June 26th Update
June 26th, 2026
Mr. Wayne Mays - wmays@hammrc.com
HAMMRC Announces Grant Project
In the March 26, 2026 Board meeting, the Board of Directors voted to create a competitive grant initiative called the "HAMMRC Economic Development Grant Program." The Board's goal is to drive financial value to its' member communities to assist them in preparing for attracting and hosting prospect companies.
Project funding supports projects in Northwest Arkansas and Northeast Oklahoma that advance economic development initiatives including but not limited to workforce training, infrastructure improvements, professional training, incentives, and regional development partnerships. The program will operate on an annual cycle. All projects must demonstrate measurable economic impact and be completed within 10 months of receipt of the award. Grants in the amounts of $5000 to $25000 will be awarded annually depending on available funding and project scope. Selection and approval of grantees will be made by the HAMMRC Board of Directors.
Applications should align with the organization's economic development priorities focused on attracting medical manufacturers and related companies. Eligible applicants will be community organizations in the member communities as of the start of cycle 1 start date of May 4, 2026; companies inside the HAMMRC region; and entrepreneurs living/working in the region. Deadline for cycle 1 applications was June 22, 2026. As of publication date of this newsletter seven applications had been received. Applications were evaluated by the Board of Directors and award winners will be announced no later than July 1, 2026.
For more information about award winners and plans for cycle 2 contact Wayne Mays, wmays@fayettevillear.com, 479-238-6999 or Nathan Reed, nathan@tahlequahchamber.com, 918-456-3742.
HAMMRC Board Chair Josh Hutchins (right) presents a contribution to owner Dave Cross of Precision Injection Molding to help him expand PIM’s property to provide better access for 18 wheelers. TRDA and the Tahlequah Chamber helped Dave with his decision to move from Canada to Oklahoma.
HAMMRC Board Chair Josh Hutchins of Tahlequah (left) listens as Precision Injection Molding owner Dave Cross (right) explains the need for an extension of the driveway for 18-wheelers to access the PIM dock doors. Cross submitted a HAMMRC grant request to help with the cost of the driveway.
The PIM facility in the Tahlequah Business and Tech Park is shown. The 18-wheeler shown cannot access the dock doors due to wet ground to the South of the building. Cross hopes to secure a HAMMRC grant to help solve the access problem.
Promoting the New Grant Program.
Wayne Mays explained the value of the new grant program to the Stilwell Kiwanis Club on June 16. Mays is pictured with Kiwanis member Tracy Sims.
Farmington Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michelle Tabor has been selected to attend the Community Development Institute at UCA in Conway in July. As one of the latest "NWA cohort" members Michelle will benefit from a week of intensive economic and community development training. She led the Chamber Board (8 people) to complete the AEP/SWEPCO online course "Energizing Economic Development." Previous NWA attendees were the Mayors and representatives of several cities and community organizations.
The developer and narrator of the "Energizing Economic Development" online course - Alysia Cook of Opportunity Strategies LLC- has advised us that the course is no longer being offered free, due to licensing that expired. Alysia has recognized HAMMRC's use of the course in group settings in Lincoln and Farmington, and for individuals in Fayetteville and Tahlequah. She offers three options for future use of the course: 1)individual online registration and payment; 2) group sessions registering and completing the course together (with a discount for over 15); and 3) an in-person workshop by Alysia called "Understanding the Economic Development Process" which is a 3.5 hour interactive workshop + 1.5 hours of deeper dives into the roles of everyone in the process (no limit to number of people or communities). We could brand the event as a HAMMRC -sponsored event and even split the cost and branding credit with other organizations.
For more information about these options and the costs:
Contact Wayne at 479-238-6999.
Business News in HAMMRC Region
| Median Income | Cost of Living (compared to US average) | |
|---|---|---|
| # 6 Oklahoma City, OK | $65K | 89.8 |
| # 7 Kansas City, MO | $73K | 93.5 |
| #8 Fayetteville, AR | $64K | 86.5 |
(from Daily Email Newsletter, 1/14/26)
Arvest Bank has been named to Forbes' 2026 World's Best Banks list, ranking No. 20 among U. S. banks, which is the highest among those headquartered in its four-state footprint of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. This marks the bank's eighth consecutive year on the list. In 2025 it ranked No. 27.
There is no higher validation than feedback that comes directly from the people we serve every day," said Matt Machen, president and CEO of Arvest Bank. "We are incredibly grateful to our customers for their continued trust and to our associates for their tireless commitment to delivering exceptional service with every interaction."
Arvest's investment in the HAMMRC region is demonstrated by their heavy presence in our communities: Elkins, Farmington, Fayetteville, Lincoln, Prairie Grove, Stilwell, Westville, and West Fork.
(Arkansas Money and Politics, 4/10/26)
Northwest Arkansas has risen to the ninth-fastest-growing metro area in the United States, according to new population estimates from the U. S. Census Bureau. It's the first time since at least 2020 that the metro area ranked among the top 10 fastest-growing U. S. metros, a state demographer said. As of July 1, 2025 the new estimate put the Northwest Arkansas
(Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro at 622,177. (TalkBusiness.Net, 7/1/25)
Which states are actively producing the industrial workforce manufacturers will need, and how well does that supply align with the demand? To answer that question, Area Development, in partnership with Lightcast- developed the Manufacturing Talent Pipeline Index, a new state-level ranking that evaluates where manufacturing-aligned workforce pipelines are being built, sustained, and positioned to support long-term investment. Here is the latest Manufacturing Talent Pipeline Index:
| Rank | State | 2025 Trade and Engineer Openings | 2025 Fresh Talent Pool | Talent Pipeline Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kentucky | 401,266 | 19,213 | 96 |
| 2 | Alabama | 463,634 | 9,947 | 95 |
| 3 | Wyoming | 64,151 | 2,012 | 91 |
| 4 | Arkansas | 266,338 | 6,390 | 90 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | 324,241 | 19,479 | 84 |
(Workforce Development, Q1, 2026)
Upcoming Events:
6/26/26: Board of Directors selects HAMMRC ED grant winners
6/29/26: Grant award winners announced (media announcement
and email to winners)
7/1/26: Grant checks issued to winners
9/25/26: Next HAMMRC newsletter
9/26/26: Board meeting in Farmington
2/1/27: 6 month progress reports for grant recipients due
6/4/27: Final reports for grant recipients due