Monday, October 8, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 8, 2012

Historic Downtown Heber Springs 

November 1 – Arkansas Community Development Conference – UCA, Conway – more at arcds.org

SAVE THE DATE:      March 4-5, 2013 Quarterly Training in Little Rock – Legislative Outreach & Fundraising

Main Street Arkansas Calendar – October 8 – 12, 2012 
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MONDAY                             Susan – out, ill  
TUESDAY                           Sam & Greg – Arkadelphia; Mark – Hardy  
WEDNESDAY                    Greg, Susan, Sam – Heber Springs (board training)  
THURSDAY                        Susan, Nancy – El Dorado (urban forestry workshop)
FRIDAY                               
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IN THIS ISSUE:
It’s Official – Downtowns Are Booming
More Positive Downtown Growth Press
Families Will Choose to Live Downtown – If We Design for Kids
Recognize Your Festival/Event – AR Festival & Events Assoc Call for Award Noms
A Texas Downtown & a Creative/Artistic Way to Build Public Restrooms
Where Do Commuters Walk to Work? – AR ranked very low
Location Strategy: Do Downtowns Go with Dentures?
More than 20% of Americans Own a Tablet Computer
Reward Philanthropy in Your Community
Award for Excellence – call for noms
AR ArtLinks Conference – Oct 16-17, Hot Springs

It’s Official – Downtowns Are Booming

More Positive Downtown Growth Press

Families Will Choose to Live Downtown, If We Design for Kids

Recognize Your Festival – AR Festival & Events Association Awards
Recognize outstanding examples of quality, creativity, and achievement in the festivals and events industry by submitting your nomination NOW for the 2012 ALFiE Awards. The awards will be presented at the 2013 AFEA Annual Conference on Jan 31-Feb 1. To download the nomination form, go to http://tinyurl.com/alfieform and be sure to include all support materials along with the completed form(s) when submitting.

A Texas Downtown & a Creative/Artistic Way to Build Public Restrooms
-          Price? Apx. $40-60k, constructed by city workers.

Where Do Commuters Walk to Work?
-          you’ll only see a handful of AR cities listed & the numbers are pretty pitiful.  No place in AR even cracks 3%

Location Strategy: Do Downtowns Go With Dentures?

More than 20% of Americans Own a Tablet Computer
-          This is growing exponentially & will surely increase with the iPad mini announcement later this month (allegedly) Is your website enabled for mobile/sniffer technology?

Reward Companies Doing Good in Your Community
Who’s doing good in your community? Each year Arkansas Community Foundation recognizes local businesses that are committed to good citizenship and worthy philanthropic endeavors. Our Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation of the Year awards are presented at the annual Arkansas Business of the Year ceremony hosted by Arkansas Business

Announcement: Rudy Bruner Award For Urban Excellence 2013 Call for Entries
The Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence celebrates urban places that are distinguished by quality design and their social and economic contributions to our nation’s cities. Winners offer creative place making solutions that transcend the boundaries between architecture, urban design and planning and showcase innovative thinking about American cities. One Gold Medal of $50,000 and four Silver Medals of $10,000 will be awarded. Projects must be a real place, not just a plan or a program, and be located in the 48 contiguous United States. Award winners may use prize money in any way that benefits the project. To apply:  Visit www.brunerfoundation.org/rba to learn more about the award (including a digital archive and case studies of past winners) and to download the application. For more information, questions or to request a copy of the application or Call for Entries poster, email us at application@brunerfoundation.org. The deadline for the 2013 Award is December 10, 2012.

Arkansas Arts Council to Host Statewide Arts Conference Oct. 16-17 in Hot Springs
Creating a thriving statewide arts advocacy alliance is the theme for "ArtLinks 2012" set for Oct. 16-17 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. Hosted annually by the Arkansas Arts Council, "ArtLinks 2012: Putting the Pieces in Place" is a statewide conference for artists, arts administrators, educators and community leaders in Arkansas.

