Resources
Small Town Center Toolkits
Active Alleys Toolkit
The Active Alleys Toolkit is intended to provide a starting point for activating downtown alleys. Within this toolkit, you’ll find a myriad of inspirational examples of alleyway pocket parks, as well as an easy-to-follow checklist of essential tasks to do when starting your alley park project. Finally, a list of financial resources to get the budget started is also included here. Use this guide as a jumping-off point to create the perfect active alley for your community!
Organizations
Active Living by Design
Active Living by Design creates community-led change by working with local, state and national partners to build a culture of active living and healthy eating.
Organizations
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation advises federal agencies, the President and Congress on reservation policy and reviews proposed projects which federal funds are involved in order to evaluate and mitigate potential effects on historic properties.
More Information for Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
Organizations
Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation
The Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation provides a forum for communication and exchange of information among its varied members and promotes the preservation and conservation of historic landscapes in all their variety.
More Information for Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation
Organizations
American Farmland Trust
The American Farmland Trust (AFT), informs Americans about the issues posed by rapid depletion of the nation’s farmland, the harmful effects of soil erosion, and other threats to the agricultural viability of the land. AFT undertakes projects directly through cooperating organizations and individual landowners, which demonstrate farmland protection techniques, and assists farmland protection policy efforts and land use initiatives by local, state, and federal government.
Organizations
American Forestry Association
The American Forestry Association (AFA), advocates the protection, wise management, and enjoyment of both rural and urban forest resources in America. Its objective is to maintain and improve the health and value of trees and forests throughout America and to attract and cultivate the interests of citizens, industry and government.
Organizations
American Historical Association
The American Historical Association (AHA), a professional association for historians, has as its mission the advancement of historical scholarship. The AHA brings together nearly 5,000 institutions and 14,000 individuals, including university faculty, public historians, independent scholars, archivists, librarians, and secondary school teachers. AHA members receive The American Historical Review, Perspectives and the AHA Annual Meeting Program.
Small Town Center Toolkits
Asphalt Art Toolkit
Cities and towns globally are recognizing the potential of asphalt art to increase street safety and add renewed vibrancy to their communities. Even in small towns, asphalt art can have a huge impact. The goal of this Asphalt Art Toolkit is to share inspiration and provide a step-by-step guide to undertaking an asphalt art project in your town.
Organizations
Association of Fundraising Professional
Association of Fundraising Professional has been the standard-bearer for professionalism in fundraising for more than 40 years. The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents 26,000 members in 174 chapters throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and China working to advance philanthropy through advocacy, research, education, and certification programs.
More Information for Association of Fundraising Professional
Grants
CDBG (Community Development Block Grants)
Entitlement Communities
The CDBG entitlement program allocates annual grants to larger cities and urban counties to develop viable communities by providing decent housing, a suitable living environment, and opportunities to expand economic opportunities, principally for lowand moderate-income persons.
State Administered CDBG
The CDBG program awards grants to smaller units of general local government that carry out community development activities.
Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program
Section 108 Loan Guarantee Program provides a loan guarantee directly or designated to another public entity, such as an industrial development authority, to carry out their Section 108 assisted projects.
Disaster Recovery Assistance
HUD provides flexible grants to help cities, counties, and States recover from presidentially declared disasters, especially in low-income areas, subject to availability of supplemental appropriations.
Neighborhood Stabilization Program
HUD provides grants to communities hardest hit by foreclosures and delinquencies to purchase, rehabilitate or redevelop homes and stabilize neighborhoods.
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Economic Development Program
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Economic Development Program is a grant program that is available to fund publicly owned infrastructure. Funding from this program can be used by municipalities and counties to assist with the location, expansion, or retention of businesses. Usage of the economic development grant funds must be directly related to the construction, renovation, or expansion of industry.
Municipalities and counties
Municipalities and counties must apply on behalf of industry based on the public infrastructure needs of the project. The Community Development Block Grant Program (Economic Development) provides for a maximum grant amount per project of $20,000 per job or up to $2,500,000.
Neighborhood Stabilization Program
HUD provides grants to communities hardest hit by foreclosures and delinquencies to purchase, rehabilitate or redevelop homes and stabilize neighborhoods.
Special Initiatives
In addition to its standard grants programs, the Commission offers special initiatives that focus on meeting specific needs within Mississippi communities. These programs are focused on helping to develop significant partnerships that will advance the arts. Current initiatives offering grant support to organizations include:
Building Fund for the Arts | (BFA) is a special, state bond financed program that supports repair, renovation or expansion of arts facilities in communities throughout the state.
Arts in the Classroom | Arts in the Classroom (AIC) is a program designed to primarily provide professional development for teachers and administrators of preK-12 schools in the foundations of arts integration as a teaching tool to enhance teaching skills and improve student achievement through the infusion of the arts into the basic curriculum.
The Whole Schools Initiative | The Whole Schools Initiative is a program open to K-12 schools that uses the arts as a vehicle for promoting highquality instruction and learning for students.
Model Whole Schools | Schools that have committed to arts integration and changed their school’s culture through the arts are invited to apply as a Model Whole School.
More Information for CDBG (Community Development Block Grants)
Organizations
Center for Neighborhood Technology
The Center for Neighborhood Technology, a non-profit research, public policy, and technical assistance organization, seeks affordable, locally controlled ways for city residents to meet needs for housing, energy, jobs, and a healthy environment. Six program divisions make up the Center: energy services, housing services, neighborhood investment, industrial development, public issues, and The Neighborhood Works newsletter
Organizations
Center for Rural Affairs
The Center for Rural Affairs works to help low-income people, is concerned about the well-being of small, moderate-sized, and beginning farmers, and particularly focuses on Nebraska and neighboring states.
Organizations
Coastal States Organization
The Coastal States Organization is a non-profit representative association for the governors of the 35 coastal states, commonwealths, and territories that border an ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, or a Great Lake. The purpose of the association is to provide a voice for the coastal states in the formulation, development, and implementation of national marine and coastal resource programs and policies. It serves as the national coordinator of Coast weeks, a national three week observance of the coast.
Organizations
Council for Rural Housing and Development
The Council for Rural Housing and Development (CRHD), as the only national nonprofit corporation whose sole focus is the Farmers Home Administration (FMHA} Section 515 program, advocates an effective and adequately funded rural rental housing program in a fair tax environment for private sector participants.
More Information for Council for Rural Housing and Development
Organizations
Council of State Community Development Agencies
The Council of State Community Development Agencies is a membership association consisting primarily of state agencies which addresses the common interests and goals of states with respect to community and economic development, housing, public works assistance, and state/local relations.
More Information for Council of State Community Development Agencies
Organizations
Council on Foundations
The Council on Foundations, a nonprofit membership organization for grant makers, promotes and strengthens organized philanthropy. The Council represents grant makers, their concerns, and their interests to public policymakers, the media, and the general public. Council programs help members achieve their charitable goals. The Council publishes Foundation News and Council Columns, bi-monthly and biweekly publications respectively
Grants
CREATE Foundation
Northeast Mississippi’s Community Foundation, CREATE Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life for the people of Northeast Mississippi (Alcorn, Benton, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Clay, Itawamba, Lafayette, Lee, Lowndes, Marshall, Monroe, Oktibbeha, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union) through building permanent community endowment assets encouraging philanthropy and managing charitable funds contributed by individuals, families, organizations, and corporations, strengthening regional community development capacity, providing leadership on key community issues, and impacting the region through gifts and targeted grant-making.
Supplemental Materials
Earth Craft
Earth Craft is the Southeast’s standard for green building, pairing building science with regional know how. The result is exquisitely designed and renovated homes, buildings and communities.
Organizations
Economic Development Administration U.S. Department of Commerce
The Economic Development Administration (EDA), part of the Department of Commerce, aids the long-range economic development of areas with severe unemployment and low family income problems. EDA assists in the development of public facilities and private enterprise to help create new, permanent jobs.
More Information for Economic Development Administration U.S. Department of Commerce
Organizations
Environmental Defense Fund, Inc.
The Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. (EDF), pursues responsible reform of public policy in the fields of energy and resource conservation, toxic chemicals, water resources, air quality, land use, and wildlife, working through research and public education, and judicial, administrative, and legislative action.
