Arkansas Children’s receives historic $50 million gift from philanthropist B. Thomas Golisano

Arkansas Children’s received the largest single philanthropic gift in its history – $50 million from Paychex founder and philanthropist B. Thomas Golisano.

The landmark gift will support key strategic priorities for the health system, including its $371 million expansion. The 10-year systemwide growth plan includes program development, workforce recruitment and facility upgrades, designed to meet the escalating child health needs of the next generation.

“The need for services continues to change and grow — and we are committed to providing the best care, research and outcomes for the patients we serve,” said Marcy Doderer, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Children’s. “Mr. Golisano’s extraordinary generosity is an investment in Arkansas Children’s, ensuring access to the best answers medicine can offer. This gift elevates our work as a pediatric health center of excellence, expanding care close to home for the children of America’s heartland.”

In honor of his investment, the Arkansas Children’s Little Rock campus will be named the Arkansas Children’s Golisano Campus.

Golisano is the founder of Paychex, Inc., the nation’s largest human resource company for small to medium-sized businesses. The Golisano Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. devoted to supporting programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, animal welfare and child health.

He has contributed more than $1 billion to advance education and health care across the country and was ranked No. 8 on The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s 2024 Philanthropy 50 — a list of America’s 50 biggest donors.

“Children’s hospitals are essential to the health and future of our communities, and each one serves families with unique needs and challenges,” said Golisano. “Arkansas Children’s has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing pediatric care, expanding access and investing in innovation. I’m proud to support their work and to welcome them into the Golisano Children’s Alliance as we continue building a collaborative network focused on improving outcomes for children nationwide.”

With this investment, Arkansas Children’s joins the Golisano Children’s Alliance — a growing collaborative of 12 children’s hospitals advancing pediatric health care delivery, innovation and access to high-quality care for children and families.

Golisano’s gift adds momentum to a capital campaign that has raised millions of dollars for the pediatric children’s expansion. It also comes on the heels of Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin committing $55 million of opioid and vaping settlement funds to Arkansas Children’s to pioneer the National Center for Opioid Research & Clinical Effectiveness (NCOR). The center is currently under construction on the Little Rock campus and is scheduled to be completed in early 2027.

In 2023, the Willard & Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Inc., made a $25 million investment to transform child health in Northwest Arkansas. In recognition of the Walker Foundation’s gift, the Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW) Springdale campus is named the Pat Walker Campus.

“These landmark investments reflect an extraordinary belief in what Arkansas Children’s is building for families across America’s heartland,” said Fred Scarborough, executive vice president and chief development officer for Arkansas Children’s. “As a health system, we are investing more than $371 million to fuel innovation and expand access. Every gift matters because philanthropy is the margin of excellence — ensuring we can continue to meet the growing needs of children today and well into the future.”

The Golisano Children’s Alliance includes 12 national children’s hospitals: Arkansas Children’s Golisano Campus; Golisano Wellstar Children’s Hospital of Georgia; Golisano Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester Medical Center; Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital at SUNY Upstate Medical University; Golisano Children’s Hospital of Lee Health; Golisano Children’s Hospital of Buffalo; Golisano Medical Center at Connecticut Children’s; Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital; Golisano Children’s at UK; University of Maryland Golisano Children’s Hospital; Golisano Children’s Hospital at University of Vermont Health; and WVU Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital.