Small business grants available; Jonesboro to hold second leadership program

by George Jared ([email protected]) 580 views 

Small businesses can again apply for federal grant assistance through the city of Jonesboro’s Microenterprise Business Accelerator.

As part of Jonesboro’s Community Development Block Grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the city this year has $50,000 to distribute among small businesses that employ five or fewer employees.

Applications can be found online at Jonesboro.org or picked up at the City Grants and Community Development Department, 300 S. Church St. Proposals are due by July 12.

“We provided small amounts of aid to several businesses last year,” Mayor Harold Perrin said. “And a little bit can mean a whole lot when a small business is trying to get off the ground, so I’m pleased that our grants department has identified these opportunities.”

In other city business, residents still have a month to apply for a spot in the city’s second Jonesboro Neighborhood Leadership program.

The seven-meeting class, created by Perrin and operated by the City Grants Department, is designed to identify and educate a fresh and diverse group of future leaders for Jonesboro.

Several of the 18 graduates of 2018’s inaugural JNL class now sit on boards, commissions and committees that serve city government. The city has a link on its website, Jonesboro.org, for residents of Jonesboro to apply to serve on any of its citizen advisory panels.

“Our first JNL class was a tremendous success,” Perrin said. “We are dedicated to expanding our list of qualified candidates to serve on every panel that we put together to study projects involving your city, and this class is critical resource.”

The program will begin Aug. 29 and requires attendance 6-8 p.m. for seven Thursdays, concluding Oct. 10. Those interested can find applications on the City of Jonesboro website, Jonesboro.org, or pick them up in the Grants Department at the Municipal Center.