Arkansas Economic Development Commission

Administers Arkansas economic development grants and related support initiatives that strengthen research, technology commercialization, and regional growth.

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission is Arkansas's state economic-development agency and operates under the Department of Commerce. It administers job-creation, investment, R&D, and small-business incentives, and it now houses the state's science-and-technology functions after absorbing the former Arkansas Science and Technology Authority.

Its portfolio combines tax credits, sales and use tax refunds, discretionary cash rebates, and true grants. On the science and technology side, AEDC runs the Arkansas Business and Technology Accelerator Grant up to $250,000, the SBIR Matching Grant Program up to $100,000, the Basic Research Grant Program, the Technology Transfer Assistance Grant up to $5,000, and investment routes such as Seed Capital Investment and Technology Development financing.

AEDC is a fit for companies and researchers that can show job creation, federal SBIR traction, university-linked research, or technology transfer potential. The broader incentive framework also rewards capital investment and expansion, but the tiered county system means eligibility and benefit levels vary by location. In practice, AEDC is the main public channel for Arkansas businesses seeking both commercialization support and state-backed growth incentives.