Great schools open a world of opportunity for students. In Northwest Arkansas, the Walton Family Foundation is working to ensure all students receive a high-quality education at the school where they can learn best, while giving teachers the freedom and flexibility to put kids first. Because the region’s future belongs to its children, we’re supporting innovators, school leaders and teachers who are creating vibrant and dynamic educational options that meet the individual needs of students.

The cities and towns of Northwest Arkansas are connected by a shared history, culture and geography – and community-minded residents committed to improving quality of life for all. At the Walton Family Foundation, we believe that accessible parks and green space, an expanding system of trails, innovative design and thriving downtowns are key ingredients that help define Northwest Arkansas’ unique sense of place.

Build UP in Birmingham, Alabama is an early college workforce development program that gives kids the opportunity to earn their high school diploma, an associate's degree and complete a paid apprenticeship to learn high-skilled, high-wage trades.

With pop-up and public art performances, NWA Ballet Theatre is expanding dance’s reach to include both traditional and nontraditional spaces, attracting new fans and encouraging artistic experimentation within the medium. The ballet company has performed everywhere from established arts venues like TheatreSquared to parks, public libraries and sidewalks in Northwest Arkansas.

Jessica Tunney founded TLC Public Charter School to address a shortage of inclusive education options in Orange County. The school's mission is to demonstrate that not only is inclusion possible, but it is preferable for students with disabilities, students who do not have disabilities and students with diverse life experiences of all kinds.

Dr. Richard Glass created Boy’s Lab for boys of color on the South Side of Chicago, so they could have their values and identities affirmed in an academically rigorous environment. He believes “if you are invested in the lives of the students you serve, they'll achieve at higher levels.”

In the Delta region of Mississippi and Arkansas, we’re proud to work with talented educators, entrepreneurs and young people who are determined to improve quality of life. Their optimism and resilience is helping the region confront its challenges and create new opportunities for all residents.

Meet some of the innovators who are changing education. These schools serve as powerful examples of what can be achieved for students when experience, vision and drive come together.

For Iowa farmer Mitchell Hora, cover crops hold the key to healthier, more resilient soil and higher corn and soybean yields even in years with heavy rains or drought.

Ben Lewis believes anything is possible through good coffee. At Meraki Roasting Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Ben is providing employment training to young adults working to break the cycle of poverty in the Mississippi Delta.

Anja Thiessen calls the Mississippi Delta region "a place of perseverance and grit and resilience." As co-director of Spring Initiative in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Anja works to "empower young people to beat the odds, access the opportunities they deserve, and build successful, hopeful, and happy lives."

Mark 'River' Peoples believes in the Mississippi River’s power to heal, teach and inspire. It's why the Clarksdale, Mississippi canoe guide shares the river with underserved youth in the Delta region of Mississippi and Arkansas.

Healthy rivers create more prosperous communities.

Utah's Escalante River is a place of respite for outfitter Nathan Waggoner. “It really recharges the soul to be out on the river and fishing," Nathan says. "It's a nice, calming place to be." Nathan's appreciation for the Escalante's natural beauty drives his concern about the environmental threat posed by the invasive Russian olive tree, which overtakes native riparian species and alters water flow and temperature on the river.

In just over 20 years, the global seafood sustainability movement has helped turn the tide against overfishing that has damaged or destroyed fisheries. Teresa Ish of the Walton Family Foundation explains how seafood companies that once paid little heed to sustainability are embracing the pressing need for fisheries reforms, recognizing they can’t sell fish if there are none to catch.

Performance measures play an important role in grantmaking – to help grantees and the Walton Family Foundation understand if goals have been achieved during the grant period. In this video, grantees will learn how to establish performance measures, which can determine the success of project and provide valuable learnings along the way.