Monday, June 25, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - June 25, 2012


THIS WEDNESDAY – AR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SOCIETY’S “LET’S PAINT THE TOWN” TRAINING.  STUTTGART 12P. FOR MORE INFO VISIT ARCDS.ORG

The 26th annual Community Development Institute is August 6-10 in Conway, Arkansas. More information at www.uca.edu/cdi

Upcoming 5-Year Preservation Plan Listening Session:
June 26 Little Rock/NLR, Tower Building, 5pm
June 28, Russellville, City Hall, 5pm 

Save the Date: 2013 National Main Streets Conference April 14-16, New Orleans

Main Street Arkansas Calendar – June 25-29, 2012
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MONDAY                            
TUESDAY                           Mark & Sam – Blytheville (interviews)
WEDNESDAY                     Mark & Susan – Ozark (merchant visits); Cary – out  
THURSDAY                        Mark & Susan – Siloam Springs (merchant visits); Sam – Harrisburg                                  
FRIDAY                                Nancy – Searcy (design consultation)
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IN THIS ISSUE:
SoMa Revitalization
New Construction in Downtown Paragould
Grants for Trails
Mission Small Business
Making the Most of Google for Non-Profits
The Fall of the Creative Class
6 More Grant Opportunities
Highway Dept Seeks Input


SoMa Revitalization


New Construction in Downtown Paragould

Grant Opportunities for Trails

due October 26

due August 1

Mission Small Business
-          $250,000 grant opportunities

Making the Most of Google for Non-Profits

The Fall of the Creative Class

Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program
http://www.nps.gov/rtca
Connect your community to America's Great Outdoors! Are you trying to protect your local rivers, save an unspoiled landscape, or build trails where everyone in your community can enjoy nature? The National Park Service can help.
Every year, the National Park Service helps hundreds of locally-driven projects that create opportunities for healthy outdoor recreation, connect youth with the outdoors, and connect communities to parks. Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance from the National Park Service provides no funding, but our experienced staff can help communities plan for success.
Applications for assistance will be accepted until August 1. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their project ideas with a staff member in your area before preparing an application.


Title: Academic-Community Partnership Conference Series (walkability issues?)
Description: The purpose of this grant opportunity is to bring together academic institutions/organizations and community organizations to identify opportunities for addressing health disparities through the use of Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR). The objectives of meetings conducted as part of this award will be to: (1) establish and/or enhance academic-community partnerships; (2) identify community-driven research priorities, and (3) develop long-term collaborative CBPR research agendas.
Eligibility: Non-profit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are encouraged to apply. The opportunity is also available to various governmental entities, local organizations, for-profit groups and small businesses.
Link to Full Announcement: Link to Full Announcement
Last Day to Apply: October 17, 2014
Grant is administered by the: National Institutes of Health
In partnership with Americans for the Arts and guidance from the National Endowment for the Arts, Ovation has developed the innOVATION Grant Program to fund and recognize the impact of artists and the arts in communities' revitalization efforts.

innOVATION Grant Opportunity
Three $25,000 and two $10,000 innOVATION grants will be awarded to Americans for the Arts organizational members through a panel review process which will be comprised of representatives from Ovation, Americans for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. In addition, communities can compete for a "Viewers' Choice Award" of $15,000 on Ovation's Facebook page once they have applied for the program.
Through the month of June, Americans for the Arts is holding a half-off sale on select organizational memberships, so if your organization is not currently a member, find out more about our various levels and this sale at AmericansForTheArts.org/Membership.
For more information about innOVATION grants, please visit AmericansForTheArts.org/go/innOVATIONgrants.
Applications will be accepted through July 31!

Grants Improve the Quality of Life in Company Locations
Plum Creek Foundation
The Plum Creek Foundation provides support for community-based nonprofit organizations that work to improve the general welfare and quality of life in the communities that Plum Creek serves in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The Foundation’s areas of interest include community services, education, environment, and the arts. The remaining application deadlines for 2012 are July 30 and October 31. Visit the company’s website to review the grant guidelines and download the application form.

