What does it take to build a region where growth strengthens communities and opportunity reaches everyone? Across our Home Region, we know that opportunities grow when people learn, earn and thrive together in the communities they call home. We invite you to learn more about Strategy 2030, our ongoing commitment to Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta.
The Community Compass is a new measurement tool designed to help communities better understand how public spaces and programs support connection, belonging and trust. In this video, Home Region Program Officer Ana Aguayo explains how the Community Compass works and why it matters for communities.
The Ignite Startup Lab helps student entrepreneurs work through the practical elements required to bring their business ideas to life – from choosing how to incorporate a business and discover new customers, to raising financial capital and building a social network.
Sandi Macklom built a gluten-free baking business after career training at Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food in Bentonville, Arkansas. “I’m so lucky to do what I love every single day of my life," Sandi says. "There is no better feeling in the world.”
Pastry chef Ana Sáenz launched her business, The Magical Spatula, after studying at Brightwater: A Center for the Study of Food in Bentonville, Arkansas. While there, Ana gained critical training in culinary nutrition, artisanal food, beverage management and food entrepreneurship. “Brightwater brought so much value to my career. You really learn what food is all about,” Ana says.
"Everyone needs an education. Everybody has to have knowledge - and literacy is the foundation for everything," says Taurean Morton, state director for Reading Roadmap in Mississippi. The organization provides reading interventions for students in kindergarten through second grade, helping at-risk students in the Mississippi Delta region become fluent readers.
"No one knows a classroom better than someone who is in a classroom all day," says Sanford Johnson, executive director of Teach Plus in Mississippi. Teach Plus works to empower teachers to influence decisions that are going to improve the quality of education for students in the Mississippi Delta.
Creating a truly welcoming community means ensuring that everyone can afford housing and navigate Northwest Arkansas with ease to enjoy all its opportunities. The foundation believes transportation challenges in the region can be solved by actively listening to the communities we serve. When everyone participates in creating transportation solutions, it improves access for everyone.
Matt Mosler founded Home Again Pine Bluff several years ago to begin revitalizing the city of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, block by block. The nonprofit organization renovates homes and rents them at below-market value. It’s also setting residents on the path to home ownership. After three to five years, tenants can purchase the property for half the appraised value.
Drew Smith is in the business of creating joy. Through his Helena, Arkansas-based nonprofit Delta Magic, Drew is connecting the dots between what people want and how to find it. The organization is playing a vital role in building the social infrastructure in the community.
