Arkansas Enterprise Capital Grant Fund

Arkansas Enterprise Capital Grant Fund is sponsored by Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. This fund aims to expand access to capital for communities often excluded from traditional finance. While primarily focused on financial tools like loans and guarantees to support small businesses and strengthen financial infrastructure, it aligns with fostering economic development and creating jobs.

The foundation generally supports economic, educational, social, ethnic, and racial equity for all Arkansans.

The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation exists to relentlessly pursue economic, educational, social, ethnic, and racial equity for all Arkansans. WRF affirms the legacy of our founder, who envisioned a thriving and prosperous Arkansas that benefits all Arkansans. We envision an Arkansas in which all residents have jobs that pay a livable wage, quality education, and the chance to thrive and prosper.

When we say "equity" that's what we mean. We believe we must ensure everyone has access to the core educational and economic tools needed to thrive in a healthy and prosperous state economy. We believe in developing and participating in partnerships that allow us to attract the support, expertise, and resources of others in the public and private sectors.

We believe in openness and honesty with one another, the state, and Foundation grantees, and we encourage the highest possible standards of conduct and ethics. We believe in prudence and responsibility in using charitable assets to further our mission. We also take care of the Foundation’s reputation and standing in the state.

We believe in striving for excellence in everything we do, so the Foundation is synonymous with quality and trustworthiness. We believe in the voices, ideas, and experiences of all Arkansans, the primary source of data and knowledge. We value learning by listening to diverse communities and the lived experiences of our fellow Arkansans.

“Every citizen has the duty to be informed, to be thoughtfully concerned, and to participate in the search for solutions. ” — Governor Winthrop Rockefeller The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation traces its roots to 1956, when Governor Rockefeller established the Rockwin Fund as his personal philanthropic organization.

After his passing, the Fund’s resources and subsequent endowing grants from his Trust evolved into the Foundation we know today. AREquity, the foundation's current strategic direction, traces back to Governor Rockefeller’s unwavering belief in fairness, civil rights, and civic participation.

He brought Arkansans together across differences and challenged entrenched systems with practical solutions rooted in dignity and equity. Today, we are proud to carry that vision forward—supporting bold ideas, community leadership, and strategies that create lasting opportunity.

In 2025, the Arkansas Times Readers’ Poll named WRF Best Philanthropist , a reflection not of any single act, but of the partnerships we’ve built and the shared belief in an Arkansas where all communities can prosper. This recognition belongs to every grantee, advocate, and changemaker we’ve had the privilege of supporting.

Over the past 50 years, WRF has: Invested $195 million through more than 2,000 grants Supported public policy, narrative change, and grassroots leadership Expanded access to capital for nonprofits and small businesses, invested in policy and advocacy strategies that help communities shift systems, and supported access to quality education at every stage of life We have funded initiatives like: ALICE in AR – bringing visibility to the nearly 50% of Arkansas households who are Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, and Employed, and who are essential to our communities and economy Arkansas Enterprise Capital Fund – helping nonprofits grow, pay competitive salaries, and increase their reach.

Excel by 8 – ensuring children meet developmental milestones through age eight to build strong educational foundations ForwARd Arkansas – strengthening early literacy and K–12 education through statewide collaboration We’ve partnered with rural communities, resourced local solutions, and helped attract national investment to historically underfunded regions of the state.

As we move into the next 50 years, we remain rooted in our founding values and guided by those advancing equity across Arkansas. The mission remains clear. Our commitment remains deep.

We continue to listen with intention, act in partnership, and provide the kind of long-term, trust-based funding that helps changemakers move Arkansas forward—because equity is not a moment. It’s a movement. Rev.

Shantell Hinton-Hill Senior Leadership Associate and Board Liaison Director of Grants Administration Grants Management Assistant All General Inquiries - ProgramStaff@wrfoundation.

org State Farm Owner/Agent | Founder Achievers Learning Academy Alejandro Avilés Rodríguez Philanthropic and Policy Professional First Vice President | Merrill Lynch Wealth Management CEO | John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation State Farm Insurance Agent | Founder, Cedric Williams Insurance Agency, Inc. Vice President, Business Banker | Arvest Bank Retired - Former Director of Special Projects | Walton Family Foundation Chair and CEO | The Winrock Group, Inc. and Winrock Farms, Inc. East AR Regional Director | Arkansas Community Loan Fund President and CEO | Deep South Today Independent Education Management Professional CEO and Founder | EdVision LLC Education Consulting Delta Justice Center | Executive Director & Attorney Executive Director | Arkansas Movement Collective Interim Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development | University of Arkansas Pine Bluff 2024 Financial Statements 2023 Financial Statements 2022 Financial Statements 2021 Financial Statements 2020 Financial Statements C apital Access In Arkansas Study Our partners positively shift public perception through storytelling, media, and initiatives that advance the potential for an Arkansas where hard work, works for everyone.

Our partners organize their communities to build collective power, and strengthen local leadership rooted in lived experience. Our partners advance public policy that reshapes systems and expand access to opportunity—especially for ALICE families across Arkansas.