Supplemental Materials
Environmental Protection Agency | Resource Reports
EPA has developed a series of reports exploring the economic advantages of smart growth for businesses, real estate developers, investors, and local governments. Smart growth development is compact and walkable and provides a diverse range of choices in land uses, building types, transportation, homes, workplace locations, and stores. Businesses, real estate developers, investors, and local governments that understand how smart growth can affect them financially will be better prepared to make development decisions? Decisions that are likely to benefit the environment as well.
More Information for Environmental Protection Agency | Resource Reports
Grants
Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation is an international grant making entity, and funding is provided in the following program areas: asset building and community development, education, knowledge, creativity and freedom, and peace and social justice. Letters of inquiry are encouraged before applying.
Grants
Gertrude C. Ford Foundation
Gertrude C. Ford Foundation has a track record for supporting the arts and culture as well as in the University of Mississippi community.
Supplemental Materials
H+T Affordability Index
The Housing + Transportation Affordability Index is an innovative tool that measures the true affordability of housing based on its location.
Organizations
Heartland Center for Leadership Development
The Heartland Center for Leadership Development is an independent, nonprofit organization developing local leadership that responds to the challenges of the future. A major focus of the Center’s activities is practical resources and policies for rural community survival. Programs and publications stress the critical role played by local leadership in facing challenges. The Center’s practical programs include training communities, businesses, and organizations in developing the capacity for locally directed strategic planning, helping policy-makers clarify key questions in the future of communities and states, and conducting field-based research related to leadership and its potential impact.
More Information for Heartland Center for Leadership Development
Organizations
Housing Assistance Council
The Housing Assistance Council (HAC), is a service organization that works to increase the availability of housing for low-income people in rural areas. It administers a revolving loan fund, provides technical assistance, undertakes research and training programs, and publishes booklets on housing issues and programs.
Organizations
Independent Sector
Independent Sector (IS), is a nonprofit coalition of over 650 corporate, foundation, and voluntary organization members. The mission of IS is to create a national forum capable of encouraging giving, volunteering, and nonprofit initiative.
Organizations
Institute for Environmental Negotiation
The Institute for Environmental Negotiation provides neutral third-party mediation assistance to governments, businesses, and citizen groups in the settlement of land use, historic preservation, and environmental policy disputes.
More Information for Institute for Environmental Negotiation
Organizations
International Council on Monuments and Sites
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), is an international, non-governmental professional organization composed of 60 national committees that form a worldwide alliance for the study and conservation of historic buildings, districts, and sites.
More Information for International Council on Monuments and Sites
Grants
Kresge Foundation
Kresge Foundation offers Bricks and Mortar grants to build, renovate, purchase major equipment, real estate and facilities, and to challenge private giving. Additional support is available for building endowments.
Supplemental Materials
Lessons from the Green Lanes
The Smart Growth Network conducts research and publishes studies to be used in design and development of towns and cities. This bike lane study found that protected bike lanes encouraged substantial numbers of new bikers to take to the road, largely because they feel safer about doing so.
Grants
Mississippi Center for Nonprofits
Mississippi Center For Nonprofits are specialists in nonprofit management training, information and technical assistance. MCN hosts an exceptional statewide conference every June.
Grants
Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Community Heritage Preservation Grant Program
The Community Heritage Preservation Grant program provides funds to help preserve, restore, rehabilitate, and interpret historic courthouses and schools.
Certified Local Government Grant Program
The Certified Local Government Program is a federal-state-local partnership that promotes historic preservation at the grassroots level and helps communities deal with preservation needs.
Mississippi Archaeological Research Grant Program
Grants may be used for any public collections from Mississippi or sites located in the state. Research involving private collections is eligible if it involves a comparative analysis with a public collection.
Hurricane Relief for Historic Preservation Program
The Hurricane Relief Grant Program for Historic Preservation distributes funds for properties along the Gulf Coast affected by Hurricane Katrina. The grants are available for publicly or privately owned structures listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Mississippi Landmark Grant Program Preservation Program
Mississippi Landmark Grant funds buildings designated as Mississippi Landmark under the provisions of the Antiquities Law. The grant funds may be used to pay the cost of acquisition, preservation, restoration, operation, administration and support of Mississippi Landmark properties.
