State funding available to implement Road Safety Improvement Projects - Application Deadline October 1, 2006

The Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) is coordinating the new Louisiana Local Road Safety Program in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. The state funding per project is $500,000 and there is $3-5 million dollars available annually.

The New Local Road Safety Program can provide resources, including the funding, engineering assistance and training.

The completed application form and is available at http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/ltap/lrsp.html. The application deadline is October 1, 2006.

Contact Marie Walsh with any questions regarding the New Local Road Safety Program, Dr. Marie Walsh, Director, LA Local Technical Assistance Program, 4101 Gourrier Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70808, Phone: 225-767-9184, Email: mbwalsh@ltrc.lsu.edu

Designing Streets for Bicycle Safety – Monday, July 24^th, New Orleans
The Regional Planning commission, pedestrian and bicycle programs, 1340 poydras street, suite 2100, New orleans, 70112

A professional development workshop for traffic engineers, planners, and other transportation professionals. Monday, July 24, 9-5pm, New Orleans

Learn how to design and create on-street dedicated bicycle lanes, shared bicycle routes, grade separated bicycle paths and other bicycle facilities. Specific topics covered are:

Principles of bicycling and designing for bicyclists

• On-road bikeway designs
• Intersection design for bicyclists
• Signing and marking facilities
• Shared use path design

Optional field exercise: Tuesday, July 25, 8 - 12 am. To sign up for the workshop, fill out a registration form and mail it along with a check to the address provided.

The cost of public sector and community groups is $10.00 for the one-day course and $35.00 for the on-day course + optional bike ride. For a registration form view: http://www.norpc.org/assets/word_files/design-sts_reg-frm.doc

Optional Bike Ride!
Attendees can also participate in an optional field exercise in the form of a group bike ride and classroom design discussion. This short, slow-paced, facilitated bike ride will be lead by Michael Moule, and will give participants an opportunity to see the street from the perspective of a commuter cyclist before returning to the classroom to discuss problems and solutions they encountered on the road.

Space for this bike ride is limited to just 20 participants, so sign up for the workshop early.

Get your PDHs. This course counts towards professional development hours (PDH) for engineers according to the standards of the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board.

One day course: 8 PDH, One day course + optional bike ride: 12 PDH

Learn more Download a full course description (pdf) to learn more about the workshop.

Shell Marine Habitat program
Deadline: September 1
Amount: Min: $50k, Max: $200k, Total: $850k
The Shell Marine Habitat program provides grants for projects that benefit marine habitat in and around the Gulf of Mexico. Projects of particular interest include those that protect or restore estuarine habitat, projects that provide opportunities for hands-on participation of volunteers, and projects in communities where Shell has facilities. In addition, education programs intended to minimize harm from monofilament entangle- ment and other human impacts are of particular interest. Priority will be given to projects that build new or enhance existing partnerships and that address conservation needs of species characteristic of southeastern U.S. marine ecosystems. For more info: http://fconline.foundationcenter.org/pnd/10002792/nfwf

Deadlines and Applying: Interested applicants should use the Foundation's online pre-proposal application form for electronic submissions. The next official deadline for pre-proposals is September 1, 2006, with full proposals due November 1, 2006 and a Board decision by mid-April 2007. Applicants may contact Chris Rigby (404-679-7142) with any questions.

NACo's Workforce Development Awards - Deadline July 28

Each year NACo presents awards for significant accomplishments in workforce development. The three categories are

· Workforce Development Awards for Excellence —  honoring exemplary programs

· Distinguished Service Award for County Elected Officials, and the

· Joe Cooney Award — recognizing an individual who has made an important contribution to employment and training.

Award nominations are due July 28. For more information and applications, click here or go to www.naco.org select “Community Resource Center”, then select “Awards.” (http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Publications&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=20411) or contact Gary Gortenburg at ggortenb@naco.org/

LOCAL ARTS AGENCIES

Access to Artistic Excellence, Arts Endowment Period of Support

Application Deadline: August 14, 2006,

View for additional details: http://www.arts.gov/grants/apply/GAP07/Locals.html

The National Endowment for the Arts is interested in projects, regardless of the size or type of applicant organization, that are of national, regional, or field-wide significance; that tour in several states; or that provide an unusual or especially valuable contribution because of geographic location. This includes local projects that can have significant effects within communities or that are likely to serve as models for a field.

• Performing arts events, readings, screenings, broadcasts, and visual arts exhibitions.
• Artist residencies and artist commissions.
• Documentation and conservation of public and monumental art.
• Subgranting for programming activities on behalf of a local arts agency's constituents. To be eligible, a local arts agency must be a unit of city or county government or designated to operate on behalf of its local government.

Digitizing Historical Records

http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/digitizing.html

The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) promotes the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage essential to understanding our democracy, history, and culture.