Finding NWA

What Finding NWA does

Finding NWA is the official regional discovery and relocation platform for Northwest Arkansas, operating the website findingnwa.com as a free public resource aggregating content across eight cities—Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Siloam Springs, Bella Vista, Lowell, and Eureka Springs—and six lifestyle categories: Business, Community, Education, Outdoors, Arts, and Food & Drink. Founded in 2016 and based in Springdale, Arkansas, the platform serves prospective residents, tourists, job seekers, and businesses evaluating the region for relocation or expansion. Its core technology is a web-based content management system augmented by interactive tools, most notably the Cost of Living Calculator (enabling salary equivalence comparisons against other U.S. cities) and the Talent Network integration that links job seekers to regional employers including Walmart, J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, Arvest Bank, Simmons Foods, and the University of Arkansas.

The platform is operated by the Northwest Arkansas Council, a private nonprofit established in 1990 by Sam Walton, Don Tyson, and J.B. Hunt, whose 100+ member companies provide institutional and financial backing. Finding NWA functions as the connective hub for an integrated ecosystem of sister portals: CareersNWA (talent recruitment), InvestNWA (economic development), StartupNWA (entrepreneurship), EngageNWA (community), FareFlightNWA (air travel), ImpactNWA, GroundworkNWA, and NWA Recycles. Marketing channels include organic and paid social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram), the NWA Daily email newsletter, an Axios NWA editorial partnership, and regional media relationships with the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, NWADG.com, and Ozarks at Large (KUAF).

The business model is non-commercial: Finding NWA is a free public resource with no pricing or subscription fees, sustained by the Northwest Arkansas Council through member dues and regional economic development funding. Revenue is not generated from end users; rather, the platform's value is measured in regional economic development outcomes, talent attraction, and business recruitment rather than top-line revenue. The company operates with a lean team of 1–10 employees, and Aron Shelton serves as Director & Story Engineer.

Name

Finding NWA

Legal name

Finding NWA

Website

https://findingnwa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Finding NWA is a free, nonprofit-backed regional discovery and relocation platform for Northwest Arkansas, covering eight cities across business, community, education, outdoors, arts, and food categories. It serves prospective residents, tourists, job seekers, and businesses through its website, interactive cost-of-living tools, and an integrated talent network connecting regional employers with candidates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Springdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Finding NWA is a regional discovery and marketing website (findingnwa.com) that aggregates content about eight Northwest Arkansas cities—Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Siloam Springs, Bella Vista, Lowell, and Eureka Springs—covering business, community, education, outdoors, arts, and food and drink. The platform serves as a free public resource for prospective residents, tourists, and job seekers, and links to an integrated Talent Network job board connecting candidates with regional employers such as Walmart, Tyson Foods, J.B. Hunt, Simmons Foods, and the University of Arkansas.

