Main Street Arkansas Update - October 17, 2011

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MONDAY Cary (NTHP Conference), Susan - Rogers & Bentonville (site visits), Greg- off

TUESDAY Cary (NTHP Conference), Susan - Rogers & Bentonville (site visits), Greg- off

WEDNESDAY Cary (NTHP Conference), Susan - Rogers & Bentonville (site visits), Greg- off

Mark & Samantha – Helena (board meeting)

THURSDAY Cary (NTHP Conference), Greg- off

FRIDAY Cary (NTHP Conference), Greg- off

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Eureka Springs Downtown Network host free blogging for Business 101 Class

Paragould business owners recognized

Russellville Downtown Rendezvous

New Technologies Increase Citizen Investment In Cities

Three Keys to Creating Great “Good Places”

Small Business Saturday

Find your city or county municpal codes online

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Eureka Springs Downtown Network host free blogging for Business 101 Class

Stephanie McCratic, Social Media Developer for The Belford Group, will be teaching a Blogging for Business 101 class for the Eureka Springs Downtown Network. This is for anyone interested in getting started blogging for their business or who need a kick start. Learn about how to get started, what to do, and what to expect.For more information, click here.

Paragould business owners recognized

http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2011/10/02/local_news/doc4e86418311a0f240392854.txt

Russellville Downtown Rendezvous

http://www.couriernews.com/view/full_story/15999576/article-Downtown-rendezvous?instance=top_news

New Technologies Increase Citizen Investment in Cities

A recent Pew Research study revealed that 58% of 25-34 year old Americans own smartphones, and communicate with each other and their city governments in new ways. Learn how you can increase engagement with mobile technologies.

http://americancityandcounty.com/technology/mobile-citizen-engagement-20111012/

Three Keys to Creating Great “Good Places”

The liveliest public spaces share a few core ingredients.

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1665202/3-keys-to-creating-great-good-places

Small Business Saturday

Mark your calendars for November 26 is Small Business Saturday. As the movement grows, find out how you can take advantage of the Big Event.
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/small-business-saturday-1869/

Find your city or county municipal codes online

http://www.municode.com/

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 10, 2011

Make Plans to Attend the Arkansas Community Development Society’s Annual Conference – October 19, Conway, AR. Agenda & more information here

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 10 - 14, 2011

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MONDAY Cary & Sam – Texarkana (program visioning); Susan – Blytheville & Osceola (merchant visits)

TUESDAY Cary & Sam – Texarkana (program visioning)

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY Susan – annual

FRIDAY Cary & Susan – annual

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Great Main Street Siloam Springs Vide

Main Street Paragould Press

Facebook to Offer $50 Ad Credit for Small Biz

8 Amazing Facts About Downtowns

Anatomy of a Grant Proposal

2 Grant Opportunities

RFP Mayors’ Institute on Design

Great Main Street Siloam Springs Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnblrM5Xw6E

Main Street Paragould’s Octoberfest

http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2011/10/02/top_story/doc4e8640e2b234e670177658.txt

MSP Gives Awards

http://www.paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2011/10/02/local_news/doc4e86418311a0f240392854.txt

Facebook To Offer $50 Ad Credit for Small Biz in Jan

http://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-launches-program-small-businesses-pages-ads/230038/

8 Amazing Facts About Downtowns

http://www.destinationdevelopment.com/2011/06/02/8-amazing-facts-about-downtowns/

Anatomy of a Grant Proposal

http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2011/anatomy-of-a-grant-proposal.aspx?hq_e=el&hq_m=1333760&hq_l=7&hq_v=fd3771e936

Community Enhancement Programs Funded
Office Depot Foundation
The Office Depot Foundation supports nonprofit organizations, government agencies, libraries, and schools on a local and national scale that bring systemic change to the communities they serve. The Foundation provides grants averaging $1,000 in three distinct categories. The focus of the “Making a Difference in Children’s Lives” category is on activities that serve, teach, and inspire children, youth, and families. The “Building Communities” category targets civic organizations and activities that serve the needs of company communities. The purpose of the “Disaster Relief” category is to support the relief efforts of recognized local, regional, and national agencies. Priority is given to organizations that participate in the Office Depot Foundation Leadership Network. Requests are reviewed monthly. Visit the Foundation’s website to review the grant application guidelines and take the eligibility survey.

http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=354600044

KaBOOM! Offers Let's Play Spruce Grants for Playground Maintenance

With support from Dr Pepper Snapple Group, KaBOOM! is awarding grants of $750 to communities that wish to make their playgrounds cleaner, safer, and more inviting.

