Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) have awarded $25 million to 22 communities through the Arkansas Site Development Program, aimed at expanding the state’s pipeline of investment-ready industrial sites.
The latest funding round supports projects in Bradley County, Bentonville, Berryville, Conway, De Queen, El Dorado, England, Grant County, Hempstead County, Hot Spring County, Hot Springs, Jacksonville, Jefferson County, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Mississippi County, Newport, Pocahontas, Prescott, Russellville, Searcy and Stuttgart.
State officials said the program is designed to help communities prepare industrial land for future business recruitment by funding infrastructure upgrades, grading works, environmental studies and other site-readiness improvements.
“Every success story starts with a strong foundation, and the Arkansas Site Development Program helps communities build the groundwork essential to keep attracting businesses to our state,” Sanders said.
Applicants were required to control at least 30 contiguous acres listed on the Arkansas Site Selection Database. Eligible applicants included cities, counties, chambers of commerce and economic development organizations.
AEDC received 29 applications in the latest round, with total funding requests reaching $73.9 million, highlighting strong demand for site-readiness investment across the state.
“The Arkansas Site Development Program is focused on helping local communities compete and win economic development projects,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of AEDC.
The program was first launched in June 2024 with support from the Arkansas General Assembly. In its first round, AEDC awarded $10 million to 13 communities in December 2024. A further $25 million round is scheduled for fiscal year 2027.
The initiative reflects a growing trend among U.S. states to invest in shovel-ready industrial sites as competition intensifies for advanced manufacturing, logistics and energy projects.
