Current through Register Vol. 2021, No. 11, November, 2021
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program's
Main Street Arkansas Downtown Revitalization Grant Program is to assist active
Main Street Programs in funding their local efforts to revitalize their
downtowns through historic preservation and economic development. The grant
funds must be used for the sole purpose of downtown revitalization efforts in
the community. Examples of typical projects to be included in this grant
program, as well as projects that cannot be funded by this program are listed
in Appendix A.
AHPP will advertise the availability of grant funds as they
become available and will distribute grant application packages to potential
grantees. Grant awards are based on the criteria stated in Section III of the
AHPP Grant Manual.
This manual outlines the requirements of the Main Street
Arkansas Downtown Revitalization Grant Program. The requirements listed in this
manual are in addition to those outlined in the AHPP Grants Manual. Both the
Main Street and AHPP Grants Manuals should be read thoroughly.
For further information or assistance, please contact Main
Street Arkansas at 1500 Tower Building, 323 Center Street, Little Rock, AR
72201; phone (501) 324-9880 (TDD
501-324-9811 ); FAX (501)
324-9184 or e-mail at Marian@dah.state.ar.us.
I.
Grant Application. Review and
Award Procedures
A.
Application: The grant application must be filled out
completely. No matching funds are required for this grant. Applicant agrees to
abide by and comply with applicable federal and state regulations and policies
including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [
42 USC
2000 d-1]; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, as amemded [
29 USC Section
794 ]; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as
amended [
42 USC 6101
]; and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1991. These laws prohibit
discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age or
handicap. In implementing public access, reasonable accomondation to qualified
handicapped persons shall be made in consultation with AHPP.
B.
Review: The grant
application must be postmarked on or before the stated deadline in the grant
announcement. AHPP will review the applications using the criteria stated in
Section III of the AHPP Grants
Manual.
C.
Award: Grants will be awarded as stated in Section
III of the AHPP Grant Manual.
Appendix B lists maximum dollar amounts awarded by size and scope of Main
Street program. Grant contracts must be signed by the respective Main Street
Program Manager. The contract is between AHPP and the respective
Main Street Program.
II.
General Grant
Requirements
A.
Active Main Street Status: Eligibility for this grant
program requires active Main Street status, and as such the Community agrees
to:
1. Maintain the focus of the local Main
Street program on the downtown district;
2. Develop, implement, and maintain program
commitment to the comprehensive Main Street Four Point Approach as advocated by
the National Main Street Center;
3.
Maintain an active board of directors for the local Main Street
program;
4. Employ and maintain a
professional Main Street manager who will be responsible for the day-to-day
implementation of the Main Street program in the Community. A description of
the Main Street manager's duties and qualifications shall be agreed upon and
executed by the Main Street manager and the local Main Street program. In the
event the Main Street Manager position is vacated, the Community agrees to fill
the position within a reasonable time with a person meeting the qualifications.
The State reserves the right to review Main Street designation if the position
is vacated for more than (4) months. Upon replacing a manager, the Community
will be required to send the new Main Street manager a comprehensive Main
Street training program {the first available or within four months) or provide
records of prior attendance.
5.
Maintain a full-time downtown office with the necessary travel and operating
budget for the local program manager;
6. Expend funds of in-kind services for the
implementing the Main Street program in accordance with the calendar year 1996
budget.
7. Develop an annual
written workplan for the local Main Street program.
8. Establish a strong committee system to
include but not be limited to the following committees: design, economic
development or economic restructuring, promotion, membership/fundraising, and
executive.
9. Maintain data for
monitoring the progress of the Main Street program, submit monthly reports
using a format provided by Main Street Arkansas, and provide other information
requested by the State on or before the identified deadlines.
10. Promote and encourage program manager and
board member attendance at the local, state, and national training
opportunities, as identified by the State.
11. Authorize the local program manager's
participation in Main Street manager meetings scheduled periodically around the
state. The Community shall be responsible for the manager's travel costs and
other expenses associated with these meetings. The program manager is expected
to attend all meetings.
12. Assist
as requested by Main Street Arkansas in arrangements for technical assistance
and public relations visits to the community.
13. Participate fully in the end-of-the-year
review visit.
14. Provide Main
Street Arkansas with one copy of any materials relating to the Main Street
program published or produced during the program year and provide up to four
additional copies if requested.
15.
Manage the provision of Main Street's design assistance to local property
owners and merchants by:
a. establishing a
design committee to assist the program manager in design projects;
b. having all design committee members and
the program manager attend Main Street design training on appropriate facade
improvements and the design process; training to be done in the Community by
the State architectural design consultant.
B.
Changes to Approved Project
Work: No changes may be made to the approved project unless such
requests for changes are submitted in writing to and approved by Main Street
Arkansas staff. It is possible that the change may not be approved and could
thus jeopardize funding for completion of the project. Main Street Arkansas
staff will work to find a solution satisfactory to both the grantee and Main
Street Arkansas for any changes.
C.
Project Time Limits: Main Street Arkansas establishes
deadlines for the submission of project documentation and the completion of
project work in the grant contract. A grantee who is unable to meet a project
deadline is required to submit a written request for an extension of time at
least 14 days prior to the deadline. This request will be reviewed by Main
Street Arkansas, and the grantee will be notified as soon as possible of the
action taken. If the grantee does not meet an established deadline and does not
submit a request for an extension, it may be necessary to reassign funds
awarded to the project.
