BANKS, Ark. – Friday, December 1, the town of Banks announced that the Banks Volunteer Fire Department has been awarded the Rural Community Grant, a significant boost of $15,000 that will complement the department’s in-kind labor match of another $15,000. These funds will be utilized to finalize the electrical and HVAC installations in the new fire station.
The community is not only celebrating the successful grant application but is also pleased to confirm that the Banks Volunteer Fire Department has met all criteria for their yearly Act 833 funds. These funds, received this week, will be instrumental in addressing various needs of the department, including acquiring new equipment and providing essential training. The announcement expressed sincere gratitude to the dedicated men and women who make up the Banks Volunteer Fire Department.
The Rural Community Grant program, which made this financial injection possible, is designed to support applicants from incorporated towns with populations of fewer than 3,000 and unincorporated rural areas. The program offers matching funds of up to $15,000, with a 50/50 match ratio. To be eligible for the program, communities must contribute half of the project cost as a match, which can be in the form of in-kind labor, in-kind materials, or cash, and must be available at the time of application.
Applications for the Rural Community Grant program are accepted annually from August through March. Over the years, numerous communities have benefited from this program, using funds for a variety of projects such as baseball/softball fields, community centers, walking tracks, park and playground equipment, pavilions, picnic tables, and library shelving. Fire departments, in particular, have successfully secured funding for vital resources like new fire stations, additional bays for existing stations, turn-out gear, communications equipment, fire trucks, SCBA’s, extrication equipment, and brush trucks.