AEDC Awards 50 Community Grants Totaling Nearly $11 Million

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) has awarded $6.42 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to 26 Arkansas cities and counties.

The grants were awarded under the General Assistance set-aside, part of Arkansas’s $18.4 million 2020 formula grant allocation, which is designed to provide communities the opportunity to apply for a variety of non-housing public facility and public infrastructure projects. These funds originate from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) State Program for Small Cities.

An additional $4,539,427 was awarded to 24 cities and counties throughout the state from the CDBG-CV set-aside, a $26.4 million supplemental program to assist in community-level recovery, prevention, and preparation efforts relating to the coronavirus. The CDBG-CV funding was allocated to the State by HUD as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The 26 General Assistance projects include the following:

• Anthonyville, Crittenden County, Sewer Pumps, $150,000
• Ben Lomond, Sevier County, Rehab Water Tank, $297,170
• Branch, Franklin County, Water Tank and Water Lines, $240,426
• Brinkley, Monroe County, Rehab Sewer and Manholes, $299,873
• Cabot, Lonoke County, Drainage Improvements, $300,000
• Columbia County, Library Roof, $300,000
• Dumas, Desha County, Drainage Improvements, $275,793
• Emmett, Nevada County, Water Tank Rehab, $235,000
• Fairfield Bay, Van Buren County, Senior Center Generator, $83,250
• Franklin County, Learning Center Renovation, $272,835
• Gravette, Benton County, Water Line Rehab, $300,000
• Holly Grove, Monroe County, Water Tank Rehab, $97,130
• Judsonia, White County, Rehab Wastewater, $300,000
• Keo, Lonoke County, Sewer Line Rehab, $299,173
• Lincoln, Washington County, Sewer Line Rehab, $285,285
• Marion, Crittenden County, Sultana Disaster Museum, $300,000
• Marmaduke, Greene County, Sidewalks, $193,470
• McNeil, Columbia County, Sewer Rehab, $299,570
• Montrose, Ashley County, Sewer Rehab, $300,000
• Mountain View, Stone County, Renovate Bridge, $199,730
• Nashville, Howard County, Water Rehab, $300,000
• O’Kean, Randolph County, Drainage, $200,000
• Perrytown, Hempstead County, Water Rehab, $300,000
• Searcy, White County, Senior Center Improvements, $86,266
• Sharp County, Child Care Center , $300,000
• Yellville, Marion County, Wastewater Rehab, $205,590

The 24 CDBG-CV projects include the following:

• Booneville, Logan County, Senior Center Expansion, $281,650
• Cedarville, Crawford County, Renovate Elementary School Cafeteria, $296,009
• Cleburne County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Program Equipment, $84,689
• Dallas County, COVID-19 Pandemic and Emergency Response Center, $268,480
• Earle, Crittenden County, Community Center Roof, $259,000
• Franklin County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Equipment, $97,602
• Fulton County, Hospital Generator for negative pressure rooms, $76,271
• Fulton County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Equipment, $122,300
• Independence County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Equipment, $87,675
• Izard County, Senior Center Improvements, $125,078
• Jackson County, Senior Center HVAC and equipment, $85,234
• Lafayette County, Emergency Response Center, $300,000
• Monroe County, Mid-Delta Health Systems Improvements, $300,000
• Mulberry, Crawford, Food Pantry Equipment, $286,855
• Newport, Jackson County, Outdoor Wifi Center at Library, $165,765
• Parkin, Cross County, Fire Station Construction, $299,890
• Randolph County, Renovate Black River Area Development Building, $300,000
• Searcy, White County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Equipment, $155,548
• Sevier County, UA Cossatot Med Lab Tech Equipment, $292,078
• Sharp County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Equipment, $126,994
• Stone County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Equipment, $126,994
• Van Buren, Crawford County, Renovate Boys and Girls Club, $148,380
• Van Buren County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Equipment, $125,370
• Woodruff County, Senior Center Meals on Wheels Equipment, $127,565

To be eligible for CDBG funds through both of these programs, communities must have a population of less than 50,000 and at least 51 percent of the persons benefitting from the project must be of low- to moderate-income, or the project must meet another CDBG national objective, prevention of slum or blight, or meet an urgent need. CDBG-CV projects must have a direct tie-back to COVID-19, and meet an unmet need toward the recovery, prevention, and preparation efforts relating to the coronavirus. All Arkansas cities and counties are eligible for the grant program with the exception of 13 entitlement cities that receive CDBG funds directly from HUD.

For more information on the Arkansas Small Cities CDBG or CDBG-CV program, contact the Grants Management Division at (501) 682-7682 or visit https://www.arkansasedc.com/grants. The Grants Division encourages local governing officials that have ongoing or future unmet COVID-19 needs to contact them for funding opportunities through the CDBG-CV program.