Historic Preservation Tax Incentives
Substantial federal and state tax credits are available for the rehabilitation of qualifying buildings in Mississippi. Some projects are eligible for both state and federal tax credits, and the combined credits can reduce the cost of those projects substantially.
10% credit for the rehabilitation of non-historic buildings constructed before 1936 and used for income-producing purposes other than residential rental.
20% credit for the rehabilitation of historic structures used for income-producing purposes.
25% credit for the rehabilitation of historic structures used for residential or business purposes. Properties qualifying for the 20% federal preservation tax credit automatically qualify for the state tax credit.
* Federal tax credits, and the combined credits can reduce the cost of those projects substantially.
More Information for Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Small Town Center Toolkits
Mississippi Downtown Design Guidelines
This document was prepared by the Fred Carl Jr. Small Town Center (STC), the Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) as a guide for local Main Street programs, Certified Local Governments, city staff, downtown development groups, property owners and volunteers that work to revitalize and maintain the physical assets of their downtowns.
Organizations
Mississippi Heritage Trust
Mississippi Heritage Trust (MHT), is a statewide organization dedicated to the preservation of the prehistoric and historic cultural resources of Mississippi. MHT fulfills its mission through education, advocacy, and active preservation using a range of programs and activities that reach communities throughout the state. The Lamar House is listed on MHT’s listing of Mississippi’s 10 Most Endangered Historic Places.
Organizations
Mississippi Main Street Association
Mississippi Main Street Association is an economic development program based in historic preservation. Their mission is to provide visionary leadership, guidance and counsel to Mississippi Main Street communities through organization, promotion, design and economic development to make their cities and towns better places to work, live and play.
Small Town Center Toolkits
Mural Toolkit
As public art has grown in popularity in recent years, small towns have been realizing the potential of murals to transform underutilized public spaces into vibrant community assets. This Mural Toolkit is meant to guide you through the process of creating a new mural in your town, from planning and funding to installing and maintaining.
Organizations
National Association of Conservation Districts
The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACO) is the national grassroots organization that serves as the spokesman for the nation’s nearly 3,000 soil and water conservation districts. Its activities are aimed at advancing the resource conservation cause of the local districts and the millions of cooperating landowners and land managers whom they serve.
More Information for National Association of Conservation Districts
Organizations
National Association of Counties
The National Association of Counties (NACO), represents the more than 3,000 county governments in the United States. Its goals are to improve county government, act as a liaison with other levels of government, serve as a national spokesperson for counties, and advance public understanding of the role of counties.
Organizations
National Association of Home Builders
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), a federation of more than 800 state and local builder associations, monitors state and local legislation, offers technical and legal assistance, and sponsors educational seminars and conferences.
Organizations
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), is a professional association for housing and community development professionals.
More Information for National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
Organizations
National Association of Regional Councils
The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC), is a membership organization for regional councils across the country, with affiliate membership for other public and private organizations with an interest in planning, development, and governance at the regional level. Representing the nation’s more than 500 regional councils, NARC serves as the national source of information for and about regional councils.
More Information for National Association of Regional Councils
Organizations
National Association of Service and Conservation Corps
The National Association of Service and Conservation Corps (NASCC), is a nonprofit education association made up of conservation and service corps operating in states and cities. It serves as an information exchange network for members concerning conservation corps administration and management, promotes conservation and service values among staff and corps members, offers technical assistance to those interested in launching new corps, and promotes establishment of federal, state, and local programs.
More Information for National Association of Service and Conservation Corps
Organizations
National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), is a nonprofit organization composed of commissioners, secretaries and directors of the Departments of Agriculture in the fifty states and four trust territories. NASDA’s purpose is to provide a voluntary, non-political organization to promote unity and efficiency in administration of agricultural statutes and regulations, to develop cooperation between departments of comparable agencies with the United States Department of Agriculture and with persons interested in agriculture, and to establish federalstate cooperative programs to promote agricultural interests.
