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. To see all prior Business Enhancement Connection emails, click here!

Best Practices

Plan Ahead: 2024 AARP Livable Communities Workshop: The free, virtual 2024 AARP Livable Communities Workshop will explore how local leaders and community advocates can design for people of all ages in urban, suburban and rural communities. Join us for both days, or just one of the two. A single registration provides access for whatever your schedule allows. Plan ahead for October 16 and 17 – Register Here.

No Required Parking = Millions Saved: The American Planning Association recently highlighted a study examining the impact of eliminating parking minimums on new and existing parking supply in Champaign, Illinois, a small university city of 88,300. Here’s what they found: New developments had 84% less parking compared to the previous requirements, potentially preventing 2,472 unnecessary parking spaces from being built and saving developers approximately $43-49 million, while benefiting tenants through reduced construction costs.

Featured Grants & Support

Time is Running Out! Activation, Revitalization, and Transformation (A.R.T.) Program - Phase II: On August 21 from 1pm to 2:30pm the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will they present a webinar on the A.R.T. Phase II competitive grant program which intends to catalyze community placemaking efforts by leveraging New Jersey’s arts and cultural sector as a creative force for change and supporting non-profit organizations focused on creating placemaking projects, public art installations, and arts-based activities and initiatives.  The EDA will award grants from $100,000 to $500,000 for projects located in 31 commercial corridors in municipalities across 12 counties throughout the state.

Closing Soon! Age-Friendly Community Grants: Local government and non-profit entities can apply for one of 57 Age-Friendly grants to develop local age-friendly initiatives and implement recommendations from the New Jersey Age-Friendly Blueprint that support the health and wellbeing of older New Jerseyans. There are two grants available: Age-Friendly Communities grants of $70,000 each to build community partnerships, execute a community needs assessment, create an action plan to become an Age-Friendly Community, and enroll in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities; and Age-Friendly Project grants of $100,000 each to implement a project that addresses one or more recommendations from the Blueprint.  Grant closes on September 12. Apply today – see the RFP for details!

Get Your Community Online: The Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program provides $1.25 billion to fund programs that ensure communities have the access and skills to fully participate in the digital world, regardless of their background or circumstances. Applications are due September 23, 2024. Use this workbook to streamline your application process: Application Workbook. And check out the Webinar Recording and Summary in which officials and city leaders discuss insights for submitting a competitive grant application and implementing strong digital equity programs. 

Get Paid to Save Energy: The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block (EECBG) Grant Program provides $550 million to assist state, county, and local governments in implementing strategies to reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions and improve energy efficiency. Applications to claim EECBG allocations are due October 31, 2024, and all NJ Counties and many individual municipalities are eligible (see the allocations link.)  Here are some example projects and sample applications.

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. Businesses can always download the NJBAC Small Business Manual – a one-stop tool for many business concerns – online here. Individual businesses or organizations can order up to 10 printed copies as well by clicking this link.

Our NJBAC 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.

NJBAC’s Business Enhancement Services is online:  Now you can refer to Business Enhancement Services directly online with just a click!  Please favorite the website – it will be expanding over time as we add new resources and tools that support municipal and district revitalization and place-based business enhancement.