Main Street Arkansas Update - October 18, 2010

Downtown Rogers

Looking for a continuing education opportunity? Consider the Arkansas Community Development Society’s conference October 21 in Conway. More information at http://www.arcds.org/

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 18 - 22, 2010
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MONDAY Greg & Susan – Rogers (visioning & merchant site visits)
TUESDAY Greg & Susan – Rogers (visioning & merchant site visits)
WEDNESDAY Mark – Monticello – presentation on small biz recruitment, retention
THURSDAY Cary, Greg, Susan, Mark – AR Community Development Conference – Conway
FRIDAY Susan – Texarkana
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Congrats to Downtown Pine Bluff
Spring Street, Eureka, One of America’s Best Streets 2010, per the AIA
New Businesses in Downtown Rogers
Freak Hail Storm in Helena
SBA & Google Can Help Your Downtown Businesses
Rural Southern Non-Profit Survey
Good Downtown Ft Smith Press
Urban Parks
Ready for Groupon In Your City?

Congratulations to Downtown Pine Bluff on receiving a $30,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank

Spring Street in Eureka, One of America’s 10 Best Streets http://www.planning.org/greatplaces/streets/2010/
New Businesses in Downtown Rogers http://www.nwaonline.com/news/2010/oct/14/empty-storefronts-filled-19-new-businesses/
Freak Hail Storm Hits Downtown Helena Last Week http://theloop.kait8.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=19209836&item_index=8&all=1&sort=NULL
Google and the Small Business Administration have partnered to educate local businesses about how to succeed online. Each video describes how a small business owner successfully uses the internet to grow his or her business. It's important to be where your customers are...online.
http://www.google.com/help/places/partners/sba/index.html
Rural Southern Non-Profit Executive Director Survey https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGFZMkJqbnNyQmpzYTNvLXBBZV9KRXc6MQ
Good Downtown Fort Smith Press http://www.swtimes.com/business/article_e2d3e21a-d47d-11df-9df2-001cc4c002e0.html
Urban Parks http://www.tnr.com/article/books-and-arts/magazine76951/city-parks-urban-planning

Ready for Groupon in Your City? It’s in LR. http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/printable.aspx?aid=123896

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 11, 2010

Downtown Heber Springs

Looking for a continuing education opportunity? Consider the Arkansas Community Development Society’s conference October 21 in Conway. More information at http://www.arcds.org/

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 11- 15, 2010
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MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY Mark, Susan – Blytheville
THURSDAY
FRIDAY Greg – Jonesboro; Mark – Blytheville
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Congrats to Downtown Eureka Springs & Main Street Helena
Henry Awards
King Biscuit is Back
2 Grant Opportunities

Congratulations to Downtown Eureka Springs on receiving a grant from the Arkansas Coalition for Excellence that will provide training on leadership, grant writing, financial management and other management topics through the Strengthening Communities Fund program

Also, congratulations to Main Street Helena on their receipt of a $8,000 Federal Home Loan Bank grant.

Henry Awards
http://www.arkindustryinsider.com/henry-awards/

King Biscuit is Back
http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2010/10/08/helena-gets-its-biscuit-back
- reminder that King Biscuit began as a fundraiser for Main Street Helena. They’re still involved today.

2 Grant Opportunities
Grants Available to Help Nonprofit Organizations With Fundraising
Achieve, an Indianapolis-based consulting firm that provides fundraising, strategic planning, and management counsel to nonprofit organizations, is offering service grants to nonprofit organizations seeking assistance with fundraising. This is the third year Achieve is offering the program to organizations across the United States.
Seven grants are available for 2011: one for Achieve consulting services (value to be determined by scope of services, up to $20,000); two grants to the Achieve Academy, which includes a five-part webinar and one-on-one coaching on either Millennial engagement, developing a fundraising plan, or online engagement (valued at $350); and four grants for premium subscriptions to Achieve Access, an online resource library of more than 270 templates and guidance pieces, an annual pass to twelve webinars, and a subscription to Achieve's monthly newsletter (valued at $199).
Grantees will be selected based on each organization's level of need, type of assistance requested, and organizational readiness as described in the grant application. Selections will be made by Achieve's advisory board.
Achieve will offer an informational webinar on this grants program on October 14, 2010. Complete program information is available at the Achieve Web site.