More Information for National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
Organizations
National Association of Towns and Townships
The National Association of Towns and Townships (NATAT), a membership organization, offers technical assistance, educational assistance, and public policy support to local government officials. The association publishes ten issues per year of NATAT’s Reporter.
More Information for National Association of Towns and Townships
Grants
National Center for Preservation
National Center for Preservation (NCPTT) promotes and enhances the preservation and conservation of prehistoric and historic resources in the United States for present and future generations through the advancement and dissemination of preservation technology and training. NCPTT serves public and private practitioners through research, education and information management.
Organizations
National Council of State Housing Agencies
The National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), a national, nonprofit organization, assists its members In advancing the interests of low- and moderate- income persons through the financing, development, and preservation of affordable housing.
More Information for National Council of State Housing Agencies
Organizations
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), an independent agency of the federal government, was created to encourage and assist the nation’s cultural resources. It provides information about the arts, their artistic and financial health, and the state of their audiences. NEA awards grants through its Design Arts Program to individuals, nonprofit organizations, and local governments for projects that promote excellence in architecture, landscape architecture, and community design. Through its Folk Arts Program, NEA awards grants for documenting folk-life traditions. The objective of the Expansion Arts Program of the Rural Arts Initiative is to strengthen rural arts organizations.
Organizations
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS), of the U.S. Department of the Interior, is the principal federal agency responsible for preservation law and activities that create the basic framework for community preservation planning and provides the legal structure for the retention of historic properties. The Act established the National Register of Historic Places to recognize, identify, and evaluate significant historical properties. The federal government provides funding for the National Register listing and for the federal review process and provides incentives to encourage reuse of incomeproducing historic properties.
Organizations
National Parks and Conservation Association
The National Parks and Conservation Association (NPCA), is a private, citizen-funded organization devoted solely to defending, expanding, and conserving the National Parks. NPCA works as an ally and constructive critic of the National Park Service.
More Information for National Parks and Conservation Association
Organizations
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), represents the national interests of rural electric systems. NRECA provides legislative services and programs in management training, insurance, public relations, and advertising.
More Information for National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
Organizations
National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF), functions as a nonprofit conservation education organization dedicated to creating and encouraging an awareness of the need for wise use and management of those resources upon which lives and welfare depend: soil, air, water, forests, minerals, plant and wildlife.
Organizations
NESC (National Environmental Services Center)
National Environmental Services Center (NESC), helps small and rural communities with their drinking water, wastewater, environmental training, infrastructure resilience, and utility management needs--leading them to solutions to the problems they face.
More Information for NESC (National Environmental Services Center)
Organizations
Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development
The Regional Centers for Rural Development coordinate rural development throughout the United States by assisting the process of public and private decision making by encouraging and conducting multi-disciplinary research, extension, and educational programs. These activities are designed to improve the social and economic well-being of non-metropolitan communities in the regions.
More Information for Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development
Small Town Center Toolkits
Noxubee County Active Transportation Plan
A transportation plan created for Noxubee County explaining the many different ways for a community to support active transportation.
Small Town Center Toolkits
Outdoor Classroom Toolkit
This Outdoor Classroom Toolkit is geared towards communities that want to provide an outdoor learning space for school-aged children, taking into consideration teachers' and students' needs and ease of construction.
Supplemental Materials
Partners for Livable Communities
Partners for Livable Communities is a national, nonprofit leadership organization working to improve the livability of communities by promoting quality of life, healthy communities, economic development, and social equity.
Organizations
Preservation Action
Preservation Action (PA), is a national grassroots citizen lobby, with lobbying coordinators in each state. PA assists in drafting legislation, monitors proposed legislation, provides expert testimony, and works with federal agencies that administer preservation programs.
Small Town Center Toolkits
Preservation Toolkit
This toolkit is designed to be an interactive resource for those new to historic preservation, those wanting to see the various resources in Mississippi related to historic preservation, and to serve as a starting point for property owners and community activists to understand the scope and the process of saving historic structures.
Organizations
Project for Public Spaces, Inc.
