Walton Family Foundation bolsters climate efforts with 2 new fellows

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Bentonville-based Walton Family Foundation (WFF) announced two new fellows on Thursday (April 18): Emily Fairfax and Meaghan Parker.

Fairfax is an assistant professor of geography at the University of Minnesota. Parker is a Public Policy Fellow at the Wilson Center, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C. She previously led the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ).

According to a news release, the fellows will leverage their experience in tackling and reporting on the climate crisis.

Walton Family Foundation bolsters climate efforts with 2 new fellows

GORP kicks off 5th outdoor recreation incubator

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

The Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP) has launched its spring startup incubator with eight Northwest Arkansas startups, including those that rent outdoor gear and make quivers, according to a Jan. 24 news release.

GORP is a business incubation program led by the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI) at the University of Arkansas. GORP is focused on helping outdoor recreation startups and is based at the Collaborative in Bentonville. GORP is supported by a $4.1 million gift from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation.

Semiannually, GORP has offered 12-week business incubators for early-stage outdoor recreation startups. The incubator offers workshop training, team mentoring and product and service development to help them scale. GORP provides up to $15,000 in non-dilutive seed money per startup. It’s money that doesn’t require the owner to give up equity in the company.

GORP kicks off 5th outdoor recreation incubator

Forward Arkansas: Pre-k access, workforce training part of plan to improve education outcomes

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Forward Arkansas on Tuesday (Feb. 7) pitched ideas to improve education outcomes. The ideas, which include more pre-K access and better workforce training, come as Gov. Sarah Sanders has promised – but not yet delivered – a broad set of education system changes.

The Little Rock-based research organization established in 2015 by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and Walton Family Foundation to focus on better education outcomes, gathered input from thousands of Arkansans in the study that began in June 2022.

The report, “The State of Education in Arkansas 2023 Report: Growing Together for a Stronger Future,” presented  the following three key findings.
• Despite slight improvements prior to the pandemic, Arkansas student academic outcomes were severely lagging before COVID-19 and worsened during pandemic disruptions.
• Students are leaving K-12 unprepared for college and career opportunities.
• Since 2015, initiatives have been launched to address critical and foundational issues that the state can build on to accelerate progress.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/02/forward-arkansas-pre-k-access-workforce-training-part-of-plan-to-improve-education-outcomes/

Denver Broncos confirm new ownership pending, led by Walmart heir Rob Walton

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

The Denver Broncos have confirmed new ownership is on the way, and there are ties to Arkansas.

In a news release late Tuesday night (June 7), the NFL franchise said a purchase and sale agreement is in place to transfer ownership from the Pat Bowlen Trust to a bid submitted by Rob Walton, the oldest son of Walmart founders Sam and Helen Walton.

The bid is reportedly worth $4.65 billion, the most expensive sale of a sports franchise in North American history, according to multiple media reports. The Broncos did not include the price in the team’s official release.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/06/denver-broncos-confirm-new-ownership-pending-led-by-walmart-heir-rob-walton/

University of Arkansas announces founding director of ‘I3R’ research facility

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

Ranu Jung, professor and chair of the Florida International University Department of Biomedical Engineering in Miami, is the founding director of the University of Arkansas’ $89 million Institute for Integrative and Innovative Research (I3R). UA officials announced the hire in a news release Wednesday (Oct. 13). Jung will begin in December.

UA officials in July 2020 announced a $194.7 million grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, one of the most significant single private gifts ever given to a university for advancing research and economic development. The funding is supporting several initiatives, one of which is the I3R. It will be built at the southeast corner of Dickson and Duncan streets on the southeast side of the UA campus. The building’s projected size is between 125,000 and 130,000 square feet. Groundbreaking is likely for January 2022.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/10/university-of-arkansas-announces-founding-director-of-i3r-research-facility/

Photo courtesy of the University of Arkansas.

With Walton Financial Support, Statewide Fund Started for Arkansas LGBTQ Community

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

A new statewide fund will support organizations working to improve the quality of life for LGBTQ Arkansans.

According to a news release Thursday (June 10), the $1 million fund is launching with philanthropic support from the Alice L. Walton Foundation and from Tom Walton and his wife Olivia through the Walton Family Foundation.

Organizations offering legal, health, education and advocacy services, along with other high-demand needs will be eligible for grants.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/06/with-walton-financial-support-statewide-fund-started-for-arkansas-lgbtq-community/