Walton Family Foundation creates pilot "nonprofit hub"

Some Natural State nonprofits have a new one-stop shop to help them land federal grants.

What's happening: The Walton Family Foundation this week announced creation of the Connection Hub for Arkansas nonprofits working in the areas of early-childhood health and education, food insecurity and economic stability.

• The program is a two-year pilot.

Why it matters: The hub will help many of the state's nonprofits apply for federal funds that have previously gone untapped.

• Of the roughly 15,500 nonprofits in Arkansas, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 fit within the scope of the program.

Details: Proper Southern Strategies of Little Rock will run the pilot. Staff from participating nonprofits will receive education, technical assistance, grant-writing and assessment tools and resources.

• The program aims to identify federal funding to accelerate post-pandemic recovery and help nonprofits to stay connected with the federal grant process.

What they're saying: "Many Arkansas nonprofits have limited resources which means they can't secure federal funding and support," Caryl Stern, executive director of the Walton Family Foundation, said in a news release. "The Connection Hub will provide needed capacity and connections."

What to watch: Following the two-year pilot, a report will be published to show how it performed and to understand what can be improved, Jeremy Pate, home region program deputy director, told Axios.