D.
Reassignment of Funds: The AHPP grant selection
committee will meet to determine the reassignment of any unused grant funds
previously awarded. The funds may be reassigned to another Main Street program
with a current grant application on file, or returned to the Arkansas Historic
Preservation Program depending on such factors as the amount of funds involved,
the needs at the time the funds become available and when within the grant
cycle the funds become available. All available information will be used during
the decision process to assure an equitable reassignment of funds.
III.
Grant
payments:
A.
Payments: All grant payments will be made directly to
the grantee (the Main Street Program). The grantee should use the following
procedure:
1. Submit an Arkansas Historic
Preservation Program invoice, provided in your grant package, to the Arkansas
Historic Preservation Program listing all allowable expenses. Attach a copy of
the vendor's invoice itemizing the costs. (A list of allowable expenses is
contained in the AHPP Grant Manual).
2. Depending on the grant payment option
specified in the grant contract, the grantee may submit a request for all of
the grant charges on one invoice or for partial payment. No more than four (4)
invoices can be submitted on any grant project during a grant cycle.
3. Payment requests should be submitted on
AHPP invoice forms. Partial payment requests must be accompanied by progress
reports and full or final payment requests must be accompanied by the final
project report (invoice forms and progress and final report forms are provided
in the AHPP grant package). No payment will be made to the grantee unless
requests are accompanied by progress or final reports as applicable.
4. AHPP will process the invoice and a state
warrant will be mailed to the grantee within approximately ten working
days.
B.
Financial Records: Grantee is required to maintain
accurate records of all expenditures to the project and keep on file for three
(3) years after the close of the grant. Grantee should provide all financial
records for audit by the Arkansas Legislative Audit if requested.
IV.
Reporting
Requirements: Grantees are required to submit reports to Main
Street Arkansas during the grant cycle according to the grant agreement.
A.
Progress Reports:
Progress reports are required.
B.
Final Project Report: A Final Project report is
required within 30 calendar days after the completion of the project.
V.
Site
Visits: As work on the project progresses, Main Street Arkansas
staff may make periodic site visits. Once work has begun on the project, the
site visits may be made without notification to the grantee. The Arkansas
Historic Preservation program photographer may make at least one site visit to
photograph the project work, if applicable.
Attachment 1
DOCUMENTS/FORMS AHPP PROVIDES TO
YOU
1. Grant
Application Package:
a. AHPP Grant
Manual
b. Main Street Grant
Manual
c. Grant
Application
d. Grant
Schedule
2. Grant Award
Package:
a. Award Letter
b. Grant Contract
c. Invoice Form
d. Program Report Form
e. Final Project Report Form
DOCUMENTS/REPORTS REQUIRED FROM
GRANTEE
1. During
Application Process:
a. Completed Grant
Application Form
b. Black and white
photos (where applicable)
2. After Grant Award:
a. Signed AHPP Grant Contract with revised
budget if applicable
b. Progress
reports
c. AHPP invoices
d. Written request for changes to approved
project
e. Written request for
extension in grant time line
f.
Final project report
APPENDIX A
Examples of Types of Programs To Be Funded By the Main
Street Arkansas Downtown Revitalization Grant Program
Establishment or maintenance of a mini grant program for
downtown businesses and property owners
Publication of a Main Street newsletter to educate the
community about the program.
Establishment or maintenance of a business incentive program to
attract businesses to your downtown area.
Sponsorship of a workshop or series of workshops to benefit
business owners or property owners in your community.
Contracts with consultants to work toward establishing a
historic district in the downtown area and/or creating a Certified Local
Government in the downtown.
Contracts with consultants to conduct market analysis in the
community, including customer surveys, building surveys, or business
surveys.
Matching funds for any grant program that will directly benefit
the downtown revitalization effort.
Start-up funding for a community oriented event or program,
whether an on-going program such as a farmers market, or a one-time event such
as a Heritage Week event.
Establishment or maintenance of a business incubator program in
the downtown.
Development of a video or slide presentation documenting the
downtown program's progress.
Establishment or maintenance of an incentive program to
encourage upper floor development.
Main Street Arkansas Grant funds will not be granted for
salaries or operations with the following exception:
Purchase of office communication equipment such as computer,
printer, facsimile, copier.
APPENDIX B MAIN STREET ARKANSAS DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION
GRANTS
Maximum Dollar Amounts are Size and Scope of Local
Program
|
Urban (Over 50,000 population)
|
|
|
North Little Rock
|
$4,000
|
|
Regular Cities (5,000 -
50,000)
|
|
|
Batesville
|
3,500
|
|
Blytheville
|
3,500
|
|
Harrison
|
3,500
|
|
Helena
|
3,500
|
|
Magnolia
|
3,500
|
|
Mena
|
3,500
|
|
Rogers
|
3,500
|
|
Russellville
|
3,500
|
|
West Memphis
|
3,500
|
|
Cities 5,000 - 50,000 partnered with another
organization
|
|
|
Benton
|
3,000
|
|
Camden
|
3,000
|
|
Conway
|
3,000
|
|
El Dorado
|
3,000
|
|
Small Cities
|
|
|
Lonoke
|
2,500
|
|
Ozark
|
2,500
|
|
Part-time programs
|
|
|
Hardy
|
2,000
|
|
Smackover
|
2,000
|
