Main Street Arkansas Update - July 28, 2008

JUST A REMINDER TO ALL WHO ARE COMING TO HARDY TO BE PREPARED TO SPEAK FOR 3-5 MINUTES ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR COMMUNITY & WITH YOUR PROGRAM AT OUR WEDNESDAY MORNING ROUNDTABLE

THIS WEEK - 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

OCTOBER 6-8, DESTINATION DOWNTOWN, BAY ST. LOUIS, MS
OCTOBER 21-25 – NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION CONFERENCE, TULSA, OK

October 20-21 - Artlinks 2008: The Value of the Arts in the 21st-Century, Little Rock

NOVEMBER 15-18 NATIONAL TRAILS SYMPOSIUM, LITTLE ROCK more at www.americantrails.org (good place for Rails to Trails information)

Main Street Arkansas Calendar July 28 – 31, 2008
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MONDAY Cary, out; staff – travel to Hardy
TUESDAY all staff - Hardy
WEDNESDAY all staff – Hardy
THURSDAY Greg & Susan – Siloam Springs; Caroline - out
FRIDAY Greg & Susan – Siloam Springs
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IN THIS ISSUE
DOV Community Service Awards
Good MSA/SoMa Press
Good Searcy Press
Interesting Dumas Article
7% Cut in State Budgets Looked At
Distinctive Dozen Destinations
Major Gifts Training
Grant Opportunity

Many of you have great corporate partners & youth board/committee members. This looks like a great opportunity to provide them with some recognition.
DOV Community Service Awards
The Department of Volunteerism has only received individual nominations for their Community Service Awards. They are in need of youth and corporate nominees. If you know someone worthy of this award, please recognize them in this very special way! See www.arkansas.gov/dhs/adov for more information

Good MSA/SoMa/Downtown LR Press
http://mississippimainstreet.typepad.com/the_mississippi_main_stre/2008/07/jackson-progres.html

Good Main Street Searcy Press:
http://www.thedailycitizen.com/articles/2008/07/22/news/features/features05.txt

Ding Dong Daddy Dilemma
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/National/232281

Beebe Asks For Look at 7 Percent State Budget Cuts
http://arkansasbusiness.com/printable.asp?aid=106488
“Beebe said earlier this year he would consider cutting state services to continue reducing Arkansas' sales tax on groceries, but said he won't touch education, human services or law enforcement.”

Dozen Distinctive Destinations Accepting Nominations
National Trust for Historic Preservation now accepting nominations for the 2009 list of Dozen Distinctive Destinations® Since 2000, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has annually selected communities across the United States that offer cultural and recreational experiences different from the typical vacation destination. From dynamic downtowns and stunning architecture to cultural diversity and commitments to historic preservation, the selected destinations boast a richness of character and exude an authentic sense of place. To date, there are 108 Distinctive Destinations located in 42 states throughout the country. Visit www.PreservationNation.org/ddd to view the online archive, distinctive destinations toolkit, etc.

Nominations are open to Convention & Visitors Bureaus (CVB) and Chambers of Commerce (COC) across the country. Individuals, Main Street organizations, and others are encouraged to contact their local CVB or COC to encourage the CVB or COCs nomination for this annual heritage tourism program.

There is a $150 nomination fee. Visit http://www.preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/travel/dozen-distinctive-destinations/2009-dozen-distinctive.html to view the nomination guidelines and nomination form.

Completed nominations, including high-resolution jpeg images and letters of support, are due on Friday, August 29, 2008. The 2009 Dozen Distinctive Destinations will be announced in on Tuesday, January 13, 2009.

For more information, e-mail Special Projects Coordinator Carrie Johnson at Carrie_Johnson@nthp.org , or call 202-588-6177.

- LR & NLR were named a DDD in 2006. MSA wrote the DDD nomination.
Creating Sustainable Funding For Nonprofits

*Major Gifts: Finding the Perfect Donors*
*As a part of the Arkansas Excels training calendar, ACE strives to connect our members to information about training and capacity building for nonprofits in Arkansas
Presenter: Julie Goebl
Date: Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Location: Arkansas Community Foundation- Union Station 1400 W. Markham, Ste 206, Little Rock, AR 72201
Cost: No Fee to Attend
To register: RSVP Required! Space is Limited. Register here.
Questions? Contact Alaina Szlachta at 206.709.9400 ext. 132 or alaina.szlachta@benevon.com
Support for Social Change Efforts in the U.S. and Canada
Unitarian Universalist Association: Fund for a Just Society
The Fund for a Just Society, a program of the Unitarian Universalist Association, provides grants to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Canada that address issues of social and economic justice. The Fund supports organizations that use community organizing to bring about systemic change leading to a more just society and mobilize with those who have been disenfranchised and excluded from resources, power, and the right to self-determination. Consideration is given to projects that are less likely to receive conventional funding because of the innovative or challenging nature of the work or the economic and social status of the constituency. The maximum grant amount is $15,000; however, most grants range between $6,000 and $8,000. The next application deadline is September 15, 2008. Visit the website listed above to review the program guidelines.