Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – December 4, 2024 – Members of the City of Jonesboro Advertising and Promotion Commission awarded $664,250 Wednesday to fund events and activities in 2025. The funds awarded are generated by a 4% tax collected on revenue from hotel stays in the city.
Commissioners heard from representatives of over 40 requests for almost three hours before working through the list determining what requests would be granted and how much funding each request would receive. The total amount of requests was over 1.3 million dollars. Commissioners had projected that about $675,000 would be generated in 2025 and available for funding.
The list below reflects the events and organizations that received funding. The asterisk (*) indicates a new event or organization that wasn’t funded in 2024.
| Event/Organization | Amount Funded |
| A&P Administrative Expenses | $127,000 |
| Reserve for Various Conventions | $15,000 |
| Jonesboro Gravel and Cycle Event | $50,000 |
| Delta Symphony Orchestra | $15,000 |
| Foundation of Arts | $60,000 |
| Downtown Jonesboro Alliance | $25,000 |
| DJA – Joyfest | $12,000 |
| Hispanic Community Services | $12,000 |
| Downtown Jonesboro BBQ Fest | $100,000 |
| Red Wolves Foundation | $50,000 |
| ASU Club Softball | $10,000 |
| Disc Side of Heaven – Jonesboro Open | $10,000 |
| DNW – Regional Duck Call Contest | $2,500 |
| Jets Aquatic Club | $25,000 |
| City Stars Booster Club | $35,000 |
| JPD Dare – Dare to be a Champion | $5,000 |
| University Heights Lions – Pickle Ball | $1,000 |
| Hijinx – Pro Bowling Tournament | $40,000 |
| Hope Found – Coffee Festival | $1,250 |
| Juneteenth Celebration | $7,500 |
| MLK Day Parade | $2,500 |
| NEA Baptist Foundation Duck Classic | $7,500 |
| St. Bernards Pink Warrior | $5,000 |
| Link Theatre | $5,000 |
| United Way – Batting for Better | $5,000 |
| Friends of Library – Game Fest | $1,000 |
| Jonesboro Business – Crawfish Fest | $2,500 |
| *ASU Johnny Cash – Sunken Lands | $5,000 |
| *Firefighters Local 3718 – Pickle Ball | $1,000 |
| *Ridge Riders – Regional Race | $15,000 |
| *Northside Jonesboro 2025 Reunion | $2,500 |
| *Red Wolf Renaissance Fair | $2,500 |
| *Miss Greater Jonesboro Pageant | $2,500 |
| *Phi Beta Sigma State Meeting | $2,500 |
| *Stage Theater | $1,500 |
| $664,250 |
Events or organizations that had received funding in 2024 or in past years that were not awarded funding today included Jonesboro Parks and Recreation to purchase mountain bikes for Craighead Forest Park ($20,000 requested) and Jonesboro Parks and Recreation to purchase 3D targets for the 3D walking trail ($20,000 requested). Chairman Jerry Morgan recommended that commissioners delay acting on those two requests and re-evaluate mid-year 2025. There was also a request from the Crowley’s Ridge Cruisers for its annual car show ($4,000 request withdrawn).
New events or organizations that had requested funding but received no funds included Research Solutions for a proposed NEA Cultural Expo ($20,400 requested), Red Wolves Foundation to help fund the cost of hosting the Sun Belt Track and Field Championship ($100,000 requested removed from the list of requests during the meeting).
Morgan said there is $40,000 in two categories that could be used for events that pop-up during the year or to use in the event projected revenue falls short. That included $25,000 for miscellaneous expenses and advertising allocated for the A&P administrative costs and $15,000 allocated for various convention expenses.
Commissioner Tom Fielder expressed his frustration as the commissioners worked through deciding which requests were granted. “As I’m looking at this list, every one of them (the events or organizations) is a great part of our community, but it’s ultimately their responsibility to grow and not necessarily grow through us,” Fielder said. “It’s our responsibility to grow our giving to more organizations. If we continue to give more and more to the same ones, how can we ever invite new ones in? At some point there has to be a click down of funds given.”