Product overview

Finding NWA is a regional tourism and relocation marketing platform operated by the Northwest Arkansas Council. The primary offering is the Finding NWA website portal (findingnwa.com) which serves as a comprehensive discovery platform covering eight cities in Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Siloam Springs, Bella Vista, Lowell, and Eureka Springs). The platform integrates a Cost of Living Calculator tool for relocation planning and connects to the Talent Network/Careers NWA job portal. The site organizes content across six main categories: Business, Community, Education, Outdoors, Arts, and Food & Drink, serving prospective residents, tourists, and job seekers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Finding NWA Website Portal The primary web portal at findingnwa.com serves as the regional discovery and relocation platform for Northwest Arkansas, providing information about eight cities, businesses, education, arts, food, outdoor recreation, and community amenities across the region. It is intended for prospective residents, visitors, tourists, and job seekers researching the region.
• Talent Network / Careers NWA A talent recruitment platform integrated with Finding NWA that connects job seekers with regional employers including Walmart, J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, Arvest Bank, Simmons Foods, and the University of Arkansas, featuring job filtering by sector such as Tech, Startup, Education, Health, Municipal, and Arts & Culture.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Northwest Arkansas CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinding NWA is powered by the Northwest Arkansas Council, established in 1990 by Sam Walton, Don Tyson, J.B. Hunt, and other prominent business leaders. The Council is a private, nonprofit organization working to enhance job opportunities, talent recruitment, physical infrastructure, and quality of life in the region with over 100 member companies including Walmart, Tyson Foods, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Simmons Foods, and George's.
• CareersNWAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSister organization providing talent recruitment and job board services, integrated with Finding NWA for career and employment resources. Links job seekers with major regional employers including Walmart, J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, University of Arkansas, and Arvest Bank.
• InvestNWAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional economic development initiative attracting and retaining businesses, talent, and investment to Northwest Arkansas. Resource for businesses and individuals interested in the region's economic opportunities and advantages.
• EngageNWAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerConvening and connecting leaders in business, government, and community to demonstrate shared values and practical strategies for building an inclusive region.
• FareFlightNWAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerProgram supporting business and leisure travelers in choosing XNA (Northwest Arkansas National Airport) over other airports by providing information on best flight options. Vital for companies like Walmart, Tyson Foods, and J.B. Hunt.
• StartupNWAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting the thriving startup scene in NWA, home to three Fortune 500 companies and a research-intensive university. Region recognized as second-best metro for minority entrepreneurs.
• ImpactNWAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganization focused on measuring and advancing community impact across Northwest Arkansas, connecting nonprofits and community initiatives.
• GroundworkNWAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental sustainability organization focused on green initiatives and environmental stewardship in the NWA region.
• NWA RecyclesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional recycling and waste reduction initiative supporting environmental sustainability goals.
• University of ArkansasmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research university in Fayetteville providing educational resources, talent pipeline, and research capabilities. Home to Office of Entrepreneurship & Innovation with Startup Village locations.
• Startup JunkiemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntrepreneurship support organization in Fayetteville empowering innovators through consulting, workshops, and programs. Operates Centerspace coworking facility.
• Endeavor HeartlandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 2019 in Bentonville to support entrepreneurs with potential for economic and social impact. Selects, mentors, and supports high-growth entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
• Kiva NWAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-driven lending platform allowing investments as little as $25 to support local entrepreneurs. Zero-interest loans up to $10,000 with crowdfunding model supporting economic growth.
• EforAll NWA (Entrepreneurship for All)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccelerating economic and social impact through inclusive entrepreneurship, with Spanish program EparaTodos serving the region's 17% Hispanic population.
• Arkansas Small Business and Tech Development Center (ASBTDC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides resources for starting, growing, or developing businesses with one-on-one consultations and market research at no charge.
• Crystal Bridges Museum of American ArtmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerWorld-class art museum in Bentonville with 120-acre park, major cultural attraction supporting regional tourism and quality of life. Connected to Walton family philanthropy.
• The MomentarymajorGTM or Marketing Partner70,000-square-foot contemporary art space in Bentonville featuring visual/performing arts, culinary experiences, and festivals. Sister venue to Crystal Bridges.
• Ledger BentonvillemajorGTM or Marketing Partner230,000 square foot community space in Downtown Bentonville offering workspaces, meeting rooms, bike facilities, art, and coffee shop. Regional innovation hub.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tripadvisor: Tripadvisor aggregates tourism content (restaurants, attractions, hotels) at national scale and competes with Finding NWA for visitor-discovery traffic to Northwest Arkansas destinations.
• Indeed: Indeed is the largest global job search platform, competing with the Talent Network and CareersNWA integration for job-seeker mindshare in the Northwest Arkansas market.
• LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the dominant professional network and job platform with national relocation and employer-discovery features that compete with the CareersNWA talent network integrated into Finding NWA.

Regional players

• Pure Michigan: Pure Michigan is a state-funded tourism and economic-development marketing campaign that uses a content-portal model analogous to Finding NWA but at the state level and for a different geography.
• Choose New Jersey: Choose New Jersey is a public-private economic development marketing organization promoting business attraction and relocation. It mirrors Finding NWA's economic-development mission but operates at a different regional scale and geography.

Emerging players

• Great Place to Work: Great Place to Work ranks employers and metros on workplace culture and talent metrics, providing curated content that overlaps with Finding NWA's talent-attraction and employer-showcase functions.

Direct peers

• Niche: Niche provides city, neighborhood, school, and livability data to help users research places to live. It is the closest national analog to Finding NWA's regional discovery and relocation content model, competing for the same 'where should I move' search intent.
• Livability.com: Livability.com is a regional discovery platform ranking small and mid-sized US metros on livability factors. It uses the same editorial-plus-data model as Finding NWA to drive relocation and economic development interest.
• BestPlaces: BestPlaces offers cost-of-living comparisons, salary equivalents, and livability scores by metro. Finding NWA's Cost of Living Calculator competes directly with this established national alternative for relocation decision-making.
• AreaVibes: AreaVibes provides livability scores and neighborhood data for US cities and metros. It overlaps with Finding NWA's lifestyle and location-comparison content for prospective residents.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/findingnwa
• Facebookfacebook.com/findingnwa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/finding-nwa
• Instagraminstagram.com/findingnwa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Finding NWA