The Delta Regional Authority (DRA), in collaboration with the State of Arkansas, recently awarded a $1.2 million States' Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP) grant.
The $1.2 million grant will help Prairie County complete a county road improvement project that will give an improved transportation route for White River Energetics employees, as well as shipping and supply companies.
Central Arkansas Planning and Development District's (CAPDD) Community and Economic Development Team assisted Prairie County with applying for and will help manage the grant.
Director of Environmental Management for CAPDD Leigh Ann Pool, CFM, is ecstatic about the award and said the grant was worth the wait.
For more information on how CAPDD's Community and Economic Development Team assists Faulkner, Lonoke, Monroe, Prairie, Pulaski, and Saline Counties as well as communities in the area, click here.
Prairie County's grant was one of eight projects in which DRA invested.
In total, the Delta Regional Authority invested $3.75 million in Arkansas.
The other projects the SEDAP program helped fund include:
- South Arkansas Community College was awarded nearly $359,000 to renovate an existing lab and to purchase state-of-the-art equipment for a new industrial lab technician program that will meet local and regional industry needs, as identified by industry partners, and prepare program participants for high-quality employment.
- Arkansas Methodist Medical Center was awarded $509,000 to purchase a new MRI machine for an equipment and program enhancement project that will allow the healthcare facility to provide the highest level of service and patient care by offering new and improved opportunities more efficiently.
- The city of Walnut Ridge was awarded $509,000 to renovate two downtown buildings that will be used to house a new technology company, Provalus, which plans to hire and train 200 new employees over the next five years, impacting the local and regional economy and workforce in a positive way.
- The City of Newport was awarded more than $378,000 for a public transportation infrastructure project that will support a new business development opportunity in the downtown area, ensuring the workforce can access the workplace.
- The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville was awarded $509,000 to develop a commercial vehicle driving range to provide a secure and controlled environment for training the next generation of commercial vehicle drivers, addressing the increasing demand for skilled drivers in the region while also fostering economic development and job creation.
- Union County was awarded nearly $186,000 to support a railroad improvement project that will allow for the construction of a new industrial rail spur facility at El Dorado Industrial Park, resulting in local and regional job creation, in addition to a multi-million-dollar private investment.
- The City of Marshall was awarded $100,000 to replace an existing concrete water storage tank with a new welded steel water storage tank, meeting Arkansas Health Department standards and providing city residents and businesses with a reliable water source and the water supply to meet their personal and business needs.
“The States’ Economic Development Assistance Program is one of DRA’s most diverse tools that allow us to expand and invest in the resiliency of the region’s public infrastructure and workforce,” said Dr. Corey Wiggins, DRA Federal Co-Chairman. “As a result of this investment, over 830 jobs will be created or retained, over 200 people trained, and over 740 families impacted across eight communities, improving residents’ quality of life and increasing economic prosperity in their communities.”
DRA coordinated with the Office of the Governor for the State of Arkansas and the state’s Local Development Districts to implement the program funding.
For more information about the SEDAP program, visit www.dra.gov.
About the Delta Regional Authority
The DRA was established in 2000 as a formal framework for joint federal-state collaboration to promote and encourage the economic development of the lower Mississippi River and Alabama Black Belt regions. To fulfill this purpose, DRA invests in projects supporting transportation infrastructure, basic public infrastructure, workforce training, and business development. DRA’s region encompasses 252 counties and parishes in parts of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.
About the Central Arkansas Planning and Development District
As a major tool of the Economic Development Administration, the Development District Program is intended to promote economic growth through multi-county planning and investment. Arkansas's federal and state governments use the Planning and Development Districts as a service delivery system.
Faulkner, Lonoke, Monroe, Prairie, Pulaski, and Saline Counties are served by the Central Arkansas Planning and Development District. To help District residents, we provide community and economic development services to the local municipalities within each county.
The Central Arkansas Planning and Development District is led by Executive Director Rodney Larsen.
CAPDD is an “equal opportunity employer/program,” and “auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to Individuals with disabilities.” Arkansas Relay Service: 1-800-285-1121 (Voice) 1-800-285-1131 (TDD) or TDD 711. Equal Opportunity Officer- Tina Roush (501) 676-2721 tina.roush@capdd.org
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