may be used by a range of policymakers, investors, and economic development professionals at the local, regional, state, and national levels.

To ensure that this tool is relevant and user-friendly, economic development practitioners and policymakers from across the US are invited to share their input through a short survey. Your participation is strongly encouraged!

The survey is brief and should take about fifteen minutes to complete. The survey can be found at

https://portlandstate.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_81Es0ivGicycwzq

and may be completed between March 31st, 2011 and April 26th, 2011.

You are eligible to complete this survey if you are 1) an economic development practitioner or policymaker 2) whose organization makes decisions about economic development priorities, investments, or activities and are 3) familiar with your organization's process for making investment priorities and decision.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Main Street Arkansas Update - April 4, 2011

Two bits of staffing news – Samantha Evans will join us as our new Assistant Director. Samantha has a B.A. in Political Science from Spelman College and a Masters in Urban Planning and Regional Development from the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota. We’re very excited about her becoming part of our team.

Also, Nancy Lowe will be out of the office beginning June 6 to have her knee replaced. We expect her to return on or about July 18. So, if you have exterior design projects, please contact us ASAP. I’ve told Nancy to stop taking major technical assistance requests after May 1 so as to meet our 30 day turnaround. However, we will still be providing design technical assistance in her absence, it just may take us a bit longer than usual.


Main Street Arkansas Calendar April 4 - 8, 2011
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MONDAY
TUESDAY Greg – out p.m.
WEDNESDAY Greg – Texarkana (Promotion Committee training)
THURSDAY Susan & Nancy – Rector; Mark – West Memphis
FRIDAY Greg – off
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IN THIS ISSUE:
1000s of Brand New Products Available to Qualified Nonprofits
Downtown Jonesboro Association Press
Is Green Fading?
USDA Offers Grants for Energy Efficient Rural Small Businesses
Save America’s Treasures – Lost



Thousands of Brand New Products Available to Qualified Nonprofits
Good360
Relationships with nearly 50 percent of Fortune 100 technology, retail, and consumer companies enable us to offer a wide array of product donations. Whether it’s clothing, diapers, mattresses, furniture, office/school supplies or personal hygiene products, we’re sure to have something that will help you with your mission. New products arrive nearly every day, so please visit Good360.org to see we what have for your nonprofit today!

Downtown Jonesboro Association Press
http://www.jonesborosun.com/story.php?ID=46664

Is Green Fading?
http://innovation.arkansasbusiness.com/article/125923/is-green-fading-jim-karrh-on-marketing

USDA OFFERS GRANTS FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT RURAL SMALL BUSINESSES
by Rebecca Norman, Innovation Consultant, UALR Lead Center
Rural small businesses and farmers are encouraged to explore funding opportunities through the Rural Energy For America Program (REAP) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. REAP provides grants and loan guarantees to rural small businesses for up to 25 percent of the cost to purchase and install renewable energy generation systems.

The maximum award size is $500,000 per renewable energy project, although grants of $20,000 or less are strongly favored. In FY2009, more than $50 million in REAP grants were awarded. Complete program details can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/or/biz/REAP_RESoverview.pdf.

USDA REAP applications are accepted throughout the year, though they are typically only funded during specific funding windows. The application deadline for FY2011 funding has not yet been announced. Awards are likely to be announced in summer 2011. In the past, REAP grants have been awarded to solar photovoltaic projects, wind projects, and biomass processing equipment.

Save America’s Treasures – Lost
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CUTTING_HISTORYS_BUDGET?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=pingfm