Have A Need? NJBAC Can Help.

The NJBAC is offering no-cost technical assistance, training, and problem-solving – we are here to support all of your Business Enhancement needs. Whether you have a one-off resource question, are looking for a strategic assessment of a district, or could use some quick visualized tactical inspiration to foster visible and tangible change, NJBAC can help. Contact NJBAC Assistant Director Jef Buehler to start the conversation and move towards action.

Today’s email has information on assistance we can provide, as well as about technical and financial resources that may be a fit for your community or district.

Best Practices

1. Complete Your Streets: Having complete streets is about pedestrian safety. But complete streets are also about business district success! If people (who are customers) are able to circulate around and have safe and easy access to your commercial and mixed-use areas they are more likely to stick around in them to engage in retail, dining, and services. If you don’t have a complete streets policy and plan set up on the local level, we recommend you replicate one from the best, found in the NJ Complete Streets Policy Compilation put together by New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center.

2. Updated Sponsorship Pitch Pieces: The last BE Connection email included a link (that did not work) for a well done template for a short sponsorship pitch piece for events and organizations. Some of you asked for that document directly! So today we’ve attached the actual document from Tallahassee Downtown, as well as another example from the Downtown Reno Partnership.  They both do a nice job infusing real metrics with event and other activities impacts, tying them together with their main sponsorship opportunities.  These models could work for both district management entities and municipalities looking for event sponsorships.

Featured Grants & Support

1. $$$ for Businesses: Have a town under 50,000 in population that’s not in an urbanized area?  If so, your businesses are considered “rural” and can likely apply for grants from the USDA (US Dept. of Agriculture)!  Right now your businesses can apply for funding if they are in an eligible area (see the eligibility map; +/- 60% of NJ is eligible) for the Rural Energy for America Program Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants – this funding can pay for 50% of renewable energy and energy efficiency improvement costs for a business as a grant, in addition to another 25% in loan guarantees. The next deadlines for the program are December 31, 2023, as well as March 31 and June 30, 2024.

2. $$$ for Municipalities & Non-Profits: But wait, there’s more: Local governments and non-profits can also take advantage of grants from the USDA for business support no matter where they are located in NJ, as long as the projects benefit non-urban communities of 50,000 or less. (See eligibility map.) Currently, this includes Rural Business Development Grants to promote economic development and job creation projects – either through business opportunity grants and business enterprise grants.  These funds can cover: Training and technical assistance, business counseling and training, market research, feasibility studies, acquisition or development of land, construction, conversion, renovation of buildings; plants, machinery, equipment, access for streets and roads; parking areas and utilities, the capitalization of revolving loan funds, including funds that will make loans for start-ups and working capital; community economic development, technology-based economic development, feasibility studies and business plans, long-term business strategic planning, and more.  Deadline: February 28, 2024.

NJBAC Can Work With All the Businesses in Your Community

We are here for your communities’ and districts’ businesses. NJBAC offers free online chat and telephone (800-537-7397) assistance in English and Spanish to any business in NJ – any size, any location, and any type. Our team can advocate for businesses, concierge them to funding and technical solutions, help them find locations for growth or developing export markets, guide them to navigating the commercial cannabis sector, and much more. Want to set something up online or on-site for your businesses? Reach out to NJBAC Assistant Director Jef Buehler to get plugged in to all of our business success services.

Wishing you a Happy New Year!