Past Grant Cycles

Each year, the Community Foundation makes focused, donor-driven grants that vary in amount, geography and cause. These grants are designated and fully funded by donors. Typically, grantees are determined by a grant selection committee with representation and/or leadership of the community that will be served by the grant awards. These grants are administered by the Foundation but may be implemented in partnership with the funder community.  

Recent examples of special grantmaking:

    • The Building Black Communities Fund provided grants up to $25,000 to support programs and initiatives specifically designed to impact Black people and communities in the Little Rock metropolitan statistical area. This grant was funded by Facebook, Inc. and implemented in partnership with Arkansas Black Philanthropy Collaborative.

    • The LBGTQ+ Advancement Fund grants supported organizations working to improve the quality of life for LGBTQ+ Arkansans by providing legal, health, education, advocacy or other high-demand services/programs. The Fund was created by the Alice L. Walton Foundation and from Olivia and Tom Walton through the Walton Family Foundation. It was also supported by additional funds from the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.

    • Arts in Arkansas Fund provided small arts organizations with 2-years of general operating support. Arkansas Community Foundation, in partnership with CACHE (Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange), invited small arts nonprofits state-wide to apply to the Arts in Arkansas Fund which will provide a total of $5,000 to support general operations ($2,500 in year one, and final installment of $2,500 in year two).

Emergency grantmaking: 

The Foundation uses a Disaster Decision Guide, as needed, to open funds in emergency situations. Recent examples of this include: 

    • Tornado Recovery Funds. In the aftermath of the tornadoes that ripped through central and eastern Arkansas on March 31, 2023, the Foundation quickly took steps to help support local residents and nonprofit organizations. 

    • COVID-19 Relief Fund was created to help connect those that wanted to help in pandemic relief. In addition to accepting donations from the general public, this fund awarded small and large grants to nonprofits and community organizations across the state. All contributions were pooled with contributions from other Arkansans to help our neighbors affected by the pandemic.

    • Fordyce Survivors Fund Established to provide direct financial assistance to the survivors of the deceased and those directly affected by this tragedy.