In January, I introduced the first of four short videos about the impact of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation’s grantmaking in Arkansas. WRF commissioned NCRP to assess the foundation’s “Moving the Needle” strategy to tackle poverty, education and economic development challenges in the state.
In the second video, our fearless nonprofit leaders – Bill Kopsky, Rich Huddleston and Renée Carr – are back to tell us more about how they used their organizations’ WRF grants to improve the lives of Arkansans. This time they are answering the question, “Can you share a story that would illustrate what has changed for individuals and families in the last five years?”
Bill speaks about the civic renewal in Gould, AR: “For the first time in the city’s history, really, they have a city government that’s truly representative of the people who live there. …The city government and the community are working hand in hand now, instead of at odds, to create a development plan to lift the community out of poverty.”
Rich talks about how winning a major change in health care policy statewide has helped families become both healthier and more financially stable.
And Renée describes a successful WRF idea to form regional networks to weave together rural communities economically.
In the next video we’ll hear Bill, Rich and Renée talk about how nonprofits are functioning differently than they were five years ago – both internally and with others – as a result of the support they received from WRF.
PS: The WRF assessment allowed NCRP to pilot an early version of the methodology that we subsequently implemented with Philamplify, our new initiative that breaks through the isolation bubble in philanthropy to provide foundation leaders with honest feedback about their strategies and practices. So thanks to Sherece West-Scantlebury and her team at WRF for being our guinea pigs!
Lisa Ranghelli is the director of foundation assessment for the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy.
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