Project for Public Spaces (PPS), a nonprofit organization, specializes in the planning, design, and management of public spaces. PPS’s objective is to improve public spaces so they are more usable, lively, safe, and enjoyable. PPS considers public spaces to include all of the areas, interior or exterior, publicly or privately owned, to which the public has access and which form the common life of a community
Organizations
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC), a nonprofit organization, is devoted to converting abandoned railroad rights-of-way into trails for public use. In partnership with citizen groups, public agencies, railroads, and others, the Conservancy is working to build a transcontinental trail way network. RTC’s program includes technical assistance, public education, advocacy, negotiation, legislation, and regulatory action. Publications such as the Citizen’s Manual, Legal Manual, and the newsletter Trailblazer, in addition to conferences and statewide meetings, keep advocates up to date on rail-trail regulations and procedures.
Organizations
Safe Routes to School
The Safe Routes to Schools mission is to advance safe walking and bicycling to and from schools, and in daily life, to improve the health and well-being of America’s children and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities.
Organizations
Scenic America
Scenic America, a nonprofit membership organization, is devoted to protecting America’s scenic resources and community character. Scenic America conducts workshops and provides information and technical assistance on sign control, tree ordinances, scenic highways, growth management, and all forms of aesthetic regulation.
Organizations
Small Business Administration
The Small Business Administration (SBA), protects the interests of small business by ensuring that small business concerns receive a fair proportion of government purchases, contracts, and the sale of government property. The SBA provides funds to small business investment companies that make equity and venture capital investments and supply advisory services and counseling to small businesses.
Supplemental Materials
Small Town Streatery Toolkit
This Small Town Streatery Toolkit is geared toward small towns, keeping in mind limited budgets, locally available materials, and ease of construction based on volunteer labor. Designed for ease of use that both skilled and unskilled volunteers can implement, this toolkit provides a free resource to create a community-specific, attractive, quick solution to increase business and creative public spaces.
Organizations
Small Towns Institute
The Small Towns Institute is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to collecting and disseminating information on new and innovative ideas concerning the issues and problems facing small towns and non-urban areas.
Small Town Center Toolkits
Streatery Toolkit
This Small Town Streatery Toolkit is geared toward small towns, keeping in mind limited budgets, locally available materials, and ease of construction based on volunteer labor.
Small Town Center Toolkits
Support Local (Safely) Toolkit
Information for how you can help your customers continue to support local safely.
Supplemental Materials
Sustainable Connections
Sustainable Connections is supporting a community of innovators in green building, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, supporting independent businesses in town centers, and mentoring a new breed of entrepreneurs that have designed their business with a sustainable vision.
Grants
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation currently makes grants in five core program areas: higher education, museums and art conservation, performing arts, conservation and the environment, and public affairs. The Foundation works with grantee institutions prior to and as an integral part of all grantmaking. Unsolicited proposals are rarely funded. Prospective applicants are therefore encouraged not to submit a full proposal initially, but a short query letter that sets forth the need, nature, and amount of their request, along with evidence of suitable classification by the Internal Revenue Service. The Foundation does not make grants to individuals. Please direct inquiries to appropriate program officers.
Grants
The Chisholm Foundation
The mission of The Chisholm Foundation since inception has been to nurture and support meaningful endeavors in education, the arts, and religion. Guidance of the Foundation’s activities has remained within the founder’s family for three generations, and continues to serve the original vision.
Organizations
The Conservation Fund
The Conservation Fund is a national nonprofit organization, is dedicated to advancing land and water conservation with creative ideas and new resources. They provide specialized services ranging from land planning and acquisition to ecological assessment and communications support, and they analyze regulations, policies, and bills relating to natural resources and land use.
Organizations
The Foundation Center
The Foundation Center is the nation’s leading authority on institutional philanthropy. It maintains a reference collection on foundations and grants, sponsors seminars, conducts research and maintains online library services, including a “virtual classroom” where you can read several books from online text.
Grants
The Getty Grants Program
The Getty Grants Program has a track record for supporting the arts and culture as well as in the University of Mississippi community.
Organizations
The Grantsmanship Center
The Grantsmanship Center (TGC), offer low-cost grantsmanship training and publications to non-profit organizations. Paid members may register for grantsmanship workshops and training. The Grantsmanship Center Magazine is packed with information on how to plan, manage, staff and fund programs of nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
Grants
The Grantsmanship Center
The Grantsmanship Center was founded in 1972 to offer lowcost grantsmanship training and publications to non-profit organizations.
