Arkansas Schools Get $250K in DRA Grants for Workforce Development

The Delta Regional Authority announced Wednesday a $1.5 million investment into 11 organizations across the Mississippi River Delta region to aid workforce and economic development strategies, enhance employment opportunities and support workforce productivity.

Arkansas schools will receive $250,000 of that total, delivered through DRA’s Delta Workforce Grant Program.

“DRA is committed to investing in workforce training and education that supports job seekers, incumbent workers, and employers to help foster comprehensive economic development in Delta communities,” DRA Federal Co-Chairman Chris Caldwell said. “Through the Delta Workforce Grant Program, DRA is providing an opportunity for rural communities to have access to critical resources in order to strengthen their workforce, create jobs, and improve quality of life across the region.”

In Arkansas, Black River Technical College of Pocahontas will get $100,000 for operations in Clay, Greene, Lawrence and Randolph counties; and University of Arkansas at Monticello College of Technology-Crossett will get $150,000 for operations in Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Desha and Drew counties, as well as in Morehouse and Ouachita parishes in Louisiana and Washington County in Mississippi.

Through the DWP, applicants could apply for funding amounts between $25,000 and $150,000 to support workforce training and education in rural communities across the Delta. All awarded projects target workforce training and education for people in the Delta.

The DRA said investments will be focused on supporting “industry-led workforce training, building collaborative talent pipelines, developing or enhancing industry clusters, and accelerating regional economic development.”