More: Arkansas officials are banking on two massive “megasites” to land billion-dollar projects that could reshape the state’s economy.
The Arkansas Economic Development Commission has launched the second round of the Arkansas Site Development Program, with $50 million in grants available over the next two years.
The program provides matching funding for site development improvement efforts with the goal of enhancing industrial site readiness and competitiveness for job-creating projects in Arkansas.
Eligible applicants include cities, towns and counties in Arkansas, as well as economic development organizations and chambers of commerce.
The initial funding round of $10 million was awarded to 13 communities in December 2024.
“Building our inventory of shovel ready sites is critical for economic development success in Arkansas,” Clint O’Neal, executive director of the AEDC, said in a news release. “With the Arkansas Site Development Program, we are partnering with communities to provide the resources needed to get their industrial sites into a more competitive condition, which will position the state for long-term growth and more and better job opportunities for Arkansans.”
To qualify for the program, applicants must submit industrial sites with a minimum of 30 acres of contiguous land, and sites must be listed on the Arkansas Site Selection Database. Sites must be owned or optioned by an applicant, and optioned sites must be owned by the applicant at the time the grant agreement is executed.
Eligible projects include extension and improvement of public infrastructure to the site; right of way acquisition; easement acquisition; soil borings and analysis; construction costs for site improvements, including drainage improvements, easement, dozer or dirt work, grading, site mitigation, and site rehabilitation; due diligence study costs; and other site development-related activities deemed necessary by AEDC to improve a site’s competitiveness.
Applications will be judged on a 100-point scale with seven categories, including site conditions, utilities, transportation infrastructure, site due diligence, current marketing efforts, local match, and site certification.
Applicants must submit their intent to apply for program funding by Oct. 3. The deadline to submit an application is 5 p.m. on Nov. 7.
For more information, view the FAQ sheet for the Arkansas Site Development Program.
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