Two Arkansas organizations will be receiving more than $2 million as part of a new investment from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA).
The DRA partnered with the Appalachian Regional Commission and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to provide $14,57,500 in funding for 13 organizations. This funding, which will go to organizations in the Mississippi Delta and Alabama Black Belt, is part of a second round of grants through the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) program, designed to spur workforce development efforts.
In Arkansas, Ozarka College and Southern Arkansas University Tech will both receive funding through this investment round, totaling $2,413,426. Ozarka College will receive $1,472,857, and Southern Arkansas University Tech will receive $940,569.
WORC grants range from $150,000 to $1.5 million, according to a DRA news release and aim to help communities diversify their economies and help bolster workforce development initiatives in rural areas.
“For rural communities to be competitive today, we must ensure economic development and skills development go hand in hand,” DRA federal co-chairman Chris Caldwellsaid in a statement. “Through the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities initiative, the Delta Regional Authority enables Delta communities to strengthen workforce pipelines and continue upward economic mobility. Thanks to the vision of Senator Blunt and leadership of President Trump and Secretary Scalia, the WORC Initiative will provide critical investments into innovative, industry-driven workforce training across the Delta.”
Of the 13 total investments, there were three in Louisiana and Missouri and two in Arkansas. One investment was made in Alabama, Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee.
The full list of grant recipients is below:
- Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corporation (MO); $1,209,301
- Delta Health Alliance, Inc. (MS); $1,499,667
- Lurleen B. Wallace Community College (AL); $1,495,819
- Management, Training and Consulting Corporation (IL); $1,191,187
- Marquette Tech District Foundation, Inc. (MO); $1,364,200
- McNeese State University (LA); $1,458,203
- Missouri State University (MO); $960,000
- NextOp, Inc. (LA); $630,000
- Ozarka College (AR); $1,472,857
- Southern Arkansas University Tech (AR); $940,569
- University of Louisiana Monroe (LA); $1,074,510
- University of Memphis (TN); $1,013,896
- West Kentucky Community and Technical College (KY); $277,291
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Image courtesy of Ozarka College