Main Street Arkansas Update - June 2, 2008

MSA IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE’VE ADDED EIGHT NEW DOWNTOWN NETWORK COMMUNITIES. THEY ARE:

CRAWFORDSVILLE
DEWITT
SHERIDAN
RECTOR
SILOAM SPRINGS
WALNUT RIDGE
MORRILTON
JONESBORO


NEXT MSA QUARTERLY TRAINING: JULY 29-30, HARDY

Topic: Main to Main (how can we replicate this in AR?)

Speaker: Leon Steele, main to main coordinator, Louisiana main street

this topic has been requested by nearly all of our executive directors after last year’s destination downtown conference



NEW – JULY 24-25 - ARKANSAS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION SUMMER MEETING, MT MAGAZINE



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

OCTOBER 21-25 – NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONFERENCE, TULSA, OK



Main Street Arkansas Calendar June 2-6, 2008

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MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY Susan & Mark - annual
THURSDAY Cary, West Memphis, HR work; Susan & Mark – annual
FRIDAY Greg, Morrilton

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IN THIS ISSUE:

BATESVILLE PRESS

FESTIVAL IDEA

SELF GUIDED AUDIO TOUR IN LR

THE EFFECT OF FESTIVALS UNCLEAR

STAYCATIONS

ON THE MEDIA

DOWNTOWN LIBRARIES BACK IN STYLE

5 GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

THE COLLABORATION PRIZE



Good Main Street Batesville Press:

http://www.guardonline.com/?q=node/45488



Looking for a new festival idea? Here’s what’s being done in Louisville, KY.

www.lebowskifest.com

Why Louisville? Because they thought of it first.

What’s weird & hasn’t been capitalized upon yet? Food for thought for the Promotions Committee.



New Self Guided Audio Tour in Little Rock

www.littlerock.com/audiotour/default.asp



a story about the tour: http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=66541&catid=2

this idea was paid for, in part, by a Department of Heritage grant.



Trickle Down Effect of Festivals Unclear

http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/227532



Staycations:
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/home/2008/04/staycation.html

This week's episode of NPR's On The Media is about place:
http://www.onthemedia.org/



Downtown Libraries Are Back In Style

http://pcj.typepad.com/planning_commissioners_jo/2008/05/downtown-librar.html#more



Grant to Participate in Three Brownfields Conferences

- this is one many of you should take a long, hard look at. There are numerous potential brownfields in our Main Street & Network communities which could be turned into viable property with the right remediation. Main Street Argenta recently completed a successful brownfield clean-up.

http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=41795



This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities (as defined at Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) 104(k)(1)) and non-profit organizations for financial assistance to assist non-federal personnel (states, tribes, local governments, non-profits, industry and community groups) in participating in three national Brownfields conferences to be planned and held over a five-year period, beginning in 2009.



The Brownfields conferences provide training, research and technical assistance to communities to facilitate the inventory of brownfield sites, site assessments and remediation of brownfield sites, community involvement, and site preparation. The successful applicant will be the primary non-federal co-sponsor for the conference and EPA will be the primary federal co-sponsor.



NEW PRESERVE AMERICA STEWARDS PROGRAM

The new Preserve America initiative—Preserve America Stewards—will recognize exemplary stewardship programs that have demonstrated a successful use of volunteer time and commitment in order to help care for our cultural heritage. Government entities (federal, tribal, state, or local), non-profit organizations, and businesses are eligible to apply to have their programs recognized. Designated programs will receive a certificate of recognition as well as a letter of congratulations signed by First Lady, Mrs. Bush, similar to the existing Preserve America Community recognition program. The application form and guidance are available at www.preserveamerica.gov. While the quarterly schedule for submissions makes June 1st the next deadline, applicants are encouraged to submit applications at any time over the summer if they are interested in being among the first programs to be designated as Preserve America Stewards. For further information, contact Druscilla Null at dnull@achp.gov or at 202-606-8532.

Grant Opportunities:



Grants for America’s Media Makers

http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=41720

Grants for America’s Media Makers support media projects that explore significant events, figures, or developments in the humanities and offer creative and new approaches to humanities content. America’s Media Makers projects promote active exploration and engagement for broad public audiences in history, literature, archaeology, art history, comparative religion, philosophy, and other fields of the humanities. NEH supports the development of humanities content and interactivity that excites, informs, and stirs thoughtful reflection and urges applicants to consider more than one format for presenting humanities ideas to the public.



Grant for Historical Publications & Records

http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=41708

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission promotes the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage essential to understanding our democracy, history, and culture. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals for archives and records projects to carry out fundamental archival activities that promote the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage essential to understanding our democracy, history, and culture. The Commission is particularly concerned that some historical collections in archives and repositories are difficult for most researchers to find because they are not processed or represented in national catalogs.



Grant for Historical Publications & Records

http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=41711

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission supports projects that promote the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage essential to understanding our democracy, history, and culture. The National Historical Publications and Records Commission seeks proposals to publish historical records of national significance. Projects may focus on the papers of major figures from American life or cover broad historical movements in politics, military, business, reform movements, the arts, and other aspects of the national experience.



Preserve America Grants: Applications for Round Two of funding for FY 2008 Preserve America grants are now available. The Preserve America matching-grant program provides planning funding to designated Preserve America Communities to support preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education, and historic preservation planning. The application is available at http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/hpg/PreserveAmerica/application.htm. Due June 30, 2008:

- Towns can apply for PA grants even WITHOUT yet being named a PA community. You simply must have your PA application ‘in the pipeline’. Gaining PA status is pretty easy. We can provide you with sample PA applications. Arkansas PA communities are:

Blytheville
Dumas
El Dorado
Eureka Springs
Fort Smith
Helena
Little Rock
Osceola
Van Buren

Why should nonprofits compete when they can do more through collaboration?
Introducing The Collaboration Prize, a $250,000 prize that recognizes collaborations among two or more nonprofit organizations that each would otherwise provide the same or similar programs or services and compete for clients, financial resources and staff.

If you know about a prize-worthy collaboration, forward this message to the nonprofits involved. Nominations are accepted starting June 1, 2008.
Visit www.thecollaborationprize.org for details.