For more than 30 years, the Walton Family Foundation has worked in our Home Region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. We are guided by the belief that communities can thrive when they have access to opportunity.
In Northwest Arkansas, that means building one of the most economically and culturally vibrant communities in the nation. One that promotes inclusive growth and a sense of belonging among all who live and work here. It also means developing a new generation of diverse, innovative leaders to drive a shared vision for Northwest Arkansas filled with opportunity for all.
Following the launch of our Strategy 2025, the foundation's Home Region program created a set of blueprints that we call our “Theory of Change.” They are designed to help our partners and our team understand how we see the world. They lay out what we prioritize as a foundation – and how it all fits together to create lasting, positive change for Northwest Arkansas.
As we continue to refine our strategy, the Theory of Change also helps us see what we are missing. Where do gaps in support exist? Who else needs to be included in the discussion? Above all, how we can learn from it?
Our Theory of Change for Northwest Arkansas allows us to be bold in the challenges we take on together.
Take the foundation’s Inclusive Growth and Sense of Belonging initiative. Priorities include support for education, employment pathways, affordability and the development of inclusive shared spaces and cultural amenities. Separately, each project adds value to individual lives. Together, they build toward the Home Region’s ultimate goal of creating a more vibrant, unified community.
Our Theory of Change for Northwest Arkansas allows us to be bold in the challenges we take on together. It also helps us be nimble in how we approach solutions.
We ask a lot of our partners. Over the years, they have been endlessly generous in helping us learn how to better serve this community. They participate in research, grantee convenings and more. The following blueprints are a reflection of these efforts. They are also resources for our grantees to better understand how their work fits into the Walton Family Foundation’s efforts to build a more vibrant community for us all.
Learn more about the foundation's overall Theory of Change for Northwest Arkansas.
Learn more about the Theory of Change for the foundation's Inclusive Growth & Sense of Belonging initiative.
Learn more about the Theory of Change for the foundation's Economic & Cultural Vibrancy initiative.
Learn more about the Theory of Change for the foundation's Community Leadership & Capacity Building initiative.
