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COVID-19 Resources for Businesses

Business Resources

Federal

  • SBA has implemented automatic deferment on existing SBA disaster loans through the end of 2020.
  • Contact the SBA's Arkansas office by calling 501-324-7379.

State

In an effort to help Arkansas businesses as they prepare to transition back towards normal operating capacity, the Ready for Business Grant Program is designed to provide grants from $1,000 to $100,000, depending on the number of employees, to assist with COVID-19-related expenses, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), deep cleaning, signage, hand sanitizer dispensers, marketing and more.

The deadline for grant recipients to expend funds is September 30, 2021. Grant recipients must report expenditures to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission by October 31, 2021. More information on our blog.

Learn more about the grant program

  • Quick Action Loan Program Summary
  • The application period for this program has closed. We are no longer accepting applications.
  • Download the list of Quick Action Bridge Loan recipients as of August 10, 2020.
  • Allocation of $6,000,000 from the Governor's Quick Action Closing Fund, and an additional $3,000,000 from the Attorney General's Consumer Education and Enforcement Fund. 
  • The Quick Action Closing Fund allocation will prioritize small to medium-sized companies that are in the supply chain of essential goods and services (including healthcare, food manufacturing, logistics).
  • The primary use of the funds from the Attorney General will be to support small businesses with job retention.
  • The program includes both loan guarantees and direct lending to businesses
       
  • The State of Arkansas anticipates receiving $26,387,954 in “Rounds 1, 2 and 3” grant funds from HUD to be amended into the 2019 Annual Plan. CDBG-CV Round 1 funds will be made available to non-entitlement cities and counties for a variety of public services and public facility activities determined by those non-entitlement governments to be unmet needs, which directly prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Eligible activities include public services and public facilities (e.g., meals on wheels programs, employment training, assistance to food banks, health services, homeless shelters, wi-fi or other electronic devices, PPE, etc.), and direct assistance to microbusinesses. CDBG-CV grant requests range from $75,000 to a maximum of $300,000 and are due to the Grants Division by March 31, 2021.
  • Applications and guidelines for all programs may be found at www.arkansasedc.com/grants.
  • Click here to see a map of the hospital locations throughout the state which were previously assisted with $10 million in State CDBG funds.
  • For rental assistance, visit www.ARFreshSTart.com to locate your area Community Action Agency in order to make an application. CDBG-CV funds in the amount of $5.76 million in addition to $4.24 million made available through State Coronavirus Relief Funds.
  • For questions about how AEDC can assist your business during this time, contact us by email or phone:

The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism (ADPHT), the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC), and the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) received approval to proceed with a grant program utilizing $50 million in CARES Act funds for Arkansas businesses in industries significantly impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The grant application period will open Monday, November 16, and close Wednesday, November 25.

Suppliers

If you have an interest in providing products and services to the state, please contact Steve Sparks at Arkansas Economic Development Commission: [email protected]