Women's Foundation of Arkansas Expands Economic Mobility Hub to Northwest Arkansas

By: WE staff | Tuesday, 19 August 2025

• The Women's Foundation of Arkansas (WFA) is investing $90,000 to expand its Women's Economic Mobility (WEM) Hub to Northwest Arkansas
• The launch is being implemented in partnership with Conexión de Negocios Latinos, with the Walton Family Foundation (WFF)
• The program will supply entrepreneurs with English and Spanish language materials

It is being implemented in partnership with Conexión de Negocios Latinos, a nonprofit based in Springdale that assists local entrepreneurs, with further assistance from the Walton Family Foundation (WFF).

The program will provide new avenues for local business owners by offering resources, advice, and business development tools in both English and Spanish.

"Our aim has been to bridge opportunity gaps for women in Arkansas," said WFA CEO Anna Beth Gorman. "Thanks to the encouragement of Conexión de Negocios Latinos and the Walton Family Foundation, we are now able to take the WEM Hub program into Northwest Arkansas and capitalize on the entrepreneurial spirit of the region."

Coming through October, the program includes bi-monthly bilingual workshops conducted by Conexión staff and local professionals. The sessions will address major subjects like taxes, marketing, digital tools, and access to capital.

To date, 25 women business owners from sectors like food service, personal care, and marketing have enrolled, representing diverse communities of the region.

"As both a grantmaker and direct service provider, WFA gave a $90,000 grant to Conexión de Negocios Latinos as part of our yearly grantmaking plan," stated Sarah Riffle, Chief Growth Officer at WFA.

"This was made possible due to the Walton Family Foundation, which has played a vital role in growing WEM Hub throughout Arkansas. With success, we are now able to take these services to Northwest Arkansas."

Each participant will be given a $1,000 unrestricted grant at the conclusion of the program courtesy of WFA. Sarah noted that this pilot is just the beginning, with the intention to create a long-term program within the region.