Grants
The Knight Foundation
We help our communities to succeed through our Community and National Initiatives program. We invest in civic innovations that attract, retain and harness talent; that expand opportunity by increasing entrepreneurship and economic mobility; and that build places that accelerate the growth of ideas and bring people from diverse social and economic backgrounds together. Promoting civic innovation and robust engagement will enable our communities to succeed in a rapidly changing world.
Grants
The Mississippi Arts Commission
The Mississippi Arts Commission
The Mississippi Arts Commission serves as a catalyst for the arts in Mississippi. One way that the agency accomplishes this work is through grants to organizations. Following are the grant programs available to Mississippi-based nonprofits or units of government (organizations may apply to MAC for two grants per fiscal year: an Operating OR Project Grant and a Minigrant)
Minigrants
Minigrants are designed to meet a wide variety of needs in Mississippi communities. The program may be used to present an artist from MAC’s Artist Roster (or another adjudicated artist listing), support a consultancy with an arts organization, or assist with staff travel to an arts conference. Minigrant awards range from $50 to $1,000 and require a dollar-for-dollar cash match.
Project Grants
Project Grants are utilized in funding a broad range of arts projects (and arts components of larger projects) in Mississippi communities. The awards range from $250 to $5,000 and require a dollar-for-dollar cash match.
Operating Grants
Operating Grants aim to help nonprofit arts organizations maintain financial stability, build organizational capacity, improve artist programs, and distribute their programs throughout the community. Applicants must have the arts as a primary component of their organizational mission and have been operating as a 501c3 nonprofit for at least two years. Organizations may apply for a percentage of the actual cash revenue of their last year’s income. The grant awards typically average between $10,000 and $25,000.
Organizations
The Society for American Archaeology
The Society for American Archaeology (SAA), is a nonprofit, international scholarly and professional association comprised of avocational archaeologists concerned about the discovery, interpretation,and protection of the archaeological heritage of America.
Organizations
The Trust for Public Land
The Trust for Public land (TPl), assists public agencies, landowners, and citizens’ groups to protect land of recreational, historic, and scenic value. Its projects range from lot-sized neighborhood gardens, to vast additions, to forests, parks, and national recreation areas.
Organizations
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Smart Growth in Small Towns and Rural Communities
Smart Growth Strategies can help rural communities achieve their goals for growth and development while maintaining their distinctive rural character. Planning where development should or should not go can help a rural community encourage growth in town, where businesses can thrive on a walkable main street and families can live close to their daily destinations. Policies that protect the rural landscape help preserve open space, protect air and water quality, provide places for recreation, and create tourist attractions that bring investments into the local economy. Policies that support walking, biking, and public transit help reduce air pollution from vehicles while saving people money
Organizations
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service, within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, promotes and achieves a pattern of natural resource use that will best meet the needs of people now and in the future. Among the Service’s tasks are the generation of forest opportunities to accelerate rural community growth, the protection and improvement of the quality of air, water, natural beauty, and open space environment in urban and community areas, the encouragement of growth and development of forestry-based enterprises, and optimum forest land ownership patterns, the expansion of environmental conservation, and the involvement of the public in forestry policy and program formulation.
Organizations
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service Community Assistance and Rural Development Division
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly the Soil Conservation Service or SCS), within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, develops and carries out a national soil and water conservation program in cooperation with landowners, operators, other land users and developers, community planning agencies and regional resource groups, and federal, state, and local government agencies. NRCS assists in agricultural pollution control, environmental improvement, and rural community development. It is also responsible for the Resource Conservation and Development Program (RC&D), which develops local capability to operate and maintain a planning and implementation process for local projects.
Grants
W. K. Kellogg Foundation
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society.
Small Town Center Toolkits
Walk Audit Toolkit
Information, steps, and questions to help you determine how walkable your community is.
Organizations
Waterfront Center
The Waterfront Center, a nonprofit corporation, promotes urban waterfront enhancement through consulting and publications services. The Center publishes Waterfront World Spotlight Quarterly, as well as various books and reports.