Grants Further Business Opportunities in Rural Communities
Department of Agriculture
The Rural Business Opportunity Grants Program provides support for projects designed to promote sustainable economic development in rural communities with exceptional needs. Examples of activities eligible for support include the following: community economic development, technology-based economic development, feasibility studies and business plans, leadership and entrepreneur training, rural business incubators, and long-term business strategic planning. The application deadline is August 6, 2012.

Support for Art Projects in Local Communities
National Endowment for the Arts
The Local Arts Agencies: Art Works Program provides support for projects that address one of the following outcomes: creation, including artist commissions, artist residencies, and innovative projects in the creation of new work; engagement, including performing arts events, readings, screenings, broadcasts, visual arts exhibitions, innovative projects to increase access to the arts, and collaborations that strengthen community arts journalism and arts criticism; learning, including artist residencies and education and related activities for children, adults, intergenerational groups, and schools; and livability, including enhancement of public spaces through commissioning or installation of art works. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact staff if they are considering livability as a primary outcome. The application deadline is August 9, 2012



ARKANSAS STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT


June 18, 2012

NOTICE


            The Arkansas State Highway Commission announces the release of the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) for Federal Fiscal Years 2013-2016.  This document is prepared in response to Title 23 United States Code, Section 135 - Statewide Planning Requirements, as amended by the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act:  A Legacy for Users.

            The projects listed are the State's overall highway and transit programs and encompass all areas of the State.  This program is consistent with the State's long range plan and includes roadway, bridge, traffic signal, intersection improvement, and transit projects.

            The public is invited to review and comment on the contents of this document by July 18, 2012. The STIP may be reviewed at the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department’s (AHTD) Central Office, the AHTD’s District Offices, the State Clearinghouse, the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Offices, or the local Planning/Economic Development District Offices.  Copies are also available by mail by contacting AHTD's Program Administration Section at (501) 569-2483.  The STIP may be downloaded from the AHTD Internet web site at:

            With respect to urban areas greater than 50,000 in population, MPOs have included individual projects in the Transportation Improvement Programs (TIPs).  For additional information on projects located within a TIP area, the MPO can be consulted.

            All comments regarding the STIP should be submitted in writing to:

                                    Ms. Lorie H. Tudor
                                    Assistant Chief Engineer - Planning
                                    Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department
                                    P.O. Box 2261
                                    Little Rock, Arkansas 72203

Monday, June 18, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - June 18, 2012



The 26th annual Community Development Institute is August 6-10 in Conway, Arkansas. More information at www.uca.edu/cdi

Upcoming 5-Year Preservation Plan Listening Session:
June 19, Texarkana, 5pm, City Board Room

New Director Orientation June 19 – all are welcome to attend for a refresher.  Please RSVP to me.

Save the Date: 2013 National Main Streets Conference April 14-16, New Orleans

Main Street Arkansas Calendar – June 18 - 22, 2012
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MONDAY                             Nancy & Susan – out
TUESDAY                           new ED orientation – LR (all welcome, please RSVP, 10a)
WEDNESDAY                     
THURSDAY                        Susan, Greg – Eureka Springs         
FRIDAY                                Susan, Greg – Eureka Springs
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IN THIS ISSUE:
OA in SoMa Receives ArtPrize
Main Street Helena Farmers’ Market Press
June 25 Arkansas Urban Forestry Conference, Russellville
Cities with More Walkers, Bikers, Less Obese
Call for Proposals – 2013 Main Street Conference ,New Orleans
2 Grant Opportunities
Submit Your Film Locales


