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Arkansas Ready for Business Grant Program
Apr 26, 2020
Here are the details for the Arkansas Ready for Business Grant Program. Please follow this link for the press release from the state.
Arkansas Ready for Business Grant Program
Ensuring the Health and Safety of Employees and Patrons
Pursuant to the direction of Governor Asa Hutchinson and Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission has established a grant program to assist businesses affected by the COVID19 outbreak. The program will provide direct grants to companies for expenses associated with ensuring the health and safety of employees and patrons. The program will utilize federal funds provided to the State of Arkansas through the CARES Act. Applications will be accepted beginning 5:00PM CST April 29, 2020.
Grant Program Guidelines:
- Eligible businesses include corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, LLCs, Joint Ventures and Non-profits (Government-owned entities are not eligible)
- All industry sectors are eligible
- Business must have Certificate of Good Standing with the AR Secretary of State’s Office (if a Sole Proprietor, a business license or sales tax permit is required)
- Business and owners must NOT be delinquent on any Arkansas tax
- Businesses must either have a) customers and/or employees physically coming to their business premises or b) must conduct business on customer premises
- Applications will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Applications will only be considered when a complete application is submitted with all required attachments.
- Required attachments: Driver’s License of authorized business representative, Signed W9, Voided check, Certificate of Good Standing from Secretary of State (Business License or Sales Tax Permit for Sole Proprietors). Uploaded files can be a maximum of 5MB each.
- Grant amounts will be based on number of Arkansas W2 employees as of March 1, 2020:
- 1 FTE = $1,000 grant
- 2+ FTEs = $1,000 per FTE
- 1 Arkansas W2 full-time employee = 1 FTE; 1 Arkansas W2 part-time employees = .5 FTE
- Full-time employees must work an average of at least 30 hours per week. Owners working at least 30 hours per week who do not receive a W2 can be included.
- Part-time employees must work an average of at least 15 hours per week
- Example – 2 AR W2 full-time employees (2 FTEs) and 6 AR W2 part-time employees (3 FTEs) equals a grant of $5,000
- Maximum grant amount is $100,000
- Eligible expenditures include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and no-contact thermometers for employees and customers, no-contact Point of Sale (POS) payment equipment; supplies and disinfectants to initially deep clean premises and for use on an ongoing basis; also included are expenses associated with hiring a third party to perform periodic deep cleaning services, hand sanitizer stations, restocking of necessary supplies/raw materials, expenses associated with reconfiguring business to meet recommended health and safety guidelines, signage, marketing and other one-time expenses associated with reopening or resuming normal operations
- Eligible expenditures must be made between March 1, 2020 – December 31, 2020
- Businesses will be required to verify funds were used for eligible expenditures and may be required to repay all or a portion of the grant if business is found not in compliance with grant requirements
- Businesses that have previously been awarded assistance through other AEDC programs or SBA programs are not prohibited from applying for the Ready for Business Grant Program
The Arkansas Ready for Business Grant Program is a discretionary incentive program offered by AEDC. Not all who apply for a grant will be approved. The information provided in this document is only a general summary of the program features and does not create any obligation by AEDC to provide a grant. AEDC reserves the right to adjust the terms of the grant based on the applicant’s individual circumstances.
Jackson County Community Theatre!
There's No Place Like Local This Holiday!
