NMMS News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico MainStreet (NMMS) announced Friday that applications are being accepted for new community economic development projects under the Frontier & Native American Communities (FNAC) and Urban Neighborhood Commercial Corridor (UNCC) Initiatives.
Both Initiatives provide NMMS resources and professional technical assistance to local communities that may not have the capacity or resources to start or operate a full-fledged MainStreet Program.
Proposed projects for both initiatives must demonstrate job creation, business development, leverage private sector investment, or enhancement of a community’s economic environment.
The FNAC Initiative is a community-driven, asset-based economic development program that provides support to rural and Native American communities with under 15,000 in population; the UNCC Initiative is a new pilot program aimed at providing project-based community economic development support to urban neighborhood commercial corridors in cities with more than 50,000 in population.
Selected communities will receive NMMS professional services and technical assistance to implement and complete the proposed project within 12-18-months. Direct funding for selected projects is not included for the project.
“New Mexico MainStreet’s Community Economic Development Initiatives provide an opportunity to implement catalytic projects that can have a substantial economic impact,” Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said. “These projects are a fantastic way for communities to work together to both preserve and develop New Mexico’s assets to support the local economy.”
“This is the seventh round of the Frontier & Native American Communities Initiative and the first round of our new Urban Neighborhood Commercial Corridors pilot program,” New Mexico MainStreet Director Daniel Gutierrez said. “I’m proud to support projects that build capacity for local economic revitalization & redevelopment, enhance the entrepreneurial and creative economy, and create thriving places.”
The application can be found on NMMS’s website, nmmainstreet.org. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m., June 16, 2021. Selected projects will be announced in July and projects will begin in the Summer/Fall of 2021. NMMS staff and Revitalization Specialists are available to assist communities with applying and identify funding for projects.
The number of communities selected each year is contingent upon the New Mexico State Legislature’s annual appropriation for the NMMS Program. The Frontier & Native American Communities Initiative was created by the Legislature in 2013 and 33 Frontier Community Projects have been completed in more than 29 rural communities.
Applications are reviewed and ranked by NMMS professionals. The selection process is very competitive; applicants are encouraged to attend the Pre-Application Zoom Meeting at 11 a.m., April 16, 2021.
For more information, contact Daniel Gutierrez at 505.827.0151 or Lucas Pedraza at 505.827.0168.