Projects Encouraging Bicycling Funded – a good fit for downtowns
Bikes Belong Coalition
The goal of the Bikes Belong Coalition, sponsored by the American bicycle industry, is putting more people on bicycles more often. The Bikes Belong Grants Program provides support for projects that leverage federal funding and build momentum for bicycling in communities across the U.S. Funded projects can include bike paths, lanes, and routes, as well as bike parks, mountain bike trails, BMX facilities, and bicycle advocacy initiatives. The focus of the facility grant category is to connect existing facilities or create new biking opportunities. The advocacy grant category seeks to support large-scale, innovative, replicable advocacy initiatives that significantly increase ridership and improve conditions for bicycling in big U.S. cities. Applications are reviewed three times per year; the final 2010 deadline is November 30. Visit the Coalition’s website to submit an online application.

Main Street Arkansas Update - October 4, 2010

Historic Downtown Morrilton

Looking for a continuing education opportunity? Consider the Arkansas Community Development Society’s conference October 21 in Conway. More information at http://www.arcds.org/

Main Street Arkansas Calendar October 4 - 8, 2010
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MONDAY
TUESDAY Susan – Helena (working with downtown merchants in preparation for Blues Fest
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY Cary – Helena
FRIDAY
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IN THIS ISSUE:

What Makes the Happiest Communities?
Grant Opportunity
AR Biz of the Year Nominations
Batesville Press

What Makes the Happiest Communities?
http://www.parade.com/news/2010/10/03-youll-wish-you-were-here.html
- you’ll note that many of these things are typically addressed in Main Street work

Grant Opportunity (Rural Community Development Initiative)
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=58143

Arkansas Business of the Year Nominations (nominate someone in your downtown)
http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/nominate_aboy.asp

Downtown Batesville Press
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/sep/26/community-catering/

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 27, 2010

Destination Downtown 2010


Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 27 – October 2, 2010
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MONDAY Nancy & Susan – Texarkana (site visit with new biz owner)
TUESDAY Susan & Mark: Heber Springs & Searcy (workshop & small biz visits); Marian’s Birthday (email her good wishes at marian at arkansasheritage.org )
WEDNESDAY all staff – West Memphis: NEA Your Town Workshop
THURSDAY Cary – West Memphis: Your Town; Susan – Helena (merchant site visits)
FRIDAY Cary – West Memphis: Your Town
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IN THIS ISSUE:

New web TV show focuses on non-profits
Creating Livable Communities
Study Links Obesity, Sprawl
Grant Opportunity
8 Free Website Tools for Small Biz
Top 20 Events Publication – Request for Submittals

New web TV show focuses on non-profits
10 minute reports every two weeks at: The NonProfit Times TV at:
www.nonprofittimes.tv

Creating Livable Cities
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-09-16/creating-livable-cities

Rutgers Study Links Walkable Communities, Lower Obesity Rates
http://www.montereyherald.com/health/ci_16090140?nclick_check=1

Grant Opportunity
http://www.imls.gov/applicants/grants/forAmerica.shtm

8 Free Website Builder Tools for Small Businesses
http://smallbiztrends.com/2010/09/8-more-free-website-builder-tools-for-small-business.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+SmallBusinessTrends+%28Small+Business+Trends%29

Top 20 Events Publication – Southeast Tourism Society
Since 1985, the Southeast Tourism Society has published the Top 20 Events publication. Through a nomination process, the society chooses the Top 20 events going on in the Southeast for each month of the year, and publishes this list of winners quarterly. This publication is sent to over 300 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, and others, as well as 125 AAA publications. The combined circulation runs into the millions. Current Top 20 Events are listed online.

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism is a member of the Southeast Tourism Society. As a result, festivals and events in Arkansas may be submitted for the Top 20 Events publication, if they meet the following requirements set forth by the Southeast Tourism Society:

• 1,000 in attendance
• 3rd year in existence
• Payment of $10 nomination fee per event

Top 20 Events strongly encourages you to strengthen your nomination by providing supporting material such as:

• Photos
• Posters
• Brochures
• Press Releases
• News Clippings
• Volunteer Programs
If you would like to nominate your event, contact the Tourism Development Section at (501) 682-5240 or e-mail kristine.puckett at arkansas.gov.