Speakers from around the United States will illuminate how arts organizations can operate more effectively and use new funding streams to develop economic collaborations. Participants will learn ways artists and arts organizations can work with their communities to create a successful arts advocacy alliance. Registration forms, speakers’ bios and conference details are available at www.arkansasarts.org or by calling the Arkansas Arts Council at (501) 324-9766.

The conference will also include a luncheon presentation by Kimberly Camp, former director of The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, and the awarding of the Individual Artist Fellowships. Keynote speaker Betty Plumb, executive director of the South Carolina Arts Alliance, will speak on the impact a private, nonprofit statewide assembly can have on funding for the arts and arts education. Under her leadership, Plumb organized a successful grassroots advocacy campaign to restore funding that was cut from the South Carolina Arts Commission

Monday, October 1, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 1, 2012


Main Street Arkansas Calendar – October 1 – 5, 2012 
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MONDAY                            
TUESDAY                           Susan – Texarkana  
WEDNESDAY                    Mark – Searcy  
THURSDAY                        Susan, Nancy, Sam – Pine Bluff  
FRIDAY                               
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Parks & Tourism Soliciting Henry Award Noms
Main Street Ozark Press
How A Mural Project is Getting Funding
Free Smart Growth Technical Assistance
3 Grant Opportunities  

Arkansas Parks & Tourism Soliciting Henry Award Nominations – due Oct 26

Lots of Main Street Ozark Press Lately

People Are Always Asking Me How To Fund Mural Projects

Apply for Free Smart Growth Technical Assistance

Preservation Technology Training Grant
The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) announces its 2013 Preservation Technology and Training Grants (PTT Grants) call for proposals.

The call outlines in detail how our grants program works. Briefly, we are looking for innovative proposals that develop new technologies or adapt existing technologies to preserve cultural resources. The deadline to submit a proposal to Grants.gov is November 1, 2012. 

PTT Grants have funded recipients like the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum that is conducting innovative research in non-invasive documentation of complex submerged archeological sites located in turbid waters. 

NCPTT supports single year projects. Grants are awarded competitively with the maximum award of $25,000. Preference is given to proposals with a one to one cash or in-kind match, and to proposals that support our research priorities. NCPTT typically receives 40 proposals and funds approximately 10 grants per year.
  
The 2013 grants will be awarded during the federal fiscal year 2013 (October 1, 2012-September 30, 2013). Grants are funded by annual federal appropriation and are subject to availability of funds.

Fearless Changemakers Grant Opportunity
Did you make a big bet that paid off? Did you experiment with a few ideas before coming up with the right one? Did you learn from failure, succeed through partnerships, or let urgency conquer your fear?

If your answer is YES to any of these questions, then drop everything you’re doing and
apply, or nominate someone you know for Finding Fearless, our search for America’s Most Fearless Changemakers. Winners will get a piece of $650,000 in grants, software and technology prize packs, and outdoor adventures from the Case Foundation, Microsoft and REI.

Get started now:
tell us about your fearless project or one that inspires you.  

CITGO giving away gas to non-profits
http://www.fuelinggood.com/registration
FUELING GOOD. HELPING TO CHANGE THE WORLD MILE AFTER MILE. We're giving thousands of gallons of gas to charitable organizations in our 27-state area. With every gallon, good is powering the engine of change. We focus our support on four charitable categories: Education and Social Investment; Energy Assistance and Conservation; Environmental Protection and Restoration; and Health and Well-Being.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 24, 2012


Thanks to everyone for a great Destination Downtown conference.  It was our highest attended & very well reviewed.  Thanks to all the sponsors, particularly Main Street Rogers & the City of Rogers.  Another thanks to Kerry & Dana for all their hard work. 

