Conway, AR- UCA continues to support disaster recovery efforts in Faulkner County, with ongoing coordination efforts and new projects planned for 2015.
UCA’s Center for Community and Economic Development is taking 30 leaders from Vilonia, Mayflower, and other parts of Faulkner County to Arkadelphia on January 9. This benchmarking trip will allow local city leaders involved in the long term tornado recovery effort to learn about the strategies Arkadelphia employed in recovering from a tornado that impacted the city in 1997. Additionally, economic development initiatives will be discussed to bring back ideas for related efforts in the county.
UCA is providing $5,000 toward a comprehensive planning study for the business districts of Mayflower and Vilonia. Funds are provided through a grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation that the Center for Community and Economic Development was awarded to assist rural communities in Arkansas. UCA’s contribution will be joined with investments from the Arkansas Community Foundation, Metroplan, and Central Arkansas Planning and Development District to make the project possible.
“We are happy to be in a position to support our neighbors in Faulkner County,” said Amy Whitehead, director of the Center for Community and Economic Development. “The Center is committed to work with Mayflower, Vilonia and surrounding areas throughout the recovery process. This work builds off the significant assistance that UCA has already shown for the recovery efforts through its Bears Boots on the Ground initiative.”
A leadership and economic development boot camp is also being prepared for the county, in order to equip local leaders with the knowledge and tools that are needed to sustain long term economic development. UCA has become known as a national leader in economic development training, but this is the first time that a program has been customized for leaders in the county.
The Center for Community and Economic Development is a part of UCA’s Division of Outreach and Community Engagement. The Center is committed to assisting local leaders to be effective in their community improvement efforts. To do this, the Center consults with Arkansas communities to provide training and customized services that help leaders assess their current community situation and develop strategies to achieve their community and economic development goals.
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For more information, please contact Josh Markham at 501-450-3460 or at joshm@uca.edu.
