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

Bucking the National Trends - Lessons From Memphis: Using the Memphis Medical District as a case study, this article shares insights in key principles they followed over 8 years to cultivate ongoing business growth and community prosperity. The Memphis Medical District Collaborative provides a quality model for revitalizing urban districts using collaboration, data, and incremental change.

NJ Small Business Manual: You and your businesses can download the manual – a one-stop tool for many business concerns – online here. Individual businesses or organizations can order one (1) printed copy as well by emailing NJBAC.

Featured Grants & Support

NJDOT Local Aid Grants:  These four grant opportunities are due on July 1, 2024. Check out the NJDOT Local Aid website or email them directly to apply.

• Municipal Aid - This $140 million program with an additional $10 million in Urban Aid provides funding for local transportation projects for a total of $150 million. Municipalities are encouraged to consider projects that support walking and biking safety.
• Transit Village - This program is open to the 35 municipalities that have been designated as Transit Villages by the Commissioner of Transportation and the inter-agency Transit Village Task Force. A total of $1 million is available to fund traditional and non-traditional transportation projects that enhance walking, biking and/or transit ridership within a half mile of the transit facility. The approved Transit Village municipalities are listed here.  NOTE: This program received significant additional funding above the $1M for FY2024.
• Bikeways - This $1 million program is intended to fund bicycle projects which create new Bike Path Mileage. This program encourages new bikeways that are physically separated from motorized vehicular traffic by an open space or barrier. Counties and municipalities are eligible. NOTE: This program received significant additional funding above the $1M for FY2024.
• Safe Streets to Transit - This program encourages counties and municipalities to construct safe and accessible pedestrian linkages to transit facilities to promote transit usage for all. A total of $1 million is available for grant awards.  NOTE: This program received significant additional funding above the $1M for FY2024.

Reminder: 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.

Job Opportunity

Executive Director, Downtown New Jersey (DNJ):  DNJ is the statewide non-profit dedicated to downtown revitalization. It seeks a qualified professional to manage the organization. This is a part-time position whose responsibilities and time commitment vary from one month to the next, but averages 800 – 900 hours per year. DNJ is open to filling the position with either a consulting association manager or part-time employee.  Please see the job description for more information.  The application for the position is online as well.

NJBAC Can Work With All the Businesses in Your Community

We are here to support 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.