[OMS_MANAGERS] OMS Round-up

Tue May 7 11:25:32 PDT 2024

Insights from Main Street America’s 2024 Main Street Trends Survey - The results are in! MSA was thrilled to hear back from 544 local program leaders who shared information and insights about themselves, their organizations, and their communities. MSA’s Senior Director of Research Michael Powe, Ph.D., and Manager of Research Emi Morita explored some of the key findings from the trends survey. From budgets and staffing to programming priorities and the myriad of backgrounds that bring people to Main Street, these insights provide a snapshot of the state of the Movement. Read here ><https://mainstreet.org/the-latest/news/main-spotlight-insights-from-the-2024-trends-survey?mc_cid=730fbea3ff>

Training Opportunities

  *   Webinar: Oregon Main Street’s New Executive Director/Main Street Coordinator Orientation, Wednesday, May 22, 1 to 5 p.m.  Click Here to Register.<https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0uceGrrTIvGtTSVN0kW_vkCm3oDwrhGY6_> This session will cover:

  *   Brief overview of the Main Street Approach™
  *   Introduction to Oregon Main Street
  *   Roles and responsibilities of main street staff
  *   Working with business owners
  *   Roles and responsibilities of main street board of directors, committees, and volunteers

  *   Webinar: Program Strategy Mapping<https://www.bridgespan.org/CMSModules/Newsletters/CMSPages/Redirect.ashx?linkguid=7417e4ce-7466-4c4e-ad9e-6faf6c6defd4&email=cam.amabile%40oprd.oregon.gov&hash=f53e1ef4070a0d9afc695ab1989578e0534937152f68dc935cf4f6ea5b7a38ba> offered by The Bridgespan Group, Wednesday, May 22, 10 am PT

  *   Are you facing important decisions about your nonprofit’s programs? When considering which programs to grow and which to scale back or exit, it can be helpful to assess programs in comparison to one another. The program strategy map is a tool that visualizes each program’s financial sustainability and its fit with the impact an organization is pursuing. At this webinar you’ll:
  *   Gain a new perspective on your organization’s programs relative to one another
  *   Learn about the program strategy map tool and how to use it
  *   Hear about Caminar CEO Mark Cloutier's experience applying the tool
Grant Opportunities

  *   T-Mobile Hometown Grant<https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/hometown-grants>: The application for the T-Mobile Hometown Grant is open now through Sunday, June 30, 2024. This five-year initiative awards 25 grants per quarter to small towns and rural communities with populations less than 50,000.

  *   Grants from National Trust Preservation Funds (NTPF)<https://savingplaces.org/preservation-funds> are intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. These grants help stimulate public discussion, enable local groups to gain the technical expertise needed for preservation projects, introduce the public to preservation concepts and techniques, and encourage financial participation by the private sector. A small grant at the right time can go a long way and is often the catalyst that inspires a community to take action on a preservation project. Grants generally start at $2,500 and range up to $5,000.

For the June 3, 2024, grant round, the National Trust Preservation Funds grant program has dedicated funding to award in the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin.

  *   The Reser Family Foundation <https://thereserfamilyfoundation.org/apply-for-a-grant/>  has two responsive grant deadlines each year, February 1st and August 1st. These deadlines are for the Fast Track and Mid Size programs.

While their funding priorities have a broad base, they all share a single purpose — to improve and strengthen communities throughout Oregon. In considering grant applications, we look for programs or projects that hold promise to accomplish a measurable impact in the area of Education, Health, Arts, and Environment.

     *   The Fast Track Grant Program is for requests $12,499 and under. The Fast Track application process is designed to provide eligible organizations with streamlined access and support for projects or programs.  Organizations with operating budgets under $500,000 are eligible to apply and larger organizations are welcome to apply if they prefer this opportunity.
     *   The Mid Size Grant Program serves requests from $12,500 to $50,000. The Mid Size grant process is open to eligible organizations with operating budgets larger than $500,000 who are requesting support for projects or programs.  Applications are reviewed, then organizations selected for consideration will have a site visit with Foundation representatives.

  *   Over $1 billion in funds has been allocated for Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A), and the program is accepting grant applications.

The grant funds can support planning, infrastructural, behavioral, and operational initiatives to prevent death and serious injury on roads and streets.

See the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity here ><https://www.transportation.gov/grants/ss4a/fy24-nofo>

Implementation Grant applications must be submitted by May 16, 2024. Planning and Demonstration Grant applicants have three deadlines: April 4, May 16, and August 29. See more resources on the SS4A page here ><https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDcsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRyYW5zcG9ydGF0aW9uLmdvdi9ncmFudHMvU1M0QS93ZWJpbmFycyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyNDAzMDQuOTEyNTQ2NDEifQ.Hff3IYeHRmjP5RsZmDzbnPSgW3nvJ5Gu6_n3WLzFx80/s/2990747365/br/238190891753-l>

  *   The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is accepting applications for up to $44.5 million in funding for projects that will strengthen safety and improve bicycling, walking, and access to public transit in communities across the country through the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program.