Newport Christmas Parade The Newport Christmas parade will be held Thursday, December 14, 2023 beginning at 6 p.m. Entries are now being accepted at the Newport Area Chamber of Commerce for business and nonprofit organization floats, walking groups, antique vehicles, beauty queens, horseback riders, school clubs and organizations, etc. Participants will be traveling down Hwy. 69 to Malcolm Avenue then down to Village Mall parking lot. Awards will be given for first, second and third place for both the commercial and non-commercial categories. Entry is free, and participants may choose their own holiday theme. However, Santa Claus will be flying in early from the North Pole as the last entry in the parade, so please do not plan a “fake” Santa on your float. Float judging will begin no later than 5:30 p.m. Please include the name of your business or organization somewhere on your float for faster judging. Line up will be held in the parking lot across from Riceland Foods no sooner than 5 p.m. (McLain and Hwy. 69). Walkers and dance groups should line up on the Riceland side of Hwy. 69. Vehicles that are entered in the parade are to enter the parking lot from McLain Street and face toward Hwy. 69. There will be a line up crew on hand. The line up area will be very crowded. Those who are driving vehicles that will not be in the parade are asked to find parking on the Riceland side of Hwy. 69 and walk across to the line up area. If dropping off a parade participant, please do not enter the parking lot. If you are planning to watch the parade along the route with children, please make sure that they stay by the street curbs and not in the road for safety purposes. Immediately following the parade, there will be a drive-by Christmas display event at the home of Dr. Patti Mullins, 4 Sue Circle. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be there. Enter by clicking the link below. Entry forms are also available at the Chamber office, 201 Hazel Street. Completed forms may be faxed to 523-1055, dropped off at the Chamber at 201 Hazel Street, or emailed to director@newportarchamber.org . In the event of inclement weather, parade participants will be notified of an alternate date. Parade Entry Form
Mary Alice Holden Conner Memorial Park Closed For Maintenance
Public Notice for KOKR Radio
Public Notice for KNBY Radio
25th Annual Depot Days
18th New Vision Newport Leadership class now accepting applications!!
Newport Alumni Hall of Fame Banquet Thursday, August 10, 2023
NEDC Wins Settlement Worth $2.5 Million in Medical Marijuana Lawsuits For Immediate Release Newport Economic Development Commission Newport, Arkansas director@newportaredc.org The Newport Economic Development Commission won a settlement with a value of $2,518,015.00 yesterday in two separate lawsuits concerning the relocation of a medical marijuana cultivator previously located in Newport, Arkansas. In November of 2020, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission approved a transfer of Natural State Wellness, LLC’s license to Good Day Farms, LLC. At that same meeting, the Commission also approved a transfer of location, allowing the facility to move from Newport, Arkansas to Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Jon Chadwell, Executive Director of the Newport Economic Development Commission made a formal request to the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission to reverse the decision to move the facility. That request was denied. In April of 2021, Attorney David Couch, a Newport native, filed a lawsuit for plaintiffs the Newport Economic Development Commission; the City of Newport; the Newport Charitable Foundation and the Newport-Jackson County Industrial Development Bond Board against the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission; the Arkansas Alcoholic Beverage Control Division; Good Day Farm, LLC; Natural State Wellness, LLC and Harvest Health and Recreation, Inc. in Circuit Court of Jackson County. The suit was to recoup economic damages caused by the relocation of the facility. That lawsuit was followed by another lawsuit in October of 2021 by Couch for the Newport-Jackson County Industrial Development Bond Board to recapture possession of the property sold to Natural State Wellness with all improvements, including the building constructed on the property by Natural State Wellness. The lawsuit against the property owner BLRS was moved to federal court. On February 22, 2023, a mediation process was held with Couch and Chadwell representing the plaintiffs and individuals and attorneys representing Harvest Health and Recreation, Inc. and Good Day Farms, LLC. Through the process, the defendants agreed to a settlement which returned the building and land to the Newport-Jackson County Industrial Development Bond Board, awarded $1,000,000 in cash restitution to the community and covered the legal fees and costs. The total value of the settlement is $2,518,015.00 which is being paid through a negotiated agreement between Harvest Health and Recreation, Inc. and Good Day Farms, LLC and a transfer of property from BRLS to the Newport-Jackson County Industrial Development Bond Board. “We feel vindicated to receive this settlement from Harvest Health and Good Day Farms on behalf of Newport,” stated Jon Chadwell. “We have many exceptional businesses in Newport that are significant partners in growing the community. However, when a business does not live up to its commitments, we feel obligated to take action behalf of the community.” Newport Mayor Derrick Ratliffe said, “The City of Newport has established a very pro-business environment and we are excited to have this building back under local control so we can use it to recruit another company to our community.” This settlement brings an end to the two-year process of seeking restitution for Newport and Jackson County.
