Solid Foundation Given to School District

The Bentonville Public School System hit the jackpot in July.

Apparently the district’s grant writer, Cathy Smith, made such a strong case for its programs and projects that two regional public charities — Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation Inc. in Bentonville and CommunityCare Foundation Inc. in Springdale — couldn’t say “no.”

The foundations donated a combined $554,365 to the district, which began a $9.4 million fund-raising initiative this spring. So far, Bentonville Public Schools has raised $6 million thanks largely to a $5 million gift from Ferold and Jane Arend.

The district is, however, still a long way from its overall goal, which includes finding funding for some desperately needed athletic facilities.

Emerson Goodwin, program officer for CommunityCare, said the grants were based on needs expressed in the district’s proposals.

“[Bentonville Public Schools] did a very thorough job of making their case for support,” Goodwin said.

In April, CommunityCare donated $196,820 to the Springdale Public School System.

The one-time $300,000 grant given in July from Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation to the Bentonville district came from a donor-advised fund targeted specifically for Bentonville and Bella Vista.

CommunityCare is a product of the 1998 sale of the Northwest Health System Inc. in Springdale and Bentonville to Quorum Health Group Inc. in Brentwood, Tenn. The Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation is the umbrella for CommunityCare.

Both entities have 501(c)3-4 status, meaning they are filed with the Internal Revenue Service as “public” charities.