Oxford American in SoMa District Receives ArtPrize for Creative Placemaking

Main Street Helena Farmers’ Market Press

June 25 Arkansas Urban Forestry Conference, Russellville

Cities with More Walkers, Bikers, Less Obese

Call for Proposals – 2013 National Main Streets Conference

Funds for Healthcare Initiatives in Arkansas
Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas  
The Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas is dedicated to creating a state where citizens have access to useful information and needed healthcare services that enable them to lead healthier lives. The Foundation provides support to nonprofit organizations and government agencies that positively affect the health of Arkansans. Particular emphasis is given to projects affecting healthcare delivery, policy, and economics. Funded projects must demonstrate strong community, regional, or statewide support, such as co-funding by other organizations or groups. Grants generally range from $5,000 to $150,000. The deadline for submitting online applications is July 16, 2012. Visit the Foundation’s website to review the grant guidelines.
-          New Mini-Grant Program:
In addition to its regular grants program outlined on this site, the Blue & You Foundation offers a new, simpler application for $1,000 mini-grants to support health improvement projects in Arkansas. (See "Grants Eligibility Criteria" below.) Applications for mini-grants will be accepted in the months of February, April and June, with 25 mini-grants allotted for each of the three months. You may receive only one mini-grant in a 12-month period, and any organization that has received a mini-grant or regular grant from the Blue & You Foundation in the last three years is not eligible to apply for a mini-grant. You will be notified of mini-grant awards within approximately 30 days of your application. Your application will remain eligible for all three of the grant selection months (February, April and June), so there is no need to re-submit your application. If you receive a $1,000 mini-grant, you will be asked to submit a one-page report of your program results within six months.
Go to online mini-grant application.

Community Transformation Grants - CDC Small Communities Programs
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is awarding approximately $70 million in grants to improve the health of small communities. Grants are awarded across a variety of sectors, including transportation, housing, education, and public health. Previous awards have been given to develop small neighborhood grocery stores in residential areas to increase access to healthier foods. CDC expects to make 25 to 50 competitive grant awards. Successful applicants will be announced in September 2012. The letter of intent is due on June 18, and the closing date for the full application is July 31, 2012. For the full announcement:
http://tinyurl.com/7e4kd8c.

The Arkansas Production Alliance (arfilm), the new, statewide film and digital content initiative of the Arkansas Film Commission, Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce and Northwest Arkansas Council, has empowered every property owner, community, chamber, visitors bureau, county and region in Arkansas to submit and market locations to the global production industry.

Submitted Arkansas locations are now also part of a global database powered by Reel-Scout™ (
Reel-Scout.com), the industry’s leading content management system. Click here to submit a location(s).

Also, for the first time in Arkansas history, qualified resident crew and expatriates have the opportunity submit and update their contact information, credits and resumes for consideration by productions shooting in Arkansas. Click 
here to register as crew.

While the arfilm Locations Directory is immediately searchable, qualified crew have until June 30, 2012 to submit before the Crew Directory goes live. “We want our growing talent pool to have the opportunity to fully populate our Crew Directory before sharing it with the world,” said Arkansas Film Commissioner Christopher Crane. “Ultimately, our Alliance will provide producers with seamless, single contact access to everything and everyone our state has to offer.”

Monday, June 4, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - June 4, 2012


Upcoming 5-Year Preservation Plan Listening Session:
Tuesday, June 5, El Dorado, City Hall, 5pm 
Thursday, June 7, Rogers, City Council Chambers, 5pm

New Director Orientation June 19 – all are welcome to attend for a refresher.  Please RSVP to me.

Save the Date: 2013 National Main Streets Conference April 14-16, New Orleans

Main Street Arkansas Calendar – June 4 - 8, 2012
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MONDAY                             Sam, Mark – Batesville (program assessment)
TUESDAY                           Sam, Mark – Batesville (program assessment)
WEDNESDAY                     Mark, Susan – West Memphis (property owner visits)
THURSDAY                         Susan, Greg – Rogers (merchant visits & conference prep)  
FRIDAY                                Susan, Greg – Rogers (merchant visits & conference prep) 
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Plaques Highlight Downtown Ft Smith History
New AR Film Production Website
Coveted: Walkable, Convenient Places
Grant Opportunity
Google Local
Schedule Your Facebook Posts
Grant Opportunity


Plaques Highlight Downtown Ft Smith History

New Arkansas Film Production Website
-          here’s where you can submit location(s) from your community

Coveted: Walkable, Convenient Places

Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant

New - Google Local
It’s worth your time to see how your downtown retailers are listed. 

You Can Now Schedule Facebook Posts.  Here’s how:

Community Transformation Grant – (Farmers’ Markets other opportunities)