The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation is celebrating its 50th anniversary this December by launching the Arkansas Enterprise Capital Grant Fund, a $50 million campaign in collaboration with state and regional foundations.
The initiative aims to address systemic barriers to funding and opportunity by providing nonprofits and mission-aligned enterprises with resources and support. The fund will provide technical assistance, capacity-building and financial investments to grantees.
Beyond financial contributions, the foundation also plans to leverage statewide and national networks to equip grantee partners with business tools and expertise.
The fund will also prioritize rural areas, advocacy organizations and initiatives that promote generational wealth.
“By investing in the potential of historically excluded communities, we aim to spark transformative progress across the state,” Cedric Williams, foundation board chairman, said in a press release.
The fund’s early investors are the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Arkansas Community Foundation and Carl B. and Florence E. King Foundation.
Also in celebration of its 50th anniversary, the foundation will host a yearlong series of events and storytelling initiatives.
“At the heart of our mission lies an unshakable belief that every Arkansan deserves the opportunity to thrive,” Sherece West-Scantlebury, president and CEO of the foundation, said in the release. “We are inspired by the resilience of communities across our state and remain steadfast in our pursuit of innovative solutions to Arkansas’s most pressing challenges. Looking ahead, we envision an Arkansas where equity, opportunity, and prosperity are accessible to all. Our commitment to partnerships and systemic change will drive us forward for the next 50 years.”
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