Main Street Arkansas Update - April 28, 2008

INVOICES for GRANTS awarded this fiscal year DUE in office MAY 30 – no exceptions!

DESIGN section of upcoming 4-point APPROVED FOR BOTH LEARNING & HEALTH, SAFETY WELFARE 3.0 by the AIA – tell your architects

ER APPROVED FOR 3.5 LEARNING hours by AIA – tell your architects

MSA Grant applications (slipcover & DTR) due in our office may 23

4-Point Training – May 6-7, Municipal League, North Little Rock

OCTOBER 6-8, DESTINATION DOWNTOWN, BAY ST. LOUIS, MS

October 21-25 - National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference, Tulsa, OK

NEW – ARKANSAS’S 6TH ANNUAL GREEN BUILDING’S CONFERENCE – MAY 19-20, HOT SPRINGS www.sustainablearkansas.com



Main Street Arkansas Calendar April 28 – May 2, 2008

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MONDAY Caroline – ill
TUESDAY Susan, Blytheville (Bus Station Visit); Cary, Helena (board meeting)
WEDNESDAY Susan, Mark – Searcy (site visit)
THURSDAY Susan & Mark – Harrison, Window Display Workshop
FRIDAY Susan & Mark – Harrison, Window Display Workshop
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Steve Eastis, formerly of Main Street Upland, CA has accepted the position of executive director of Main Street Texarkana. He begins sometime in late May.

IN THIS ISSUE
HELENA/WEST HELENA MAYOR’S NEW BLOG
NON-PROFIT RESOURCE
EBAY GIVING/TECHQUITY PROGRAM
NICE ARTICLE ON PHILLIPS COUNTY
STATE’S FOUNDATIONS CUT BACK ON GIVING
GRANT OPPORTUNITY
WEBSITE INFORMATION
NONPROFIT REPORTS DUE TO STATE AUG 1
SoMa STORY
LAKEPORT DOCUMENTARY
GREEN MCMANSIONS?
THE MOUNT NEEDS $2 MILL.

Mayor James Valley of Helena/West Helena has entered the blogosphere. Read it here:
http://jfvalley.blogspot.com/

Blue Avocado is a new bite-sized magazine by and for people who work and volunteer in community nonprofits
http://www.blueavocado.org/

EBay Giving Works
http://givingworks.ebay.com/nonprofitFAQ/
eBay Giving Works is the dedicated program for charity listings on eBay. There are two main ways that your nonprofit organization can use eBay Giving Works to fundraise
http://pages.ebay.com/aboutebay/givingprograms.html
eBay Foundation's long-term goal is to help strengthen the livelihood of communities by supporting non-profit organizations committed to microenterprise development. The Foundation views microenterprise development as a successful poverty alleviation and human and economic development strategy. Funding is provided for several areas, including: technical assistance and training; credit and access to credit; access to markets; and economic literacy and asset development. Support is targeted for programs that cater to underserved or low-income populations.
More information on the eBay Techquity program here:
http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/index.asp?bid=128

Place-based Initiative Benefits Phillips County in the Arkansas Delta
http://www.stlouisfed.org/exploringinnovation/columns/steinberg.html



State’s Foundations Cut Back on Giving

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/National/223276



Support for Capital Projects Nationwide

Kresge Foundation: Capital Challenge Grant Program
The mission of the Kresge Foundation is to strengthen nonprofit organizations throughout the United States that advance the well-being of humanity. The Foundation’s six major areas of interest are health, environment, arts and culture, education, human services, and community development. Through the Capital Challenge Grant Program, the Foundation supports organizations’ immediate capital needs, such as building construction or renovation, the purchase of real estate, and the purchase of major equipment. Grants are awarded on a challenge basis, usually one-third to one-fifth of the amount an organization has to raise to complete its campaign goal. The Foundation accepts online letters of intent for this program throughout the year. Visit the website listed above to review the Capital Challenge Grant Program guidelines.



Web Watch Column in Main Street News

Be sure & check out the Web Watch column in the latest issue of Main Street News. There’s a nice piece on using Picasa (Google’s free Image Manager software) as a tool for Design Committees – see http://picasaweb.google.com/highlandtown and a nice mention of the Craigslist Foundation – see http://craigslistfoundation.org



Nonprofit Reports Due August 1

Act 569 of 2007 requires all non-profit corporations to file an annual report, including the name of the corporation, its jurisdiction and address to the Secretary of State. These are due by August 1. More information available via corporations@sos.arkansas.gov



Interesting Story on Homes near the SoMa area

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Style/223060



Lakeport Documentary funded by the AHPP to Air

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Style/223063

See it on AETN at 6: 30 p.m. May 1, May 14, and June 5; and 5 a.m. May 16 and May 19.



Can a McMansion Be Green?

http://scitech.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/22/green-giants/



The Mount, Edith Wharton’s House May Be Shut Down

http://www.slate.com/id/2189098/

- House museums, even those of widely respected (but dead) authors have a hard time keeping the doors open. Of course, they did acquire $3 million in debt.