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Annual Report

2023

A Letter from
WRF’s CEO

Dear Friends and Partners,

2023 was a year of action, impact, and unwavering commitment at the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. We invested nearly $5 million in new grants to advance economic, educational, social, racial, and ethnic equity in Arkansas. These grants reflect more than a funding strategy—they represent our bold vision to tackle the root causes of inequity facing Arkansas’s ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families and to reimagine a state where hard work is met with opportunity. Everyone has a fair chance to thrive.

But grants are just one tool in our equity-building arsenal. In 2023, we mobilized every resource at our disposal to drive change. We empowered local leaders, championed innovation, and built bridges across sectors. We partnered with communities to listen, learn, and act, creating spaces for transformative conversations about the systems that shape our lives. We amplified the voices of those too often excluded from decision-making tables and invested in groundbreaking, data-driven research to guide policy reform. We convened diverse leaders to reimagine systems that deliver equity—not just for some but all Arkansans.

As we reflect on this year, we are inspired by the courage, resilience, and determination of ALICE Arkansans—our state’s unsung heroes. Their stories motivate us to fight harder and dream bigger. Yet the data tells a sobering story: half of Arkansas residents, over 550,000 households, work tirelessly but still struggle to make ends meet. These numbers expose entrenched structural inequities in our economy—inequities that hold us all back.

But there is hope. Our research, The Business Case for Equity, reveals a path forward. Reducing the number of ALICE Arkansans isn’t just a moral imperative; it’s an economic one. Eliminating these disparities could infuse $8.7 billion into our state’s economy, unlocking untapped potential and creating prosperity that benefits every community.

Sherece Y. West-Scantlebury, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer

In 2023, we successfully…

$4.5M

in Grant Dollars Invested

53

Grants Awarded

15

Organizations Received General Operating Support

View All 2023 Grants

In 2023, we successfully…

Expanded Public Awareness and organized over 20 community forums and media campaigns to highlight the economic challenges facing ALICE households, shifting public conversations toward equitable wage and housing reforms.

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Created opportunities for community collaboration through the coordination of technical assistance and the regional investment of federal grant dollars

Continued strengthening cross-sector coalitions such as Arkansas Impact Philanthropy, Arkansas Asset Funders Network, Delta Philanthropy Forum, and Micah Fellows Program to advocate for policy and support for ALICE families and workers.

Narrative Change

Change the Conversation

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Key Initiative

Starshine Narrative Summit and Narrative Change Strategy

In 2023, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation elevated narrative change as a key driver of equity. The Starshine Narrative Summit brought together over 400 community leaders, creatives, funders, and changemakers to explore the transformative power of storytelling in shifting perceptions and addressing systemic inequities across Arkansas. Collaborations with Reimagine Arkansas and Visionairi Enterprises supported initiatives like Nurture the Narrative, amplifying voices from underrepresented communities.

The Here to Thrive campaign emerged as a central narrative strategy, engaging six nonprofits and a cohort of media professionals through the HEAL Narrative Lab. Participants crafted and tested stories highlighting the challenges and resilience of ALICE (Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed) families and shared these narratives at the Starshine Narrative Summit, gaining visibility and connecting with national funders.

The Summit also created the Starshine Narrative and Media Collaborative, bringing together eight local media organizations and journalists to share stories on housing, healthcare, food security, and other critical issues affecting low-income Arkansans. These narratives are reshaping public understanding of economic hardship and the pathways to equity.

In 2023, WRF took significant steps toward building a robust narrative infrastructure in Arkansas. Initiatives like Here to Thrive and investments in a resilient media ecosystem are helping center community voices in public discourse, fostering empathy, understanding, and action for a more inclusive Arkansas.

Movement Building

Change Who’s in the Conversation

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Key Initiative

2023 Biennial and ALICE Coalition

Movement building is essential to achieving equity in Arkansas. It creates sustainable change by centering those with lived experience and fostering collective action. The ALICE Coalition is a cornerstone of WRF’s Movement Building initiatives, bringing together nonprofit leaders, policymakers, and corporate partners to address systemic inequities and create opportunities for Arkansas’s ALICE families. By convening spaces and facilitating connections, the Coalition strengthens advocacy networks. It builds bridges to decision-makers and resources, driving impact through collaboration and community accountability.

As part of the ALICE Coalition, WRF funded the Arkansas Appleseed Legal Justice Center, Arkansas United Community Coalition, DecARcerate, Hispanic Community Services, RootED Northwest Arkansas, and the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, among others. They amplify community voices, connect leaders, and transform collective actions into lasting movements for equity.

Also, the 2023 WRF Grantee Partners and Stakeholders Biennial Convening provided critical insights into how WRF can further support and amplify community-driven change. This gathering created space for listening to stakeholders, promoting collective action, and fostering open dialogue on philanthropy’s role in advocating for ALICE families. These discussions surfaced themes that emphasize the vital role of philanthropy in funding local communities and advancing systemic equity.

Policy and Advocacy

Change Behaviors

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Key Initiative

The Inception of the Arkansas Enterprise Capital Grant Fund (AECGF)

In 2023, WRF prioritized strengthening advocacy ecosystems in Arkansas by providing general operating support to organizations leading transformative change. Grants supported the Arkansas Appleseed Legal Justice Center in building its capacity as a new advocacy organization and Arkansas Public Panel in deepening rural organizing, expanding electoral power, and advancing resident-driven public policy. Arkansas United Community Coalition received support to advance equitable public policy and increase civic participation among Arkansas’s immigrant communities. At the same time, DecARcerate expanded its capacity to promote transformative alternatives to mass incarceration. Hispanic Community Services focused on organizing and advocating for more significant economic and civic outcomes in Northeast Arkansas. RootED Northwest Arkansas elevated Latinx voices and strategic communications to build public will for equitable policy change. The Women’s Foundation of Arkansas advanced economic equity for women through advocacy, research, and programming.

In a groundbreaking shift from traditional funding, the Arkansas Enterprise Capital Grant Fund enhances nonprofit capacity by providing flexible, multi-year capital investments to build long-term financial resilience. This fund addresses inequities perpetuated by restricted, short-term grants, empowering organizations to invest in infrastructure, personnel, and program expansion. Philanthropic partners in Arkansas have committed to raising $50 million over the next decade to make direct investments in nonprofit partners, ensuring they have the resources to sustain and scale their impact for a more equitable Arkansas.

Trust-Based Philanthropy

Change to an Equity Funder

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Key Initiative

Doubling Down on Trust-Based Philanthropy

WRF’s commitment to equity-centered funding is embodied in our adoption of trust-based philanthropy principles. We prioritize general operating support, multi-year grants, and unrestricted funding to give grantee partners the power to determine the best use of funds according to their unique needs. This approach reduces administrative burdens, fosters long-term partnerships, and aligns with our goal of shifting power dynamics in philanthropy.

In 2023, WRF deepened our engagement with grantees through open communication, participatory decision-making, and responsiveness to feedback. As we move towards 2025, our ongoing evaluation of the AR Equity 2025 goals and grantee perceptions will continue guiding this transformational approach to grant-making.