Arkansas Community Development Grants

The 2024 States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP), announced by the Delta Regional Authority (DRA), seeks applications for grants to target federal resources toward communities in the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions. With a focus on economically distressed counties and parishes, SEDAP aims to invest in community-based and regional projects across four congressionally mandated funding categories: basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, business development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, and workforce development. The program is designed to encourage job creation, regional collaboration, and funding partnerships, leveraging a total of $16,930,642, allocated across the eight-state DRA region with awards ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 depending on project type and application score.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions for initiatives that improve earthquake safety and awareness across multiple states or nationally.

The Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality runs an annual Electronic Waste Grants. This initiative aims to address electronic waste through projects focused on collection, transportation, processing, recycling, demanufacturing, and innovative approaches to disposal. Eligible projects are evaluated based on the sustainability and impact of their e-waste recovery efforts, including the minimization of e-waste volumes, job creation in Arkansas, and the effectiveness of investment in the projects. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entities within Arkansas, such as private industries, educational institutions, governmental bodies, non-profits, and regional solid waste management boards. This program operates on a reimbursement basis. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual opening/closing deadline: January 1st to June 1st

This initiative provides funding and support to nonprofit organizations, local governments, and Tribal governments in coal-impacted communities to develop and scale innovative economic projects that create job opportunities and foster local economic transformation.

The Maternal and Pediatric Health Grants for 2024 focus on improving health outcomes for birthing people and children in Arkansas. Grant categories include Adverse Childhood Experiences Solutions, Child Development Support, Education and Outreach, Postpartum Care Support, Maternal and Infant Health Disparities, Maternal Mortality Improvement Solutions, Prenatal Healthcare, and Pediatric Healthcare. The Letters of Intent period is from April 1 to April 12, 2024, with application invitations sent by April 26, 2024. The final application deadline is May 17, 2024, and awards will be announced on August 13, 2024.

The Mid-America Arts Alliance (M-AAA) is offering Undergraduate Student Artist Grants through its Artists 360 program, made possible by the Walton Family Foundation. This initiative is designed to provide practice-based grant funding to undergraduate student artists across all disciplines who are attending post-secondary institutions in specific Arkansas counties: Benton, Carroll, Crawford, Sebastian, and Washington. The core mission of Artists 360, and by extension this grant, aligns with energizing and elevating student artists in the greater Northwest Arkansas region, fostering their creative development and career advancement. The target beneficiaries for this grant are undergraduate student artists aged 18 or older, enrolled for the 2024-2025 school year in an accredited post-secondary institution within the designated Arkansas counties. This includes part-time or full-time students, regardless of their major, as long as they create work in any artistic discipline (e.g., dance, film, literary, music, theatre, visual art). The program specifically excludes those who have previously received an Artists 360 Student Grant or certain other M-AAA grants. The impact goals are to support individual artists' creative practices and career advancement, addressing their self-identified challenges and desired futures within the arts. The program prioritizes artists who demonstrate a well-developed creative practice, a deep commitment to their work, and a clear motivation to evolve. Review criteria focus on "Artistry," assessing the quality of work and process, and "Impact of Funding on Practice," requiring artists to articulate how the $2,500 grant will specifically benefit their careers. A key focus is also on achieving a "Balanced Cohort," ensuring a broad representation of perspectives, disciplines, and experiences among grant recipients. The expected outcome of the Artists 360 Undergraduate Student Artist Grants is the direct support and advancement of student artists' creative endeavors in Northwest Arkansas. While specific measurable results beyond the allocation of $2,500 grants per artist are not explicitly detailed, the program's emphasis on identifying the impact of funding on an artist's practice implies a focus on qualitative outcomes related to artistic growth and career trajectory. The Walton Family Foundation's support underscores a strategic priority to invest in regional artistic talent and cultural development, contributing to a vibrant arts ecosystem through direct funding to emerging artists.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for projects that promote agricultural advancement and improve the quality of life in rural communities across Arkansas.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Arkansas, North Texas, and West Texas to support initiatives that assist vulnerable or underserved populations in areas such as education, arts, and community development.

This program provides funding to metropolitan cities like Fayetteville for community revitalization projects that benefit low- and moderate-income residents, support economic development, and improve public facilities and services.

This funding opportunity supports community art projects that engage underserved groups, particularly in rural areas, by providing financial assistance for new or expanded arts events.

This grant provides funding to under-resourced communities in the Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt regions to develop strategic plans that address local economic development challenges.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Arkansas for hiring professional artists, helping to enhance community arts programs and events.

This funding initiative provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, local and state governments, tribal entities, and educational institutions to promote conservation practices and technical assistance for farmers and ranchers on private working lands.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations and community groups in Arkansas for projects that celebrate and promote the state's cultural, historic, and natural heritage.

This program provides matching funds to downtown Fort Smith property and business owners for projects that enhance the historical and architectural character of the area.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to not-for-profit organizations serving low-income communities in Jonesboro, Arkansas, for new or expanded public services and infrastructure improvements.

This funding opportunity supports community organizations in Arkansas to host professional artists for short-term residencies that provide hands-on arts education experiences for adult learners of all skill levels.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that develop innovative resources and services to help adults in the middle or late stages of their careers with reskilling, upskilling, and career navigation, particularly those who are unemployed or underemployed.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in Arkansas that are focused on improving mental health and substance use services for residents through innovative programs and outreach efforts.

This program provides funding to nonprofit organizations partnering with hospitals to improve health outcomes for vulnerable and underserved populations in their communities.