2025 Eastern Arkansas Rural Business Development Conference

THEME: “REVITALIZING RURAL COMMUNITIES: PATHWAYS TO BUSINESS GROWTH AND SUCCESS”

FORREST CITY, Ark. – Providing small and emerging businesses in rural communities with the innovative skills, tools, and contacts needed to visualize creative pathways to grow their enterprises and better engage in job creation activities are the goals of an upcoming regional rural business conference to be held in Forrest City, Arkansas.

Funded by the Arkansas Human Development Corporation (AHDC), East Arkansas Enterprise Community (EAEC) and USDA RD, with support from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and City of Forrest City, the 2025 Eastern Arkansas Rural Business Development Conference, with a theme of “Revitalizing Rural Communities: Pathways to Business Growth and Success”, will bring together approximately fifteen (15) private, quasi-state, state, federal and non-profit organizations to provide participants with needed resources to grow their existing businesses and support their local communities.

Confirmed and/or invited partners include Arkansas APEX Accelerator, Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, ASU Mid-South – Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASU Mid-South -ASBTDC), Delta Dirt Distillery, East Arkansas Community College, Forrest City Chamber of Commerce, GRAND Venue, SBA and more. The conference will be held on Thursday, April 3, 2025, from 8:30 am – 2:00 pm via Zoom and in-person. In-person participation is limited to seventy-five (75) at the conference site, located at the Forrest City Civic Center, 1335 N. Washington Street, Forrest City, AR 72335. Topics to be covered include but are not limited to building strategic partnerships, evaluating and securing capital, obtaining technical assistance for your small business, and selling goods and services to the government and corporate sector.

Please join us at 8:30 am for a “Breakfast with the Lenders Roundtable,” where conference participants will network with local, regional, and statewide lenders. Current lenders confirmed and/or invited to participate include Armor Bank, First National Bank of Eastern Arkansas, FORGE Community Loan Fund, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and USDA Rural Development-Business and Industry Loan Guarantee Program. The Lenders Roundtable will be facilitated by Mr. Christian Pennington, Lender Relations Specialist, SBA. Mr. John C. Edwards, General Counsel and Director of Helena Harbor Economic Development and board member of Southern Bancorp, will be the luncheon speaker.

Do not miss the opportunity to help your community create needed JOBS by learning valuable tools to help your small business unlock pathways to growth and success!

AN INVESTMENT OF TIME IS THE COST TO ATTEND BUT REGISTRATION IS ENCOURAGED.

You may register by calling Arkansas Human Development Corporation at (800) 482-7641, extension 0, or online at

press release

You May Also Be Interested In: