Arkansas Rural Water Association

Arkansas Rural Water Association, a tax-exempt nonprofit based in Lonoke, Arkansas, operates as a federal grant sub-recipient providing water and wastewater training, technical assistance, and workforce development to rural, tribal, and small public water systems across the United States. The organization works exclusively as a subcontractor to the National Rural Water Association on federal grants flowing from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Agriculture, with no prime contracts or vehicles in its recent footprint.

The organization's federal activity centers on employment and deployment of specialized technical staff to deliver compliance training and capacity-building support. Recent sub-award work includes positions for Water Quality Action Specialists providing training and technical assistance to decentralized wastewater systems and municipalities (multiple awards from September 2025 and September 2023); a Funding Specialist delivering training on planning, development, and acquisition of financing for water systems (September 2025); Training Specialists focused on tribal, small, and rural public water system compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (August 2025 and August 2024); Energy Efficiency Technicians supporting water and wastewater system efficiency (July 2025 and July 2024); a Wastewater Technician providing wastewater system training and assistance (July 2025 and July 2024); and an Apprenticeship Coordinator supporting workforce development through increased apprenticeship participation and placement (October 2024). The combined obligated value across all fourteen awards in the source data totals $1.4 million.

Customer concentration is narrow but stable. The EPA Office for Water (Funding Office) accounts for eight awards; the Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service accounts for five; and the Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service accounts for one — representing 100% of awards in the source. All awards flow through the National Rural Water Association as prime recipient, making Arkansas Rural Water Association a feeder organization to a single larger nonprofit prime. Activity has grown from one award in 2009 to six awards in 2025, with four awards placed in 2024 and three in 2023. Service Contract Inventory data shows minimal reporting (two records spanning FY2022–FY2024), with the organization delivering an average of 3.1 to 4.1 FTEs to named subcontractor positions in federal service contracts above the $150,000 threshold — a partial view that captures only large federal service work and excludes the bulk of the organization's grant-funded operations.