Let's Play Spruce grants are designed to reward communities that have maintained and "spruced up" their playspaces since their playground build. Communities must demonstrate that they have maintained their playspace and have led an improvement project in the last sixty days.

Selected communities will receive a $750 gift card to further enhance or improve their playspace. Gift cards also can be used to refill the playground's wood fiber playground surfacing.

Applications will be accepted throughout the year; however the priority deadline is October 15, 2011.

Visit the KaBOOM! Web site for complete program guidelines and application requirements.

Contact:
Link to Complete RFP

Hat Tip to National Trust Main Street Center for this one:

Funding for Microbreweries. If you have an interested entrepreneur in your town, tell them about the Samuel Adams small business loans and financial business education seminars. Learn more.

Request for Proposals--Governors' Institute for Community Design
EPA's Office of Sustainable Communities is seeking proposals to fund one applicant to operate the Governors' Institute for Community Design. The institute will select and work with interested state leaders to deliver technical assistance to implement smart growth and sustainable community development approaches.

Application deadline: December 5, 2011

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 3, 2011

Make Plans to Attend the Arkansas Community Development Society’s Annual Conference – October 19, Conway, AR. Agenda & more information here

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 3 - 7, 2011
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MONDAY Susan – out
TUESDAY Cary – Ft. Smith; Susan – out
WEDNESDAY Susan – Dumas (merchant visit)
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
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Walnut Ridge in the WSJ
Main Street Searcy: Get Down Downtown
Downtown Batesville: Living the Landers
Main Street Russellville Hosts Tech Downtown
MSR Sets Masterplan Public Input
Watch CharityBuzz.com Founders’ Speech in LR
SBA Seeks Noms for Small Biz Awards
Reclaim Your Alleys
AHPP to Host National Register Training

Walnut Ridge Makes the WSJ
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904106704576578662518738784.html

Main Street Searcy Get Down Downtown Press:
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/sep/29/searcy-ready-get-down-downtown-20110929/?news-arkansas

Living the Landers
http://www.areawidenews.com/story/1762769.html

MSR Hosts New Students Downtown
http://www.arkansastechnews.com/index.php/university-news/5164-destination-downtown-coming-soon

Main Street Russellville Sets Masterplan Public Input
http://www.couriernews.com/view/full_story/15642682/article-Stakeholder--public-meetings-set-for-downtown-master-plan

Watch the CharityBuzz.com Founder’s Speech at the Clinton School
http://www.clintonschoolspeakers.com/lecture/view/charitybuzz-do-good-live-well/

SBA Seeks Nominations for Small Business Awards
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?zone=AB%255FENEWS%255FSmallBusiness&lID=&sID=&ms=&cID=k&aID=128530.54928.140655

Reclaim Your Alleys
http://daily.sightline.org/2011/08/26/alley-alley-in-come-free-2/

AHPP OFFERS FREE NATIONAL REGISTER NOMINATION TRAINING
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program will offer a free training session Wednesday, October 12, for anyone interested in nominating a property to the National Register of Historic Places, the country’s official list of historically significant sites, AHPP Director Frances McSwain announced today.
The training session will be held from 9 a.m. to noon in Room 170 of the Tower Building at 323 Center Street in Little Rock. The session will include background information on the National Register, the criteria for listing properties on the National Register, and instruction on completing a successful National Register application.
For more information on the free session, call the AHPP at (501) 324-9880 [TDD 501-324-9811] or send an e-mail message to ralph at arkansasheritage.org. Registration is limited to the first 20 applicants.

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 26, 2011

Siloam Springs, the newest Main Street community

Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 26 - 30, 2011
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MONDAY
TUESDAY Samantha – Wynne (ADN presentation)
WEDNESDAY Susan, Sam, Mark – Eureka Springs (site & board visits)
THURSDAY Susan, Sam, Mark – Eureka Springs (site & board visits)
FRIDAY all staff - Future of Historic Preservation Symposium – LR
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Main Street Blytheville Press
Main Street Helena Receives Grant
LR Start-Up Offers Marketplace for Tax Credits
The Bias Against Tradition
MIT’s Free Urban Planning Software
Subtle Tactics Effecting Your Shopping Experience
Micro-Lending Summit Oct 4 in LR

Main Street Blytheville’s Third Thursdays
http://www.couriernews.net/story/1763073.html?response=no

Main Street Helena Farmers’ Market Grant
http://www.helena-arkansas.com/newsnow/x539254235/Main-Street-Helena-receives-grant-for-Farmers-Market

LR Start-Up Offers Marketplace for Tax Credits
http://innovation.arkansasbusiness.com/article/128163/little-rock-startup-offers-marketplace-for-tax-credits

The Bias Against Tradition
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304569504576403841372798886.html

MIT’s Free Urban Planning Software
http://www.fastcompany.com/1778514/open-source-program-released-to-redesigning-tomorrows-cities

Subtle Tactics Effecting Your Shopping Experience
http://www.fastcompany.com/1779611/priming-whole-foods-derren-brown

MICRO-LENDING SUMMIT SET FOR OCT. 4 IN LITTLE ROCK
by Gwen Green, Communication Coordinator, UALR Lead Center
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center will host the 2011 Arkansas Small Business Summit: Micro-Lending for Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 3-7 p.m. at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Building at 2301 S. University Ave. in Little Rock.

Intended to bring micro-business lenders and entrepreneurs together, the summit will include
. Group discussions on "Road Map for Small Businesses" and "How to be a Loan-Ready Entrepreneur"
. Networking reception
. Panel discussion on "Micro-Business Lending in Arkansas"
. Personal credit review (optional)

Micro-business lending is an often overlooked source of capital for small businesses. A micro-loan is $25,000 or less made to a company with five or fewer employees, according to the Association for Enterprise Opportunity, a trade association representing some 450 micro-enterprise organizations. The industry average micro-loan is $12,000.

Arkansas small business owners and lenders are invited to attend this free event. Pre-registration is required. To register or get more information, contact ASBTDC's Maradyth McKenzie at mgmckenzie at ualr.edu or (501) 683-7700.

Main Street Arkansas Update- September 19, 2011

Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 19-23, 2011

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MONDAY Cary and Susan - out
TUESDAY Cary, Susan, and Samantha - Siloam Springs

WEDNESDAY Cary, Susan, and Samantha - Rogers

THURSDAY

FRIDAY Greg

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Arkansas Historic Preservation Program to Host One-Day Symposium

Historic Preservation: Past, Present and Future - Where do we go in the next 30 Years.

Friday, September 20, 2011, at 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Darragh Center- Central Arkansas Library System, 100 Rock Street, Little Rock, AR.

This one-day symposium will present panel discussions on historic preservation in the United States. We will discuss how the movement grew and gained momentum, what is happening currently in all areas of historic preservation, and what preservationists need to do to build the movement in the next 30 years.

This symposium is presented by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program in honor of the 30

year anniversary of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas.

There is no charge for the symposium, but you must register to reserve your space. You can register by calling Travis Ratermann at 501-324-9874 or click here.

New data from the United States Conference of Mayors and The Council for the New American City

http://www.usmayors.org/metroeconomies/2011/report.pdf

The annual U.S. Metro Economies Report provides an insight into the sheer scale of the U.S. economy, even when it is in crisis.

