Shop Small Saturday

 

The Main Street Union and Economic Development Comittee recieved a 2020 Neighborhood Champion grant by american Expresss to support the Shop Small^®  movement. 

Due to Covid-19, The Main Street Union and Economic Development Comittee will be highlighting Union Businesses and Shop Small Saturday and all Season long on ShopUnionOregon.com

Email: MainStreetUnionEDC@gmail.com to paritipcate in thies event and remember to Shop Small! 

Thank you to the volunteers providing Shop Small^®   information and marekting materials to Union Businesses

Farm to Table Loan

 

Union Community Harvest Party

 

The Main Street Union and Econimic Development Committee in collbaoration with the City of Union Chanber of Commerce is hosting the Union Community Harvest Party on September 19, 2020.   The Party, beginning at noon, will be located at The Union City Park and will include music, artisains and vendors.

The events purpose is to gain community support for The Friends of The Historic Union Community Hall.  This nonprofit is working to purchase and renovate the old Union United Methodist Church and develop the historic building into a community and arts center.  This beautiful brick building with stained glass windows on Main Street and Delta in Union, Oregon has been a landmark in the community for close to one hundered years. 

The Union Community Harvest Party Music lineup will be manged by local favorite Elwood.  The lineup includes: Brent Smith, Jezebels' Mother, Steve Hines and Elwood.   The Friends of the Historic Union Community Hall will have a table avialable to sign your name to support thier work to create a Union community and arts center.  You can also donate canned food or garden produce to help combat food insecurtiy in the community. 

This event is designed to meet Orgon State Covid-19 safety requirements.  Please stay six feet from other outside your immendiate family, masks are required.  Charis are not provided so bring a chair or blanket to relax with your family and enjoy the music. 

You can also come to Union earlier to attend the Union County Museum Rummage Sale at The Little White Church.  The Sale will be orperated from 9:00 to 2:00. 

You can pledge your support online for The Friends of The Hsitoric Union Community Hall at:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf2bwj7BTU1A9C90LF278tebSmf5MNuf49-1_oMIYFgFzWqOQ/viewform

Catherine Creek State Park Adopt-A Park Program

Join us on Thursday, August 13th, at 4:00 p.m. to learn about the Adopt -A-Park-Program at Catherine Creek State Park.  Union community members  will be meeting Oregon State Park Representatives at the Catherine Creek State Park Day Use Area and will learn about this program.  The discussion will include examples of how other communities and State Parks are collaborating, using the Adopt -A-Park Program; to facilitate events, foster volunteerism, develop their local State Park and cross promote activities. 

This is an outdoor event.  Please bring your masks an maintain social distancing guidelines. 

New Grant Opportunity: Hartbeat of Main

New Grant Opportunity From Main Street America: Supporting Small Businesses in the Next Phase of Reopening

As the economy continues to deal with the effects of COVID-19, we are committed to supporting small businesses as they work to reopen safely. In partnership with The Hartford, we have created a grant program to support brick-and-mortar businesses in commercial districts as they enter the next phases of reopening across the country. The HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program will fund solutions that help small business owners respond and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and also help to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts. Grants of $5,000 to $15,000 will be awarded on a competitive and first-come, first-served basis. A minimum of 50 percent of grants will benefit diverse-owned businesses, as defined by the Small Business Administration as minority, woman, veteran, disabled, and/or LGBTQ-owned. Grant applicants are not required to be customers of The Hartford. Applications will be weighed and grants awarded without consideration of applicant’s being or not being a present, past, or prospective customer of The Hartford.

Review program Terms and Conditions here. Vea esta página web en español aquí.

What types of businesses are eligible?

Businesses must meet the following criteria to apply:

• The business must be a business entity in good standing in the state in which it was formed and the state in which it does business.
• The applicant’s business has a “brick-and-mortar” location and operates in an older or historic main street, downtown or commercial district in the U.S.
• The applicant’s business employs 20 or fewer full time employees, including the owner.
• The applicant’s business has been in operation since January 1, 2019.
• The applicant is an owner of the business and is 18 years of age or older.

What types of grant expenses are eligible?

Eligible grant expenses include but are not limited to:

• Physical improvements to business space to meet relevant reopening requirements implemented because of COVID-19
• Equipment to comply with public health and safety guidelines (i.e., touchless payment methods, automatic door open sensors, or disposable menus)
• Fees associated with expanding the business to e-commerce sales
• Other professional services, such as business plan modifications
• Rent, payroll, and other operating expenses

Info on National Main Street Center’s website: https://www.mainstreet.org/howwecanhelp/hartbeat?mc_cid=a81fe6a6b6&mc_eid=e98deb39d9

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Resources by OMS

1. Visual Merchandising Recorded Webinar shared by EJ w/the Hillsboro Downtown Partnership - https://youtu.be/oXXs1cnb-BM

Description: Covid 19 has changed things! In this 60-minute, “Back in the Game” presentation, retail specialists, Seanette Corkill and Anne Marie Luthro from Frontdoor Back, will explore where shoppers are now both emotionally and physically and what retailers can do to accommodate them and deliver a great store experience during this pandemic. This presentation and conversation covers shopper expectations and behaviors, best practices for storefronts, a new level of customer service and floor plans that accommodate social distancing.  

 

2. Summer of Alberta: Click Here

Here’s a link to the promotional effort that Ann and Bridget talked about on our weekly Mornings on Main call.

 

3. Interesting Reads:
1. How Rural Economies Can Leverage the Rise in Remote Work Click Here to read
2. Reopening America: The restaurant sector must adapt and innovate to survive Click Here to read

 

4. Leadership through challenging times resource:
1. Boardable recently conducted a webinar on Effective and Engaging Virtual Board Meetings – What You Need to Know.
2. A helpful blog post from BoardEffect covers “The Value of Virtual Board Meetings for a Nonprofit.
3. BoardSource shares a number of useful blog posts and resources, including:

• The benefits and challenges of virtual board meetings are being tested by a growing number of nonprofit boards
• It’s Time to Talk About…What  Board Commitment to Equity Looks Like in This Moment
• Partnership in a Time of Pandemic: The CEO and the Board
• What Nonprofit Board Members Should Be Doing Right Now to Address the COVID-19 Situation

4. The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) shares these blog posts:

• Adapting to Change Requires Flexibility
• Leadership Resources for Times of Crisis
• Leadership skills in an uncertain world

5. DEXIBIT released a new whitepaper that analyzes the impacts of COVID19 on visitor attractions (including museums), documents its response, & provides guidance on how to lead in these extreme circumstances.
6. From Forbes, Leadership Never Stops: Six Tips For Carrying On During A Crisis.

 

5. Round-up of interesting webinars: Click Here to learn more
1. Livable Communities Don’t Just Happen
2. “Rules” of Community Engagement

 

Oregon Main Street

The Main Street Union & Economic Development Committee is excited to announce that they have been selected to participate in The Oregon Main Street Program!  This page is dedicated to educating our community and volunteers about the program, upcoming events and our goals to develop Union's Historic Main Street!