Of the top 15 foundations in Arkansas, six had declines in assets during the economic downturn in 2009. That’s an improvement over the year previous, when 11 of Arkansas’s richest foundations ended 2008 with lower assets.

Below is the most recent information on fair market value assets and grants made by top Arkansas foundations based on their 990 IRS forms and a short description of what the foundations fund. The list does not include operating foundations, such as the University of Arkansas Foundation, or corporate foundations, such as the Wal-Mart Foundation.

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Foundations with an asterisk by their name increased their giving in 2009 from the year previous.

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1. Walton Family Foundation, Bentonville*

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K-12 education reform, environmental causes, Delta development and Northwest Arkansas institutions.

$2,275,851,898 assets $360,407,050 grants (2009)

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$1,948,806,804 assets $168,874,434 grants (2008)

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2. Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation, Bentonville

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Education reform.

$180,103,899 net assets $450,000 grants (2009)

$77,528,680 assets $723,275 grants (2008)

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3. Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation,

Little Rock*

Reducing poverty, increasing graduation rates, strengthening communities.

$126,305,246 assets $2,460,262 grants (2009)

$109,402,741 assets $1,976,471 grants (2008)

4. Arkansas Community Foundation,

Little Rock*

Donor-guided grants from 1,369 funds.

$104,101,445 assets $8,307,289 grants (2009)

$126,387,614 assets $7,049,259 grants (2008)

5. Winthrop Rockefeller Trust, Little Rock

Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and concerns of the late governor.

$104,362,146 assets $4,135,307 grants (2009)

$141,960,026 assets $10,236,366 grants (2008)

6. Care Foundation, Springdale

Education, health, immigration, capacity building for non-profits.

(Nonprofit hospital conversion; grants by invitation only)

$96,178,037 assets $3,121,545 grants (2009)

$96,903,476 assets $4,734,959 grants (2008)

7. Charles A. Frueauff Foundation,

Little Rock

Education, human services, health-related causes.

$101,994,549 assets $3,839,320 grants (2009)

$90,314,745 assets $4,907,710 grants (2008)

8. The Ross Foundation, Arkadelphia

Various causes.

$88,691,519 assets $698,932 grants (2009)

$84,575,867 assets $833,838 grants (2008)

9. Windgate Charitable Trust,

Siloam Springs*

John Brown University, arts and education.

$67,467,411 assets $10,190,674 grants (2009)

$58,019,043 assets $9,463,986 grants (2008)

10. The Murphy Foundation, El Dorado

Funder of the El Dorado Promise, scholarships for high school seniors.

$48,798,822 assets $3,100,678 grants (2009)

$92,619,027 assets $3,736,852 grants (2008)

11. Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation Inc., Fayetteville*

Various causes.

$44,354,672 assets $7,142,440 grants (2009)

$21,183,038 assets $2,633,226 grants (2008)

12. The Jesus Fund, Little Rock

Various causes.

$30,916,926 assets $3,402,250 grants (2009)

$26,799,019 assets $4,385,300 grants (2008)

13. Blue and You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas, Little Rock

Health.

$30,884,095 assets $1,056,320 grants (2008)

$42,331,796 assets $1,388,488 grants (2007)

14. Horace C. Cabe Foundation, Gurdon

Health, education.

$30,569,851 assets $1,728,050 grants (2009)

$43,069,480 assets $2,268,545 grants (2008)

15. Tyson Family Foundation, Springdale*

Health, education.

$27,693,539 assets $1,874,907 grants (2009)

$24,778,037 assets $1,242,605 grants (2008)

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