City, County and Rural Funding

WRPDD’s Community and Economic Development staff members work with state funding agencies to help local government in our ten counties obtain financial support for community improvement projects.

Community Development Block Grant Program

White River Planning and Development District has been heavily involved in the community development block grant (CDBG) application and administration process since its inception in 1975. CDBG funds come from the Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC). Water and wastewater CDBG funding is handled through the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission.

Eligible activities for CDBG funding include: water and wastewater projects, senior citizen center, public health facilities, community centers and fire protection improvements. Also, economic development activities such as loans to industry and infrastructure improvements are also eligible.

For more information on Arkansas’ CDBG program, visit the AEDC website at www.arkansasedc.com/grants or contact the District’s Community and Economic Development staff.

Rural Grant Program

Small towns (populations less than 3,000) and unincorporated communities are eligible for grant assistance through the Arkansas Department of Rural Services (DRS). Though program and eligibility rules may vary by grant type, most grant eligible projects fall into the following categories:

Construction, renovations and additions to public use buildings (city and county government, court or jail facilities are not eligible).
Outdoor recreation projects such as parks, picnic areas, ball fields, walking trails, etc.
Fire protection grants that include construction, renovation and additions to publicly owned fire stations, fire and emergency trucks, fire fighting and safety equipment.
County fair building construction, renovation and improvements (limited to counties with total population of less than 55,000).
For a complete listing of grant projects available through the Arkansas Department of Rural Services visit their website at http://www.arkansas.gov/drs/.

Historic preservation funding assistance is available to local government and non-profit organizations through the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP). Eligible properties must be listed on the Arkansas or National Register of Historic Places or must meet eligibility requirements as part of a National Historic District. District staff will provide grant writing assistance with historic preservation grant applications to the AHPP for local governments within our ten-county service area. For more information on the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Contact Us or visit http://www.arkansasheritage.com/.