The District

The Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) Program is a federally funded job training program for economically disadvantaged people. Funding for this program is used to provide a variety of services to our JPTA clients, including:

• On-The-Job Training (OJT) - On-the-job training is training in the private or public sector. The OJT employee receives "hands on" training in a production setting. The OJT employer is reimbursed half of the OJT employee's wage for the period that the person is in training.
• Institutional - Institutional training can take place in either an occupational or non-occupational area. It allows the clients to obtain technical skills and information required to perform a specific job or group of jobs. Clients in occupational areas are limited to training in fields that are currently in demand or have the potential for growth.
• Work Experience (WE) - Work Experience is a short-term or part-time work assignment with a public or private non-profit agency. The training is for those clients who need assistance in becoming accustomed to basic work requirements.
• Limited Internship - Limited Internship involves assignments in the private, for-profit sector for out-of-school youth. Training is designed to enhance the long-term employability of the youth.

The District offers professional economic and community development services for the municipalities and counties within the region. Professional services include the following:

Research and technical assistance

For special projects; dissemination of US Census Information; regional database management; addresses special needs as identified by membership.

Grant and loan proposal development and grant administration

For member cities and counties, and special improvement districts for a variety of programs both public and privately funded.

Regional and local strategic planning

Contractual services for the Economic Development Administration's Economic Development Plan; and local facilitation of community strategic plans.

Regional Clearinghouse

For applications for federal or state funding.

Regional Home Page

Development and maintenance of information for The District's home page.

Traditional partners for programs and services include the following state and federal agencies:

• US Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration
• Arkansas Department of Economic Development
• Arkansas Rural Communities Program
• US Dept. of Agriculture, Rural Development
• Arkansas Soil and Water Commission
• Arkansas Parks and Tourism
• State Historic Preservation Office
• Arkansas Main Street
• Arkansas Department of Health
• FEMA: Flood Mitigation Programs
• AHTD: ISTEA

For More Information

The goals of SWAPDD are to create or save jobs and to expand or develop business and industry in the 12 counties it serves. The District receives funds for loans from two sources: the FMHA, or Farmers Home Administration, and from the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration. From these two sources come The District's lending plans:

• Intermediary Relending Program (IRP) - The Intermediary Relending Program is geared toward county and city public facilities boards and commissions, but small to medium-sized businesses may also qualify. The cap on these loans is $150,000.
• The Business and Industry Financial Network (BIFN) - The Business and Industry Financial Network is geared solely to the small to medium-sized business with a maximum loan limit of $200,000.
• Success Stories

For More Information

SWAPDD provides contract services to the Southwest Arkansas Regional Solid Waste Management Board in the following ways:

• General Administration and financial management
• Updating the "Southwest Regional Solid Waste Management Needs Assessment Plan
• Implementing the regional solid waste plant
• Assisting individual cities and counties in developing solid waste and recycling programs that comply with the regional plan
• Grant writing and administration of grants awarded from the "Arkansas Recycling Grant Fund" and other sources
• Administration of the Waste Tire Management Program for the Southwest Arkansas Waste Tire Management District, which includes 6 counties.

For More Information

On-line cities

• El Dorado
• Fordyce
• Prescott
• Camden
• Magnolia
• Texarkana
• Hope

Regional Information

• Golden Triangle FiberPark

Other Planning and Development Districts

• West Central Arkansas Planning & Development District

Economic Development Partners

• EDA Austin Regional Office: Southwestern United States. The Economic Development Administration's Regional Headquarters
• EDA's Office of Economic Conversion Information
• Arkansas Department of Economic Development
• Arkansas Parks & Tourism
• Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

• Southwest Arkansas

Copyright © 1998-99. If you have questions or comments regarding this site, contact technical support (swapdd@dina.org), UALR IEA. Last Modified: Tuesday, May 14, 2002. http://swapdd.dina.org/geninfo/district.html