Main Street Arkansas Calendar –September 24 – 28, 2012 
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MONDAY                            
TUESDAY                           Mark – Rogers
WEDNESDAY                     Mark – Rogers; Susan – off
THURSDAY                        Sam – Russellville, pm; Susan – off  
FRIDAY                                Susan – off
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Nominations Sought for Coolest Small Towns in America
Photos from DD
Free Online Built Environment Course
There are 19,700 Non-Profits in Arkansas
ArtPlace Grants Seek Letters of Inquiry
AIA Accepting Applications for Community Assessments
Chance for Free Professional PR for AR Non-Profits
AR Highway Dept Seeks Letters on Bicycle & Ped Plan
2 Grant Opportunities  


Nominations for the Coolest Small Towns in America

http://www.budgettravel.com/contest/coolest-small-towns-2012-nominations,13/?wpisrc=newsletter


Photos from Destination Downtown
If you want to access your photos, please visit our website - www.novo-studio.com. Navigate to the main site and then, click on the clients section. You'll be asked for an access code followed by a password. The access code is "dd12" and the password is "novostudio". From there, you can find your photo and download it. Let us know if you have any questions. 
We’ll put more on Facebook & Flickr throughout the week

Free Online Built Environment Course
The Built Environment Assessment Training (BEAT) Institute has launched a free online course to learn how to assess the built environment for physical activity. 

Participants will learn about the main variables found in most physical activity-focused built environment audit tools, with a more in-depth look at a few specific tools (IMI, ANC, PEDS, PARA, EAPRS & PEAT).  Participants will also learn how to customize the tools and train others to conduct assessments.

The course is geared towards researchers, practitioners, students, community advocates and anyone else with an interest in learning how to conduct audits of the built environment.

For more information or to register, visit this website: http://www.med.upenn.edu/beat/onlinetraining.shtml

Please forward to others that may be interested.
The BEAT Institute also provides on-line training on the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey at http://www.med.upenn.edu/nems/onlinetraining.shtml.

For future information about these courses please contact http://www.med.upenn.edu/beat/contact.shtml.

There are 19,700 Non-Profits in Arkansas

ArtPlace Grants Letter of Inquiry Accepted
ArtPlace invites Letters of Inquiry from initiatives involving arts organizations, artists and designers working in partnership with local and national partners to produce a transformative impact on community vibrancy.
ArtPlace believes that art, culture and creativity expressed powerfully through place can create vibrant communities, thus increasing the desire and the economic opportunity for people to thrive in place. It is all about the local

AIA Accepting Applications for Community Assessments
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) seeks communities that can demonstrate the capacity to convene a diverse set of community leaders and stakeholders for an intensive, collaborative planning process focused on long-term sustainability.  Funded communities receive pro bono services and funding up to $15,000. A cash match of $5,000 is required. Applications are due November 16, 2012.  For more information and to see examples of project reports, which often include a focus on historic resources, visit the AIA website

Public Relations Advice for Your Nonprofit

The Arkansas Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America wants to help our state’s nonprofit and charitable organizations further their missions. 

On Nov. 16, the chapter’s monthly meeting will be dedicated to brainstorming public relations and marketing strategy for two organizations. The winning nonprofits will engage with PR professionals from across the state in an hour of free PR/marketing consultation. PRSA members are from all sectors, including corporate, nonprofit, education, healthcare, agency and more.

The competition is open to any 501(c)(3) organization based in Arkansas. Small and large organizations looking to further their PR and marketing efforts are encouraged to apply.  To apply, contact Heide Harrell (hharrell@stoneward.com) to request a copy of the entry form. Entries are due by October 12. 

