Just a reminder about next week’s training –
Be sure and contact both your State Representative and Senator for an appointment. Also, we’re providing lunch both days & dinner Tuesday night. Call or email if you have questions.
If you’re looking for a roommate for the upcoming National Main Streets Conference, please let one of us know.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
JANUARY 20-21: QUARTERLY TRAINING, LITTLE ROCK
MARCH 1-4 : NATIONAL MAIN STREETS CONFERENCE, CHICAGO, IL
MARCH 15-17: GOVERNOR’S CONFERENCE ON TOURISM, FORT SMITH
MAY 14-16 : ARKANSAS PRESERVATION CONFERENCE, EUREKA SPRINGS
SEPTEMBER 14-16: DESTINATION DOWNTOWN, EL DORADO
Main Street Arkansas Calendar January 12 – 16, 2009
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MONDAY Susan, Caroline – Blytheville
TUESDAY AHPP Grant Workshop
WEDNESDAY Nancy, Mark, Susan – Searcy
THURSDAY Cary – Dumas
FRIDAY Susan – DeWitt
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Governor, AEDC Release Plan to Promote Long-Term Economic Growth
AHPP Accepting Grant Applications
Good Main Street Rogers Press
Compelling Architecture
Rypkema’s New Years List
3 Grant Announcements
Call for Best Promo Ideas
http://arkansasbusiness.com/printable.asp?aid=111138
The plan can be downloaded here:
http://arkansasbusiness.com/news/print_editions/ab_govbeebe_strategic_plan_09.pdf
The plan has five guiding principles intended to create more income growth opportunities for the state:
1. Increase the incomes of Arkansans at a growth pace greater than the national average.
2. Expand entrepreneurship, focusing on knowledge-based enterprises.
3. Compete more effectively in the global marketplace for new business and jobs, and create a business retention strategy to reduce closures.
4. Economic development will meet the special needs and take advantage of the extraordinary assets of various areas of the state. It will not be a one size fits all.
5. Increase the number of workers with post-secondary training so they are prepared when they enter the workforce and equipped for new jobs in the future.
The plan also lays out a strategy for overcoming three obstacles that hinder Arkansas' economy:
1.Arkansas needs a transitional, systematic approach to an economy supported by knowledge-based jobs.
2. The economic development efforts throughout the state are diffused and inefficient.
3. Arkansas lacks a recurring and predictable funding formula for economic development.
It is surely worth your time to download & read this plan. When reading, keep in mind the role your downtown revitalization program.
AHPP ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS
The Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, will accept applications for its Historic Preservation Restoration Grant and County Courthouse Restoration Subgrant programs through March 13, AHPP Director Frances McSwain announced today.
Two Historic Preservation Restoration Grant options are available for rehabilitation of historic structures in Arkansas:
n Option 1 grants of up to $10,000 are available to the owners of properties that are listed on the Arkansas Register of Historic Places or are non-contributing structures in National Register historic districts if the grant project will make the property eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places and the owner follows through with the National Register listing process
n Option 2 grants of $10,000 or more are available to the owners of properties that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and owned by a not-for-profit organization or a local government.
County Courthouse Restoration Subgrants are available for preservation work at county courthouse buildings that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The program uses funds provided by the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Council, which distributes money raised through the state Real Estate Transfer Tax.
Guidelines and applications for the Historic Preservation Restoration Grant and County Courthouse Restoration Subgrant programs can be downloaded from the AHPP web site at http://www.arkansaspreservation.org/preservation-services/grant-programs/
GoodMain Street Rogers Press:
http://www.recordtimes.com/rhtn/News/4691/
http://www.nwanews.com/bcdr/News/69565/
Compelling Architecture
http://www.governing.com/articles/0901assess.htm
Rypkema’s New Year’s List
http://www.placeeconomics.com/2009/01/new-years-resolution-and-list.html
USDA Grant Announcement
The primary objective of the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program is to promote rural economic development and job creation projects. Assistance provided to rural areas, as defined, under this program may include business startup costs, business expansion, business incubators, technical assistance feasibility studies, advanced telecommunications services and computer networks for medical, educational, and job training services and community facilities projects for economic development.
The Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service has announced it is seeking applications for loans and grants for FY 2009 funding.
TheDecember 29 2008 FEDERAL REGISTER provides full background, application requirements and deadlines, and pertinent contact information
Community Safety Awards Program Recognizes Innovative Partnerships
MetLife Foundation: Community-Police Partnerships Awards Program
The Community-Police Partnership Awards, sponsored by the MetLife Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), identify innovative partnerships between community groups and police that promote neighborhood safety and revitalization. Six Neighborhood Revitalization Awards, ranging from $15,000 to $25,000, will recognize exemplary collaborations that address crime reduction as well as economic development. Five Special Strategy Awards of $15,000 each will recognize exemplary collaborations that yield significant public safety outcomes in seven specific categories. Public agencies (including police departments and public schools) must apply in conjunction with at least one nonprofit organization. The preliminary application deadline is February 27, 2009. The RFP and preliminary application form will be available on the LISC website on January 5, 2009
National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Humanities Start-Up Grants
http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=44662
From Our Friend Kathy LaPlante – Call for Your Best Promotion Ideas
Hello Nationwide Main Street Programs and Main Street Coordinating Programs,
At the National Main Street Conference in Philly last year, I presented a session called, "Successful Retail Events", featuring case studies submitted by Main Street programs across the county, of about 30 different retail/business promotions (those that are intended to make your businesses cash registers ring -- verses special events).
At the Chicago conference (March 1-4), I will be presenting a similar session called, Retail and Business Promotions that Work! So I would like to hear from downtown programs again, that have conducted great/successful promotions that could be highlighted during this session. If you've got one to brag about, please send me a few details about your promotion. It could be an event strictly for retailers or one that also had service and professional business participants.
Here's what I'd like to know:
1. The name of the event and your community
2. A brief description of event, how did it work, how did you market it, etc.
3. How many businesses participated
4. Why you thought it was a success (merchant testimonials, coupons turned in, an annual even everyone looks forward to, etc.)
5. And some JPEG images of the people participating, shoppers on the street, PDFs of your posters or graphics, etc.
You can reply directly to me at Kathy_LaPlante@nthp.org, rather than replying to the entire list serve, which won't allow files to be attached.
If you are from a coordinating program and have an annual awards programs, please let me know if you honored a Best Retail or Business Promotion that you'd like featured and I will make contact with your local programs.
Anyone who submits an idea that is used in my presentation and attend the conference in Chicago will receive a sweet treat in thanks for your participation.
TrainingOpportunity
Training to help your Organization maximize its 2009 opportunities!
Training designed for executive directors, staff, board members and volunteers!
Attendees may select one or both of these trainings.
Topics
Fundraising ’09 Style 9:15 to 12 Noon
Three “Rs” of Volunteerism: Recruit, Recognize, Reward 1:15 to 4 p.m.
Date Location
Thursday, January 15, 2009 Hot Springs First Assembly of God
3540 Central Avenue, Hot Springs
To Register or for More Information e-mail: register@arfia.org
Deadline for registration January 13th 888-845-2985 (ext 2)
Main Street Arkansas
Arkansas Historic Preservation Program
1500 Tower Building
323 Center Street
Little Rock, AR 72201
501.324.9186 voice
501.324.9184 fax
Visit our website at: www.MainStreetArkansas.org Sign up for our free e-newsletter at: http://www.arkansaspreservation.com/enews/ and check out our blog at: http://mainstreetarkansas.blogspot.com/ or visit our myspace page at www.myspace.com/mainstreetarkansas befriend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
Link to me at http://www.linkedin.com/in/carytyson
The mission of Main Street Arkansas is to be the leading resource for communities seeking to revitalize their historic downtown commercial districts and to provide technical assistance and expertise to designated Main Street Arkansas communities through the implementation of the National Trust’s Main Street Center’s comprehensive Four-Point Approach™. Main Street Arkansas is a preservation-based economic development program housed in the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.
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