Through the Arkansas Rural Community Grant Program (RCGP), the Arkansas Rural Development Commission and the Division of Rural Services strive to enhance quality of life in the state by providing incentive grants on a matching basis.
Donor Name: Arkansas Economic Development Commission
State: Arkansas
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant | Matching Grants
Deadline: 03/12/2026
Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The Rural Community Grant Program can assist with the improvement of local fire protection, including related emergency services and construction, along with the development and improvement of community facilities.
Funding Information
The Arkansas Legislature appropriated $700,000 for each year of the 2025-2026 biennium to be expended through the Arkansas Rural Community Grant Program. Applicants with an eligible project may apply for up to $15,000 in state matching funds toward a project for community development or fire protection projects.
Eligible Projects
Projects eligible for funding consideration under the Rural Community Grant Program include, but are not limited to:
- Renovations, new construction or additions to publicly owned buildings such as civic or community centers, senior or youth centers, libraries, museums, and etc.
- Renovations, new construction, new equipment, or additions to parks and other publicly owned recreational facilities such as baseball or softball fields, landscape or beautification projects, park and picnic areas, jogging/walking trails, and etc.
- Purchase of storm sirens or construction of publicly owned storm shelters accessible to the citizens of the entire community.
- Renovations, new construction, or additions to fire facilities.
- The purchase of fire protection equipment and vehicles.
- The rehabilitation and/or retrofitting of newly acquired equipment and vehicles.
Eligibility Criteria
Incorporated cities and towns and unincorporated communities in rural areas of less than 3,000 in population (verifiable by current U.S. Census information) are eligible to apply for assistance through the Arkansas Rural Community Grant Program. In keeping with enabling legislation, a rural area is defined, for the purpose of this program, as “all the territory of the State of Arkansas that is not within the outer boundary of any city or town having a population of 20,000 or more according to the latest federal census or within such a city’s or town’s neighboring urbanized areas.
For more information, visit AEDC.
