Emmet CARES Act Broadband Recipient

By Dale Gathright, Jr., 09/8/20 1:28 PM

LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson and the General Assembly have made broadband a top priority. Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) is a grant program designed to expand the broadband footprint in rural Arkansas communities. Broadband is termed an essential infrastructure that will allow Arkansans to compete in today’s digital economy, enhance healthcare outcomes through telemedicine, and improve education.

The ARC program will distribute at least $4.7 million in grants to partnerships between localities and internet service providers. These grants will help close the business case to provide 25/3 Mbps broadband to areas that lack a reliable, high-speed connection

To date, the Arkansas Rural Connect (ARC) program has made 19 awards totaling $26,195,607.55. Several recipients are in southwest Arkansas. The ARC program has an overall budget of $124 million for grants, where $119.3 million is available from the CARES Act, and $4.7 million is available from state funds.

ARC Grant Recipients in this area include:

  1. Hope Community TV & Emmet – $193,000 (CARES Act)
  2. Premier Holdings & Center Point – $714,495 (CARES Act)
  3. Premier Holdings & Nashville – $448,580.30 (CARES Act)