About University of Arkansas Foundation
The University of Arkansas Foundation, Inc., is a non-profit corporation created under and by the laws of the state of Arkansas. The corporation is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The primary purpose of the Foundation is to advance higher education by securing private financial support for all units and activities of the University of Arkansas. To that end the Foundation is authorized to receive, hold, invest, manage and control property which may be acquired by the Foundation, and to distribute or use such assets for the benefit of the University of Arkansas campuses in accordance with the purposes stipulated by the donors, grantors, or testators. The Foundation values each donor and each gift and will disclose policies and programs to donors while keeping confidential those matters requested by donors.
Focus Areas
Higher educationScholarshipsEndowmentsAcademic programsResearch (including medical sciences)
Who They Fund
education researchers (faculty, scholars)educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities)teachers and education professionals
About University of Arkansas Foundation
University of Arkansas Foundation Inc. exists to secure private financial support for the University of Arkansas system, and its largest recent grants show that purpose in practice: $86,723,493 to the University of Arkansas Fayetteville in 2024 and $57,266,830 to the same campus in 2023. The foundation’s recent giving is built around educational and research support rather than individual awards, with grants flowing to campuses and system units across Arkansas. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences received $19,977,603 in 2023 and $17,487,594 in 2024, while the University of Arkansas at Little Rock received $9,255,682 in 2024 and $7,387,424 in 2023. The pattern extends beyond the flagship campus to the University of Arkansas System, the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and other part of the state’s public higher-education network. The foundation is structured as a nonprofit corporation under Arkansas law and serves the benefit of University of Arkansas campuses according to donor stipulations.
What University of Arkansas Foundation Funds
Higher education is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s giving. It awarded $1,694,044 in 2024 to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and $1,528,891 in 2023 to the same campus, showing continued support for that institution. Medical and research-related support is another visible area: University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences received $19,977,603 in 2023 and $17,487,594 in 2024. System-level support also appears in the grants list, including $5,654,925 in 2024 to the University of Arkansas System. The foundation also backs smaller colleges within the state network, such as $348,401 in 2024 to University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, linking its grantmaking to institutional support across multiple campuses and program units.
How University of Arkansas Foundation Gives
Typical grant sizes are large: the 25th percentile is $172,976, the median is $1,343,150, and the 75th percentile is $6,088,050. The recent record shows repeated awards to the same recipients across 2023 and 2024, which indicates ongoing institutional support rather than isolated one-time gifts. University of Arkansas Foundation Inc. is classified as a regular funder, not a DAF or program-related investment vehicle. The recipients are educational institutions and university units, and the grants are structured around educational and research purposes.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$135M
Total Assets
$2.3B
Total Revenue
$154.1M
Total Expenses
$142.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $173K and $6.1M, with a median of $1.3M.
25th Percentile
$173K
Median
$1.3M
75th Percentile
$6.1M
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
TRACI PHELAN
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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