WHAT WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT
Our partner Hope Credit Union was featured on national news. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell visited the South to highlight the need for increased banking access for families striving to get out of poverty. Hope Credit Union was featured as an example of how community development financial institutions (CDFI) helps families build financial security.
WHY THIS EXCITES US
We have made investments in CDFIs like HOPE Credit Union for decades. Economic equity will exist when all Arkansans can achieve widely shared prosperity because everyone earns a living wage, participates in a thriving economy, and is able to build generational wealth. That vision is only possible with community-centric financial institutions that support wealth building in communities that are not otherwise seen as asset rich.
WHAT WE KNOW
Today, close to 36 percent of WRF’s endowment—$47.1 million— has been deployed in alignment with the Foundation’s mission through financial investments in partners like Hope. There is a 10x impact of those investments on individuals, families and communities. Read Program-Related Investments: Using Tools Beyond Grantmaking for Greater impact, Influence, and Leverage to learn more.