Fort Smith directors allocate nearly $2.8 million in federal grant money

Largest portion of funds go to Next Step Homeless Services for new shelter

FORT SMITH -- City directors have allocated nearly $2.8 million in federal money to help several River Valley agencies.

The city received $812,865 in Community Development Block Grant money and $462,538 in Home Investment Partnership money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Next Step Homeless Services received the largest portion of the grants, with $13,797 for transitional case management and $48,957 for its new homeless facility.

Fort Smith also received roughly $1.5 million in American Rescue Plan money, which President Joe Biden approved in March 2021 to address the continued impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals and businesses.

The directors Tuesday approved allocating the rescue plan money to the Crawford Sebastian Community Development Council, Next Step, the Center for Legal Services, Riverview Hope Campus and the Community Rescue Mission.