Applications are due by June 17.  Learn more and apply ><https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/353043>

Interesting Reads

  *   Lessons Learned from a Retail Incubator<https://mainstreet.org/the-latest/news/main-spotlight-lessons-learned-from-a-retail-incubator?mc_cid=853bf942d8>: Last year, Sterling Main Street launched a retail incubator space called The Shoppes at Grandon Plaza. The first year of this program was largely successful: the space helped three businesses transition into brick-and-mortar locations, and another expand into a new city. The project was also a learning opportunity for the Main Street program. Through this journey, they overcame challenges around organization, fundraising, outreach, and more. Sterling Main Street Executive Director Janna Groharing shared some of the key lessons that her team learned during the creation and implementation of The Shoppes at Grandon Plaza.

  *   Board Fundraising: The Role Boards Play in Development<https://boardable.com/resources/nonprofit-board-fundraising/>. This article covers the following core topics:

     *   Why Board Fundraising Matters
     *   Board Fundraising Expectations and Responsibilities
     *   Best Practices for Nonprofit Board Fundraising
     *   Board Fundraising Methods
     *   Common Challenges Encountered with Board Fundraising

  *   Why ‘good enough’ can be better for your decisions and mental health<https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/05/03/happiness-choices-good-enough-decisions/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzE0OTY4MDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzE2MzUwMzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3MTQ5NjgwMDAsImp0aSI6IjNkYzg2YzUzLWM2ZWYtNDViMS1iZTU4LTI2MDM5MGQzNzJmZCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS93ZWxsbmVzcy8yMDI0LzA1LzAzL2hhcHBpbmVzcy1jaG9pY2VzLWdvb2QtZW5vdWdoLWRlY2lzaW9ucy8ifQ.uc2l87BL0LY8YDhXVqlMYl3WR10KgL9wNvhuGX6UAw4>. The constant pursuit of ‘perfect’ choices can make you less happy and more anxious. By Jamie Friedlander Serrano

5 tips for better decision-making

Some decisions — like which school to send our children to — are worth our time and deliberation. But others are not. Here’s some guidance on how to make decisions more easily.

Go all in. If you think a decision is reversible, you won’t do the work required to feel content with it, Schwartz says.

Let’s say you bought a dress you can’t return. You’ll likely make yourself find things to like about it. “I don’t think this is something people do consciously or deliberately, [but] when there’s no going back, you make the best of what you have,” Schwartz says. “When there is going back, you go back.”

Find your niche. You don’t need to be a satisficer for every decision. Maximizing occasionally is okay, so long as it’s something you’re passionate about.

“If there are certain things you really love to get elbow-deep in, that’s fine,” Schwartz says. “Just don’t do that with everything, because that’s a recipe for paralysis and misery.”

Automate parts of your day. Most little decisions are relatively insignificant, yet they take up mental energy that could be spent on more worthwhile pursuits.

Reduce your total number of daily decisions. Reyna recommends making what she called “policy decisions for yourself.” Instead of debating whether to exercise each morning, for instance, decide to always run at 6:30 a.m. on weekdays.

Set limits. Those who lean toward maximizing can benefit from setting constraints on their decision-making, Gallagher says.

For example, give yourself only 15 minutes to search for a new pair of headphones online. Or, find a resource you trust and always research products there.

Don’t get lost in the weeds. Research has shown that, in addition to quantity of information analyzed, the quality of your insights is crucial.

Reyna and her colleagues developed “fuzzy-trace theory<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0065240702800623>,” which found that people who are able to get the gist, or essence, of information often make better decisions than those who spend a lot of time and energy analyzing surface details. “What we’ve shown is that a lot of very healthy decisions are made using the gist over the details,” Reyna says. 

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Sheri Stuart (she, her, hers) |  Oregon Main Street Coordinator
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Oregon Heritage, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
Desk:  (503)986-0679 cell: (503)551-3705
725 Summer St NE, Ste C
Salem, Oregon 97301

Visit our website<http://www.oregonheritage.org/>, Like us on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/OregonHeritage>, Visit our Blog<http://oregonheritage.wordpress.com/>, Join the Oregon Heritage News e-news<https://omls.oregon.gov/mailman/listinfo/Heritage> Check our LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/oregon-parks-and-recreation-department/>.

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