Want your event added to our Events page? Contact Tracie Spivey at tspivey@uca.edu
Professional Development In Motion: The Active Transportation Academy
When: April 28-May 1, June 2-5, September 22-25, or October 20-23, 2026
Where: Bentonville, AR
Registration fee: $2,850
About: The Active Transportation Academy is a four-day professional development course that equips engineers, planners, advocates, and elected officials with practical strategies to create safer, more connected communities through walking, biking, and micro-mobility. Participants experience Northwest Arkansas firsthand by traveling its multimodal corridors and learning from regional leaders and partners.
Register: Visit here to learn more and register!
Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
When: February 22 – 24, 2026
Where: Little Rock, AR
Registration fee: Full Registration – $400 Monday Day Pass | $200 Tuesday Day Pass | $200 AOES Business Pitch Competition | $40 Henry Awards Banquet – $75
About: This year Arkansas Governor’s Conference on Tourism is excited to co-locate with Arkansas Outdoor Economy Summit! These annual gatherings include sessions on tourism and travel trends, marketing strategies, the economics of the outdoors, industry workforce development efforts, and more.
Visit here to learn more and register!
National Community Investment Conference
When: March 23-26, 2026
Where: Phoenix, Arizona
Registration fee: $1,295.00 | $695.00 | $495.00
About: The 2026 National Community Investment Conference highlights strategies for advancing economic opportunity through access to credit, investment, and financial services, with a focus on effective partnership models. Attendees will hear about successful approaches for attracting and deploying capital in a variety of sessions tailored to financial institutions, community organizations, and public entities who are striving to meet the needs of the communities they serve.
Mid-South Basic Economic Development Course
When: April 13-16, 2026
Where: Little Rock, AR
Registration fee: $750
About: Mid-South Basic Economic Development Course (MSBEDC), a premier program dedicated to empowering professionals with the essential training and education vital for launching or advancing their careers in economic development. Organized by AEDCE, this event continues its legacy of serving economic developers in the Mid-South region.
Register: Visit here to learn more and register!
75Strong Business Building Program
When: April 29, 2026 – September 30, 2026
About: The 75Strong Business Building Program is a 24 week virtual & FREE intensive program designed for Arkansas businesses looking to create a strategy to scale. Gain access to business growth professionals, a network of other companies across Arkansas looking to grow, and business growth curriculum designed to help you overcome obstacles and chart a path to sustainable growth. Applications are open now through April 10.
CDI 2026
When: July 27 – July 31, 2026
Where: Conway, AR (University of Central Arkansas)
Registration fee: $600
About: CDI is a three-year community and economic development training program, with one week of training per year. Participants that graduate from CDI are eligible to become a certified Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED).