Copy
View this email in your browser
Foothills Regional Commission Newsletter, July 6th, 2021

Foothills Regional Commission Has a New Website!


We are excited to announce that our new Foothills Regional Commission website went live on July 1st, 2021!  


We are still making some minor updates to the site, but we are very pleased with the result.  A big thanks to Formation PR and Beck Digital for he;ping us realize our vision for our new site. 

We are gathering photos from our member governments to place on the front page, in a rotating fashion, to highlight all of the wonderful communities in our region. 

We have also updated all of our social media outlets, and you can find the link to all of them at the bottom of this newsletter. 

 

American Rescue Plan Information Session for Local Governments Recording Available


If you missed last week's informational session about the American Rescue Plan, please see the event's blog post to view the recording and download slides. 

Evidenced by the many participating organizations and in-depth presentations, there are a great deal of resources available to you, our local leaders. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us at Foothills Regional Commission, the NCLM, the NCPRO office, or our partners for assistance and consultation.

The NCLM FAQ page is constantly updating, both with U.S. Treasury provided FAQs and questions we receive from North Carolina cities and towns. All updates are noted on our blog, linked here.

New Federal and National Opportunities

 

ARP Arts Funding for Rural and Tribal Communities

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has released guidelines and applicant resources for two funding opportunities through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to help arts and culture sectors recover from the pandemic. These opportunities are open to nonprofit arts and culture organizations, local governments, federally recognized tribal communities or tribes, and local arts agencies regardless of whether they have received NEA funding in the past. NEA is encouraging applications from a variety of eligible organizations including organizations that serve underserved populations; organizations with small and medium-sized budgets; organizations from rural to urban communities; and organizations applying for federal support through the Arts Endowment for the first time. Links to guidelines, applicant resources, and other materials can be found here. Applications for local arts agencies to sub-grant are due on July 22, 2021. Applications for arts and culture organizations, local governments, and tribes are due on August 12, 2021. On July 8 at 12:00 p.m. ET, NEA team Art of the Rural and First Peoples Fund will offer a workshop to explore these two ARP grant opportunities. Register here for the workshop.  

 

Aspen CSG Compilation of Federal Resources for Rural Communities

The Aspen Institute's Community Strategies Group (Aspen CSG) is collecting links and resources to explain federal opportunities for rural communities and people. Aspen CSG is currently tracking and expanding resources coming out of the American Rescue Plan and other federal action and legislation on a new webpage. Visit the Federal Resources for Rural America page here. If you have a rural resource or analysis you would like to add to the webpage, please share by filling out this form.

 

Our Town Placemaking Grants Program

The National Endowment for the Arts’ creative placemaking Our Town grant program supports projects that integrate arts, culture, and design into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes. Projects require a partnership between a nonprofit organization and a local government entity, with one of the partners being a cultural organization. Grants range from $25,000 to $150,000. All grants require a nonfederal cost share/match. Initial applications due August 5.

 

Provide Input on USDA Program Access and Use

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published a Federal Register notice inviting public input on its efforts to advance equity, racial justice, and support for underserved rural communities. Input will help USDA to identify barriers that people of color, underserved communities, and others may face in obtaining information on USDA programs and services and engaging with USDA grant, loan, and other financial assistance programs; identify opportunities to address systemic inequities and determine ways to best engage external stakeholders and community members to increase participation in USDA programs, services, committees, and decision-making processes; and use feedback to inform the Racial Equity Commission USDA seeks to launch later this year. The deadline to provide input is July 15, 2021.

 

Smithsonian Institution Spark! Exhibit Seeks Rural Innovations

Spark! Places of Innovation, a forthcoming exhibition hosted by the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street Traveling Exhibit Service, will feature stories about towns with populations less than 25,000 that are experiencing economic revitalization, artistic energy, collaboration, environmental sustainability initiatives, community transformation, historic preservation, technological invention, entrepreneurship, or reinvention. To share a town story for consideration, apply by July 16, 2021.

 

Grant Opportunities

Twitter
Facebook
Website
LinkedIn
Copyright © *2021* *Foothills Regional Commission*, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
111 West Court Street, Rutherfordton, NC 28139

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.