Main Street Harrison has awarded five matching grants to support façade and exterior improvements for downtown properties, utilizing $12,000 in funding provided through Main Street Arkansas.
The Main Street Harrison Board of Directors, approved by Main Street Arkansas on August 11, 2025, administered the grant program as part of its ongoing effort to revitalize and preserve the historic downtown district.
Board Chair Eddie Bartlett said the organization has made significant progress in a short period of time. “We have felt like we’ve been playing catch-up throughout this process,” Bartlett said. “We were working to stand up the board while raising funds, creating a solid grant application process, and hiring a new part-time director—all of which are now in place. We appreciate the generous support from local businesses that helped fund our operating budget.”
Bartlett added that the board was encouraged by the strong interest in the program. “We were thrilled with the eight applications we received,” he said. “I only wish we could have funded all of the requests. This year, we were limited to the $12,000 provided by the state, but these projects will make a meaningful impact on our downtown.”
Five recipients were awarded matching grants up to $2,500.Grant recipients are required to document their projects with before-and-after photos.
Approved projects include:
Boone County Lodge #314
Granted $2,482 of $4,964 project to replace windows, update signage, install new lighting, and repair the canopy.
DeWitt Building
Granted $2,144 of $4,289 project to clean and repair front windows and install a non-invasive window wrap on second-story windows. The owners are also pursuing future historic tax credits as part of a planned residential conversion.
Lyric Theater
Granted $2,500 of $5,240 project to restore poster display windows, upgrade lighting, repaint the marquee, and repair period-appropriate stucco on the building façade.
Luxe on Rush
Granted $2,500 of $5,000 project to retile the entry, repaint, and repair the front door.
Bennett Building
Granted $2,500 of $21,000 project to install new awnings.
Main Street Harrison has also recently hired a part-time executive director, with a separate announcement to be released soon.
The Main Street Harrison office is located at 200 W. Stephenson in downtown Harrison. For more information, contact 870-517-5896.
Applications for the 2026-2027 matching grant program will be released later this summer.