ARKANSAS STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT REQUEST FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST
Notice is hereby given that the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
in coordination with the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is seeking letters of
interest from qualified consulting firms to conduct a study for the Arkansas State Bicycle
and Pedestrian Transportation Plan.
The Arkansas State Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan will establish a framework for planning,
development, and implementation of safe and usable facilities for bicycle and pedestrian
transportation during the transportation planning process and shall be in accordance with
the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2010 Policy Statement on Bicycle and
Pedestrian Accommodation Regulations and Recommendations.
A letter of interest, together with primary contact information and Architect-Engineer
Qualifications Standard Form 330 Parts I and II available at
should be addressed to:
Frank Vozel
Deputy Director and Chief Engineer
Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
P.O. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203-2261
or
10324 Interstate 30, Little Rock, AR 72209
Five (5) sets of paper responses and a copy in pdf format on a Compact Disc (CD) must
be received no later than 3:00 p.m. (CDT) on September 25, 2012. Any responses
received after this deadline will not be considered.
After a review of all letters of interest received, selected firms will be furnished a scope of
work and requested to submit proposals for accomplishing the work.
The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (Department) complies with
all civil rights provisions of federal statutes and related authorities that prohibit
discrimination in programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. Therefore,
the Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, national
origin, religion or disability, in the admission, access to and treatment in the Department’s
programs and activities, as well as the Department’s hiring or employment practices.
Complaints of alleged discrimination and inquiries regarding the Department’s
nondiscrimination policies may be directed to EEO/DBE Section Head (ADA/504/Title VI
Coordinator), P. O. Box 2261, Little Rock, AR 72203, (501) 569-2298, (Voice/TTY 711),
or the following email address:EE0/DBE_Section_Head@ahtd.ar.gov.


Brownfields Grant Opportunity
The proposal guidelines for the FY13 Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grant competition were released today.  The deadline for submitting a proposal is November 19, 2012.  Below are links to the individual guidelines:


Funding Number



09/08/2012  
Environmental Protection Agency  
EPA-OSWER-OBLR-12-07  
 
09/08/2012  
Environmental Protection Agency  
EPA-OSWER-OBLR-12-08  
 
09/08/2012  
Environmental Protection Agency  
EPA-OSWER-OBLR-12-09  

Heritage Preservation Supported
National Endowment for the Humanities
The Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections program provides support to meet the complex challenge of preserving 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. Support is provided for preventive conservation measures, which encompass managing relative humidity, temperature, light, and pollutants in collection spaces; providing protective storage enclosures and systems for collections; and safeguarding collections from theft and from natural and man-made disasters. The application deadline is December 4, 2012.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 10, 2012

Destination Downtown's QR Code

One week from Destination Downtown.  It’s time to register!  Don’t forget the Tuesday, $50 registration for those who can’t take three days off work.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar –September 10 – 14, 2012 
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MONDAY                             Nancy – off
TUESDAY                          
WEDNESDAY                     
THURSDAY                        Sam – Jonesboro; Nancy & Patricia - Helena
FRIDAY                                Cary – El Dorado
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Hotel Planned for Downtown El Dorado
Neighborhood Revitalization & the Business District
Arts in Education Mini-Grant
Cemetery Preservation Workshop
America’s Best Farmers’ Markets (includes AR listings)

Hotel Planned for Downtown El Dorado

Neighborhood Revitalization & the Business District

Arts in Education Mini-Grant
The Arkansas Arts Council is offering pre-K-12 schools and community organizations an opportunity to participate in the Arts in Education (AIE) Mini Grant program. This program provides funding to bring artists listed on the AIE Roster into the classroom or into an after-school or summer program to present a hands-on, curriculum-based or character-centered artist residency program that can last up to 10 days.

Applications are available at 
www.arkansasarts.org for residencies occurring between Oct. 1, 2012, and August 31, 2013.
The Arts in Education Mini Grant program will also allow schools and organizations the opportunity to present a professional development workshop for educators in curriculum-based arts activities either in conjunction with, or instead of, an artist residency. Applicants may receive a maximum of $2,000, using established AIE program rates for artist fees, travel, meals, lodging and supplies.

Applicants must show a 1:1 match of cash and/or in-kind contributions. All Arkansas schools and community organizations will be able to apply. Schools and organizations in rural and underserved communities that have not had access to one of the Art Council’s AIE grant programs are especially encouraged to apply.
For more information, contact Cynthia Haas, Arts in Education program manager, at 501-324-9769 or cynthia@arkansasheritage.org.

