Arkansas Community & Economic Development Alliance

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What is ACEDA?

The Arkansas Community & Economic Development Alliance is an informal network with representatives from government agencies and organizations supporting Arkansas communities, regions, nonprofits, businesses and other organizations. There is no fee to join and representatives from any organization serving Arkansas can participate. 

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service is proud to be a founding member of ACEDA. It exists because no single organization can do it all. We all need to work together to make a positive difference in Arkansas. 

What we do:

  • Link local governments, organizations and businesses in Arkansas to technical assistance, potential funding opportunities and other resources they need.
  • Provide networking opportunities for ACEDA partners through quarterly meetings.
  • Share information about our programs and services with each other.
  • Partner on projects to better meet state and local needs.

The group meets quarterly to discuss projects in need of assistance. Representatives from partner organizations also communicate with each other by phone and email regarding projects in need of immediate assistance.

Browse the ACEDA Resource Guide to learn about agencies working to serve Arkansas.

Join the mailing list.

Get invites to quarterly meetings, videos and transcripts, and resources shared by ACEDA members by subscribing to the email list. Looking for partners or collaboration on a project? Send it to the the 170+ and growing mailing list.

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Host the next meeting.

Each meeting offers virtual and in-person attendance to accommodate members statewide. Host the next quarterly meeting and showcase your building and services. Meetings typical run from 10 a.m. -12 p.m. As a host, you are not required to be the featured speaker. Contact Hunter Goodman at hgoodman@uada.edu to learn more.

Be a featured speaker.

Each quarterly meeting has a featured speaker that provides information related to community and economic development. Past speakers have represented nonprofits, state and federal government agencies, community-based organizations, and higher education institutions. Speakers typically present for 15-20 minutes with time for Q&A. As the featured speaker, you are not required to be a host. Send inquiries to hgoodman@uada.edu.

How can you contact us for help?

If you have a project and needs assistance, contact hgoodman@uada.edu or complete a Needs Assessment form and return it to aado@arkansaseconomicregions.org.

2026 Meetings

  • Join the ACEDA email list to get the most up to date meeting information. 

    April 10, 2026

    Northwest Arkansas Community Development Pipeline

    Featured Speakers:
    Tabatha Duvall, Assistant Director, Center of Community & Economic Development, University of Central Arkansas
    tduvall4@uca.edu
     
    Resources:
     

     

    January 20, 2026

    Leadership and Community Development

    Featured Speakers:
    Ryan Biles, Director of Development & Placemaking, Thrive, Inc.

     

    Previous Meetings, 2021-2025

    October 31, 2025

    Arkansas Rural Profile and Labor Market Observatory

    Featured Speakers:
    Dr. Frank Seo, Assistant Professor - Rural Development, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, fseo@uada.edu

    Luke Pullo, Program Associate - Rural Development, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, lpullo@uada.edu

    Rodrigo Ramirez-Perez, Research Analyst, Heartland Forward

     

    July 9, 2025

    Arkansas Community Action Agencies Association

    Featured Speaker:
    Tomekia Moore, Executive Director, AR Community Action Agencies Association

     

    April 16, 2025

    Legal Clinics for Nonprofits, Entrepreneurs, and Communities

    Moderator:
    Dr. Hunter P. Goodman, Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service

    Panelists:
    Peter Norman, Assistant Professor and Director, Community and Rural Enterprise Development Clinic, University of Arkansas, School of Law
    Rachel Sullivant, Managing Director of Entrepreneurial Law Project, University of Arkansas
    Doug Cortez, Assistant Professor and Director, Business Innovations Legal Clinic, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, William H. Bowen School of Law

    Program Links:
    Community and Rural Enterprise Development (CRED) Clinic | School of Law | University of Arkansas
    Entrepreneurial Law Project | Entrepreneurship and Innovation | University of Arkansas
    Business Innovations Legal Clinic | William H. Bowen School of Law | UA Little Rock

     

    January 29, 2025

    Librarians as Partners for Community Development

    Featured Speakers:
    Kariah Brust, Agriculture Librarian, University of Arkansas Mullins Library
    kariahb@uark.edu

