In an announcement on Monday, June 10, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) launched the Arkansas Site Development Program to provide matching funding for site development improvement efforts throughout the state. According to a press release by the organization, the program is designed to “enhance industrial site readiness and competitiveness for job-creating projects in Arkansas.”

The announcement marks the first industrial site development program in Arkansas state history. The Arkansas Site Development Program was developed by AEDC under the leadership of Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, with AEDC officials working with the Arkansas General Assembly on its creation.

“In economic development, having shovel-ready sites is vital for attracting great companies to locate and expand,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “The Arkansas Site Development Program will give our local communities the resources they need to enhance their industrial sites and give them a competitive edge for economic development projects in the future.”

The program allows eligible applicants to apply for funding to improve the competitiveness of qualified industrial sites for economic development projects. Applicants can be from cities, towns and counties in Arkansas, as well as economic development organizations and chambers of commerce.

To qualify for the program, applicants must submit industrial sites with at least 30 acres of contiguous land 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 when the grant agreement is executed.

A variety of site development projects can be funded through the Arkansas Site Development Program, according to the release, including 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.”

The application period opened on Monday. Applicants must submit their intent to apply for program funding by Aug. 1 – the application deadline is Sept. 2. The funding awards will be announced in November.

Projects will be evaluated on a 100-point scale in seven categories, including site conditions, utilities, transportation infrastructure, site due diligence, current marketing efforts, local funding match and site certification.

For more information, view the Arkansas Site Development Program FAQ sheet.

To apply for the program, click here.

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