No-Cost Cemetery Preservation Workshop
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program will host a Cemetery Preservation workshop from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 6, at the historic Bellwood Cemetery in Pine Bluff.
       The free workshop will include hands-on training by Norton Arts on how to clean, re-set and repair tombstones, as well as instructions on cemetery maintenance, suitable cleaning products and proper techniques to use. It will be held at Bellwood Cemetery at 2122 West Pullen Street in Pine Bluff.
       Registration for the workshop is limited to the first 40 people to sign up. To register, contact Holly Hope at (501) 324-9880, write her at 1500 Tower Building, 323 Center St., Little Rock, AR 72201, or send an e-mail message to her at holly@arkansaspreservation.org.

Arkansas’s Best Farmer’s Markets
Fayetteville placed #1 in the country!  Eureka Springs is also highlighted as is Jonesboro/ASU 

Monday, August 20, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - August 20, 2012


One Month from Destination Downtown.  It’s time to register!  Don’t forget the Tuesday, $50 registration for those who can’t take three days off work.

Statewide 5-Year Preservation Plan Listening Sessions
August 21, West Memphis, Main Street Office, 5pm 

Main Street Arkansas Calendar –August 20 - 24, 2012 
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MONDAY                            
TUESDAY                          
WEDNESDAY                   
THURSDAY                        Nancy – Fayetteville, Urban Forestry Training             
FRIDAY                               
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Stats from Google
New Main Street Blytheville Director
Cash Mob – Downtown El Dorado
Russellville Downtown Master Plan Unveiled August 28
Let’s Get Local in Eureka Springs
Preservation Alliance of AR Call for Awards Noms
USPS Every Door Direct
Cyclist Need Cities to Protect Them
Grant Opportunity

A few statistics I learned at last week’s Google seminar on small business:
·         In 2011, 68% of Arkansans have high-speed internet access in their home or workplace.
·         85% of the world has Internet access
·         80% of the world has electricity, as a comparison
·         50.4% of cell phone users use a smartphone
·         More than 6 out of 10 (61 percent) of smartphone owners who use their devices to shop have done so while shopping at the store, and more than half (52 percent) reach for their phones on the way to the store
·         Smartphones currently influence 5.1 percent of annual retail store sales, translating into $159 billion in forecasted sales for 2012.  This will grow to 19% by 2016.
·         50% of all websites are viewed on a mobile device (tablets & phones) [does your website have sniffer technology & a mobile version?]
·         These numbers are growing exponentially

New Main Street Blytheville Director

Cash Mob – Main Street El Dorado

Russellville Downtown Master Plan Presented August 28

Let’s Get Local in Eureka Springs
“Starting Thursday, August 16th visitors and locals can pick up stickers that are their ticket into the fun at the Farmers Market, Chamber of Commerce and participating lodging. The events all start at Basin Spring Park, in the heart of downtown Eureka Springs, for the next 6 weeks from 5-7PM. Each week a different aspect of shopping, playing and dining will be showcased in the park and the participating stores downtown. Local vendors will have booths and prizes in the park, live music, and maps of where the deals for real locals and “Local’s for a Day” are that night…..”

        Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas Call for Awards Nominations

USPS Every Door Direct Mail
With Every Door Direct Mail® service from the U.S. Postal Service, you can reach the market that matters most to your business: nearby neighborhoods. Postage is as low as 14.5¢ per piece – and you don't even need to know names or street addresses. You simply identify the neighborhoods you want to target, and your printed piece is delivered with the day's mail to every address.

Cyclists Need Cities to Protect Them – Livability  

Digital Humanities Projects Supported
National Endowment for the Humanities 
The Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants support the planning or initial stages of digital initiatives in any area of the humanities. Examples of eligible activities include planning and developing prototypes of new digital tools for preserving, analyzing, and making accessible digital resources, including libraries’ and museums’ digital assets; innovative uses of technology for public programming and education utilizing both traditional and new media; scholarship that focuses on the history, criticism, and philosophy of digital culture and its impact on society; scholarship or studies that examine the philosophical or practical implications and impact of the use of emerging technologies in specific fields or disciplines of the humanities; and new digital modes of publication that facilitate the dissemination of humanities scholarship in advanced academic as well as informal or formal educational settings at all academic levels. The application deadline is September 25, 2012.