    Tammy Kirk, Librarian, USDA National Agriculture Library, Agriculture Research Service, National Agricultural Library (NAL)
    tammy.kirk@usda.gov

    Resources:

    University of Arkansas, Mullins Library Presentation
    USDA National Agriculture Library and Rural Information Center Presentation

    ScholarWorks@UARK highlights a growing collection of faculty publications, presentations, student work and teaching materials. The University of Arkansas is committed to disseminating its research and scholarship as widely as possible. ScholarWorks@UARK

    Resource Sharing & Interlibrary Loan: Resource Sharing | University of Arkansas Libraries

    Subject Librarian List: Subject Librarians | University of Arkansas Libraries

    October 16, 2024

    Investing in Rural Prosperity: A Forum on Braiding and Blending Federal and Private Funds

    Featured Speakers:
    Samantha Evans - Outreach Regional Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
    Daniel Paul Davis - Vice President and Community Affairs Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
    Hunter P. Goodman - Assistant Professor, UADA-Extension
    Martha Claire Bullen - Director of Community Sustainability, Communities Unlimited
    Michael Rivera - Director Nuestra Casa, Communities Unlimited
    Tineciaa Harris -  Strategic Partnerships Program Coordinator, Delta Regional Authority
    Christel Taylor- Director of Workforce and Downtown Development, Newport Economic Development Commission & Newport Area Chamber of Commerce
    Darryl Treat, Executive Director, Greater Searcy County Chamber of Commerce
    Matt Twyford - Director of Community Development, Arkansas Economic Development Commission
    David Blick - Director of Office of Community Planning and Development, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development - Little Rock Field Office

    July 17, 2024

    Economic Development Administration (EDA) Overview and Community Partners


    EDA ACEDA Meeting Presentation Slides

     

    Featured Speakers: April Campbell,  Economic Development Representative - U.S. Economic Development Administration, Austin Regional Office; Renee Dycus, Executive Director - Southwest Arkansas Planning and Development District; Dwayne Pratt, Executive Director - West Central Arkansas Planning and Development District; Rodney Larsen, Executive Director - Central Arkansas Planning and Development District

    April 10, 2024 - Featured Speaker: Brandon Horvath - Consulting Manager, Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center

    January 17, 2024 - Featured Speaker: Mike Malone - Vice Chancellor for Economic Development, University of Arkansas

    October 11, 2023 - Featured Speaker: Janea Jamison, Regional Advocate-Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas), U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy

    July 12, 2023 - Featured Speaker: Glen Howie, Arkansas State Broadband Director

    April 12, 2023 - Featured Speakers: Matt Twyford, Community Development Director - Arkansas Economic Development Commission & Clint O’Neal, Executive Director - Arkansas Economic Development Commission

    January 18, 2023 - Featured Speakers: Cory Anderson, Chief Innovation Office - Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation & Tim Smith, Program Director - USDA Rural Development

    October 12, 2022 - Featured Speaker: Brandon L. Mathews, Program Associate – Economic Development, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension - Topic: Arkansas Business Navigator

    July 13, 2022 - Featured Speaker: Kristen Dane, Project Officer and SCORP Planner – Outdoor Recreation Grants Program, Division of Arkansas State Parks

    April 13, 2022 - Featured Speaker: Samantha Evans, Community Development Advisor – Workforce Development, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

    January 12, 2022 - Featured speakers: Julie Trivitt, Senior Economist, and Katie Milligan, Program Manager of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, with Heartland Forward

    October 13, 2021 - Featured speaker: Derek Lewis II - President, Derek Lewis Foundation & Chair, Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative (ABPC)

    July 14, 2021 - Featured speaker: Hazelle Whited, Regional Program Coordinator-CREATE 
    BRIDGES, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service

    April 14, 2021 - Featured speaker: Tiffany Henry, Director of Entrepreneurial Communities, The Conductor

    January 13, 2021 - Featured speakers: Kim Reed, AmeriCorps Program Manager for EngageAR &

     

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