Deadlines for Applications:

Event Occurring In: Submit by:
April/May/June 2011 October 8, 2010
July/August/September 2011 January 7, 2011
October/November/December 2011 April 8, 2011
January/February/March 2012 July 8, 2011
April/May/June 2012 October 7, 2011
July/August/September 2012 January 6, 2012

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 20, 2010

August Millar


Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 20 – 24, 2010
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MONDAY Mark – Dumas (business consult); Susan – out
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY Nita Fran orientation; Cary – Russellville
THURSDAY Susan - Helena
FRIDAY Susan - Helena
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Searcy Press
Paragould Receives Grant
Curve for Sprawl Slopes Downward
The Arcade Fire Tackles Sprawl
Google CEO on What Makes A Smart City

Main Street Searcy Searcy Press
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/sep/19/downtown-searcy-gets-down/

Profile: Amy Burton of Main Street Searcy
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2010/sep/19/front-and-center-amy-burton/

Main Street Paragould Receives $5,000 Grant
http://paragoulddailypress.com/articles/2010/09/17/local_news/doc4c92d9a8f3f97674587790.txt

Curve for Sprawl Slopes Downward
http://www.thefreemanonline.org/headline/the-demand-curve-for-sprawl-slopes-downward/#

The Arcade Fire’s New Album Tackles Sprawl
http://spur.org/blog/arcade_fires_new_album_tackles_suburban_sprawl_providing_compelling_city_planning_commentary
and continuing the Rock & Roll theme of this issue,
The Wilderness Downtown, Arcade Fire’s new single – only viewable in Chrome uses GPS technology to stretch this even further. Pretty cool when you put in places you know.
http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

Google CEO on What Makes a Smart City
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/08/16/googlopolis

Main Street Arkansas Update - September 7, 2010

NEXT WEEK - Destination Downtown Conference – September 13-15
We still have 2 seats available if anyone needs a ride.

Main Street Arkansas Calendar September 6 – 10, 2010
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MONDAY closed – Labor Day
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY Mark & Susan – West Memphis (merchant visits)
THURSDAY Greg, Mark, Susan - Monticello – 4 Point Training
FRIDAY
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IN THIS ISSUE:

Ozark: City on the Verge
MSR – 2 Press Pieces & a New MSR blog
2 Grant Opportunities

Ozark: City on the Verge
http://www.thecitywire.com/index.php?q=node/11504
nice article about the town which includes some coverage on the branding work we did

Main Street Rogers Picks Up Sponsorship
http://www.arvestblog.com/blog/2010/8/26/arvest_benton_county_sponsori.aspx
& MSR Frisco Fest Press
http://www.4029tv.com/news/24813269/detail.html
& a new MSR blog
http://thewordonwalnut.blogspot.com/

Grant Opportunity

$10,000 Award Ceiling - Deadline October 1, 2010

The Southern SARE Program and the Southern Rural Development Center, the sponsors of this competitive SCIG program, are seeking to invest in projects/programs that promote a stronger alignment between sustainable agriculture and community development strategies in the South. This type of alignment cannot be realized without strong and balanced working partnerships among people and organizations representing both sustainable agriculture and community development perspectives. As such, applicants MUST demonstrate that their project team has a good mix of backgrounds and experiences relevant to these two key arenas (i.e., sustainable agriculture and community
development).

http://www.southernsare.uga.edu/callpage.htm

T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES FOUNDATION
The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the financial services Company. It has a long tradition of philanthropy in the communities where its associates live and work. The Foundation provides grants to U.S.-based nonprofits that enhance community life through education, arts and culture, human services, and civic and community initiatives. Additional information can be found on the Web site. | Grant Range: $50 To $140,000 | Contact Info: T. ROWE PRICE ASSOCIATES FOUNDATION, 100 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, MD, 21202, Ph: 410-345-2000, Visit Website, Toll free number: 800-638-7890.

Main Street Batesville Video - produced by local students & the Ozark Foothills Film Festival