Rogers to Host Destination Downtown Sep 17-19, 2012

ROGERS SELECTED AS HOST CITY OF 2012 DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION CONFERENCE

LITTLE ROCK—Rogers has been selected as the 2012 host city for Destination Downtown, the annual tri-state conference on downtown revitalization, Main Street Arkansas Director Cary Tyson announced today. Main Street Arkansas is a program of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and a co-sponsor of the conference.
“We are excited that Rogers, the first Arkansas city to achieve the Great American Main Street Award by the National Trust for Historic Preservation recognizing the nation’s top downtown revitalization programs, has been selected to host the 2012 conference,” Tyson said. “The conference will be held September 17-19, 2012, and will attract downtown revitalization professionals from throughout the region.”
“The Main Street Rogers Board of Directors and staff are thrilled at the opportunity to welcome other Main Street cities to our revitalized downtown area for Destination Downtown 2012,” Main Street Rogers Executive Director Kerry Jensen said. “We are excited to showcase our thriving businesses, inviting parks and vibrant historic district nestled in the beautiful Ozark Mountains. We hope everyone will stay an extra day and enjoy all that Northwest Arkansas has to offer.”
In addition to Main Street Arkansas, Destination Downtown hosts include Louisiana Main Street and the Mississippi Main Street Association.
Main Street Arkansas provides technical assistance and design services to help create economic development in the state’s downtown areas. The Main Street approach to downtown revitalization focuses on four areas: design, economic restructuring, organization and promotion.
Cities currently involved in Main Street Arkansas are Batesville, Blytheville, Dumas, El Dorado, Hardy, Helena, Little Rock’s South Main Street (SoMa), Osceola, Ozark, Paragould, Rogers, Russellville, Searcy, Siloam Springs, Texarkana and West Memphis. Members of Main Street’s Arkansas Downtown Network are Pine Bluff, Heber Springs, Fort Smith, Eureka Springs, DeWitt, Morrilton, Walnut Ridge, Rector, Jonesboro, Crawfordsville and Monticello. Other sponsors of the Main Street Arkansas program are the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. To learn more about Main Street Arkansas, visit www.MainStreetArkansas.org
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program is the agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage responsible for the identification, evaluation, registration and preservation of the state’s cultural resources. Other agencies in the department are the Arkansas Arts Council, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Old State House Museum, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and the Historic Arkansas Museum.

Main Street Arkansas Update- September 6, 2011

Downtown Russellville

There’s still time to register for Destination Downtown, September 12-14 in Tupelo, Mississippi: http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e4anbnlp70918cb9&llr=sx4ttydab

Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 6-9, 2011

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TUESDAY Cary – vacation; Mark Miller – Siloam Springs

WEDNESDAY Cary – vacation; Mark Miller – Rogers; Susan - Russellville

THURSDAY Susan & Mark – Searcy; Greg and Cary - SoMa

FRIDAY

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Congratulations to Eureka Springs, one of America’s 10 Coolest Towns

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-interests-40652048

Downtown Walnut Ridge Press

http://www.thetd.com/freepages/2011-08-31/news/story3.php

Opportunity for inclusion in the 2012 Sustainable Design Assessment Team (SDAT) Program

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) Center for Communities by Design is pleased to release the 2012 Sustainable Design Assessment Team program Application Packet. The application solicits submissions for inclusion in the 2012 SDAT program.

The mission of the SDAT program is to provide technical assistance and process expertise to help communities develop a vision and framework for a sustainable future. By achieving balance between cultural, environmental, and economic systems, communities can sustain a place as a stage for human settlement. http://www.aia.org/about/initiatives/AIAS075425

Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas now accepting nominations

Each year the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas recognizes and honors individuals and organizations for outstanding achievement in historic preservation in Arkansas with the Arkansas Preservation Awards. The Alliance invites you to participate by nominating an individual, organization or project. Submit your nomination online at PreserveArkansas.org or download a printable Nomination Form here. Nominations must be received by Friday, October 14, 2011.

Quapaw Quarter Branding Press

http://www.arktimes.com/arkansas/whats-in-a-name/Content?oid=1892299

Grant Opportunity for Preservation Technology and Training

The National Center for Preservation Training and Technology seeks innovative projects that advance science and technology for historic preservation. The PTT Grants program funds projects that develop new technologise or adapt existing technologies to preserve cultural resources. For more information: http://ncptt.nps.gov/grants/call-for-proposals/