Walton Family Foundation provides more than $525,000 to UCA program
The Walton Family Foundation has given a three-year grant of $525,361 to the University of Central Arkansas to support a program that provides training and technical assistance to Northwest Arkansas leaders, UCA announced Thursday (Jan. 8).
The UCA Center for Community and Economic Development (CCED) received the grant for the second cohort of the Community Development Pipeline program. In 2023, the Walton Family Foundation provided a grant to create the program. It concluded in October 2025 and supported communities in Benton and Washington counties through training and technical assistance.
“At UCA CCED, we believe that community development facilitates economic development,” said Shelby Fiegel, director of the center. “Leading with this theology and leveraging our 40 years of experience in the field of community and economic development, we developed the Community Development Pipeline program to empower leaders and their communities.”
According to a news release, the program’s vision is to train area leaders in community and economic development principles, to uplift the economies and quality of life of communities whose leaders participate in the program, and to develop relationships with Arkansas communities. The program aims to inspire and educate Northwest Arkansas leaders and support innovative and effective community and economic development efforts in the area.
UCA plans to accomplish this by providing training and technical assistance services, including Community Development Institute scholarships, regional training events, community-building workshops, strategic planning, surveying and data collection, brand and leadership development, and economic and community development simulations.
Link here to apply for the program. Eligible applicants include leaders who reside in Washington or Benton counties. Application deadline is Feb. 13. More information is available by emailing Fiegel at [email protected] or calling 501-450-5269.