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. Please feel free to share this information with other officials, district management stakeholders, and businesses.

Best Practices

Resources for Women-Owned Businesses and Start-Ups: Do you have women-led businesses in your community or district that may need guidance and support as they pursue their dreams?  If you are in the northern and central part of NJ, consider putting them in touch with the WCEC Women’s Business Center:  The Center offers an array of business support services, including online classes and networking, as well as free, one-on-one business counseling and coaching.  If you are focused more on South Jersey, take a look at the LAEDA Women’s Business Center, it’s Women’s Business Academy, online courses, as well as its events.

Featured Grants & Support

Arts Organization Grants: The New Jersey Cultural Trust, in partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts (Arts Council), has released the guidelines for its Fiscal Year 2025 grant program, Institutional and Financial Stabilization Grants for Arts Organizations (IFS Arts). The IFS Arts program addresses the financial and institutional challenges that threaten nonprofit arts organizations’ stability, helping them build greater operational capacity. Past grant projects funded through this program have included establishing cash reserves and working capital funds, developing strategic plans, and upgrading technology, among many others. The program will open for applications on July 11, 2024. Applications for FY25 IFS Arts grants will be due August 15, 2024.  In order to apply for an IFS Arts grant, organizations must first be designated qualified by the Cultural Trust. Any arts organization whose qualification status is expired or will expire in 2024 must submit a paper qualification application by mail. Applications must be postmarked no later than June 24, 2024. The qualification application is available on the Cultural Trust’s website, along with a list of currently qualified organizations.

Placemaking & Place Activation Grants: The NJEDA has launched the second phase of its Activation, Revitalization, and Transformation (A.R.T.) program which supports the creation of public space activation initiatives, such as placemaking projects, public art installations, and arts-based projects with grants of $100,000 - $500,000. Project activities/ initiatives may include, but are not limited to art exhibitions, performances, festivals, parades, concerts or concert series, film and video screenings, and cultural programming. Funding can also be used to support the operational costs for the applicants to execute their art or placemaking project. Eligible applicants are only non-profit organizations with a 501c (3), 501c (6), or 501c (19) status that are pursuing projects within 1.5 miles of a transit stop in the following municipalities:

Asbury Park, Bayonne, Belleville, Burlington City, Camden, City of Orange, Clifton, Dover, Dunellen, East Orange, Egg Harbor City, Elizabeth, Garfield, Hackensack, Hammonton, Jersey City, Linden, Lindenwold, Long Branch, Netcong, New Brunswick, North Bergen, Passaic, Paterson, Pennsauken, Perth Amboy, Plainfield, Rahway, Riverside, Trenton, and Union City. NOTE: This grant is highly competitive and interested applicants should register for the A.R.T. information session online on June 18 to ensure that they have all of the details for their applications.

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.