Foundation Grants
Community Vital Signs
About Us
Charitable Matchmaker: Arkansas Community Foundation Makes Philanthropy Accessible
Foundation: Arkansas Community Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation
When Mary McLeod founded the Arkansas Community Foundation in 1976, she didn't just set out to create a foundation in Little Rock.
She set out to create a statewide one that would reach all of the state's 75 counties.
"If that had been the case, the rest of the state would not have had access to community funding," CEO Heather Larkin tells the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Today, the ARCF is the largest grant-maker in the state, awarding more than $600 million in grants since 1976, with 29 local offices across the state.
What makes the ARCF unique is that it allows individuals, families, nonprofits, and businesses to create endowments that can be used for the public benefit, Larkin tells the Democrat-Gazette.
"It does not matter who you are," she says.
"Any Arkansan can create a fund."
The fundholders range from people who have an interest in helping pets, art, or feeding initiatives to others in the community who need funds to accomplish shared goals.
The ARCF was started with a $258,000 grant from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation in 1976, Larkin tells the Democrat-Gazette.
"They wanted this to be statewide because we are a fairly small, relatively poor state, which is easy to travel, and we can impact
Read the Entire Article
Selected Foundation News
A customized collection of news from foundations from around the Web.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has released the 2024 Summer Youth Employment Program Report.The report celebrates the success of this year's program, which saw more than 5,700 young people hired across...more
Hackensack Meridian CDI Researcher Loudig Earns NJ R&D Council's Emerging Tech Award.Loudig's award was announced on the list of winners by the Research & Development Council of New Jersey on July...more
Student entrepreneurs showcase public health innovations at 2024 Pitch Competition.UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health will host the event.The event will take place at UNC-Gillings in...more
Health professionals urge the community to act and address the dangers of antimicrobial resistance.Wayne State University researchers remind our community to understand the growing issue of...more
Unlocking Global Health and Wellness with Innovative Hydration Technology: Can AmiLyfe's Breakthrough Be Better Than Water? Developed in collaboration with NASA and the University of Florida, Gatto...more
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi have launched a groundbreaking new collaboration.The three institutions will draw on their...more
Florida immigrants are fearful after Trump promises 'largest deportation program in history' Trump says he will use the military to enforce the mass deportation.The remark prompted the American Civil...more
"Taylor Made Freestyle" is no longer available on official platforms because Drake pulled the track.The Copyright Office's recent report on digital replicas also recognizes the importance of h See...more
School of Theatre and Dance joins West Virginia Public Theatre for "A Christmas Carol" Current Students | West Virginia University School of theatre and dance joins WVPT."AChristmas Carol" will be...more
The Mountaineer Marching Band will return to New York City for the 98th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 28.The parade received a record-breaking 28.5 million views last year.The...more
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Is Corporate Philanthropy Dead?
Senay Ataselim-Yilmaz, Chief Operating Officer, Turkish Philanthropy Funds, writes that philanthropy often solves the very problems that stems from market failure. Some social issues, however, cannot be tackled by questioning the return on investment.