the arkansas 4-h foundation

What the arkansas 4-h foundation does

The Arkansas 4-H Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1951 and headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas. It serves as the primary fundraising arm for Arkansas 4-H, the largest youth organization in the state, reaching 130,000-131,000 enrolled members and approximately 250,000 Arkansas youth annually across all 75 counties. The foundation is affiliated with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service, which administers the underlying 4-H program. Its mission is to remove financial obstacles preventing Arkansas youth from accessing educational and developmental opportunities through scholarships, event sponsorships, and program hosting, investing approximately $150,000 annually in students.

The foundation's product portfolio spans fundraising programs, a conference/camp facility, and a scholarship endowment. Core offerings include the annual Dinner at the Vines fundraiser ($150 per ticket), the Bragg Family Memorial Scholarship (established 2023 for STEM and natural resources students), a planned giving program covering bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and IRA rollovers, and the Arkansas 4-H specialty license plate program (since 2003, with $25 of the $35 fee directed to scholarships). It also operates the C. A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, a 17-room conference and camp facility in the Ouachita Mountains foothills capable of hosting 5 to 500 guests, generating revenue through conferences, retreats, workshops, and team-building programs.

Revenue is generated through diversified streams: individual donations (one-time and recurring via credit card, check, text-to-donate), planned/legacy gifts, specialty license plate fees, event ticket sales and auctions, and conference center bookings. Donor acquisition leverages community-based 4-H networks across all 75 counties, digital channels (website, Facebook, Instagram, Flickr), and partner programs (Amazon Smile). Operational leadership consists of Managing Director John Thomas and Financial Manager Patricia Maddox; governance is provided by a Board of Directors whose members include the Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture, corporate executives from Farm Bureau, Walmart, the Arkansas Forestry Association, and former senior University of Arkansas extension administrators.

Name

the arkansas 4-h foundation

Legal name

Arkansas 4-H Foundation

Website

https://arkansas4hfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Arkansas 4-H Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1951 that raises funds for scholarships, events, and youth programs serving over 130,000 Arkansas 4-H members across all 75 counties, while operating the C. A. Vines 4-H Conference Center in partnership with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), After-School, Tutoring & Academic Enrichment Nonprofits (BPAGADAC)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Scholarship programs
• Planned giving services
• Conference center hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individuals supporting Arkansas 4-H youth. Donors can give via credit card, online forms, or set up recurring gifts.
2. Planned Giving: Bequests through wills or trusts, beneficiary designations on bank accounts, brokerage accounts, retirement plans, or life insurance policies. Includes charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder trusts, and charitable IRA rollovers.
3. License Plate Program: Arkansas 4-H specialty license plates generate revenue. Of the $35 registration fee, $25 is donated to Arkansas 4-H. Since 2003, this program has generated thousands of dollars for scholarships.
4. Event Fundraising: Annual Dinner at the Vines fundraiser at $150 per ticket, featuring garden party, lakeside dinner, and live auctions. This is the premier annual fundraiser for the foundation.
5. Conference Center Operations: The C. A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center serves as a conference and camp facility, hosting conferences, retreats, meetings, workshops, and training sessions. Revenue generated supports the foundation's mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Arkansas 4-H Foundation is a nonprofit fundraising organization that raises and invests approximately $150,000 annually in scholarships, event sponsorships, and youth development programs for Arkansas 4-H, the largest youth organization in the state serving over 130,000 members across all 75 counties. The foundation also operates the C. A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, a conference and camp facility in the Ouachita Mountains foothills used for events, retreats, and meetings.

Product overview

The Arkansas 4-H Foundation operates as a nonprofit organization supporting youth development through a portfolio of programs and facilities. The core offering is the Arkansas 4-H Youth Development Programs, which provides free, hands-on learning opportunities across all 75 Arkansas counties. Supporting this mission are the C. A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center (a conference and camp facility), the Bragg Family Memorial Scholarship (for STEM and natural resources students), Planned Giving (legacy/estate gifts), the 4-H Specialty License Plate program, and the annual Dinner at the Vines fundraiser event. The Foundation invests approximately $150,000 annually in scholarships, event sponsorships, and program hosting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Arkansas 4-H Youth Development Programs
• C. A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center
• Bragg Family Memorial Scholarship
• Arkansas 4-H Specialty License Plate
• Dinner at the Vines
• Planned Giving Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 4-H youth are 4 times more likely to give back to their communities
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of Arkansas System Division of AgriculturecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Arkansas 4-H Foundation works in close partnership with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service, which administers the Arkansas 4-H program. The foundation raises funding for scholarships, events, and programs that support the Extension Service's youth development initiatives.
• Arkansas 4-H ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation is the primary fundraising arm for the Arkansas 4-H Program, which reaches over 130,000 youth members across all 75 Arkansas counties through hands-on learning opportunities in art, agriculture, civic engagement, health, outdoor skills, and science.
• Amazon (Amazon Smile)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe foundation participates in the Amazon Smile program, allowing shoppers to designate Arkansas 4-H Foundation as their charity of choice, with a portion of qualifying purchases donated to the foundation.
• Arkansas 4-H Foundation Board of DirectorscoreOthersThe foundation is governed by a Board of Directors including representatives from agriculture, education, healthcare, legal, and corporate sectors, providing strategic oversight and community connections.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National 4-H Council: National governing and fundraising body for the 4-H youth development program in the United States. Direct peer in mission (positive youth development) and operating model (foundation-style fundraising for scholarships, programs, and state-club support).
• Iowa 4-H Foundation: State-level 4-H foundation that raises scholarship and program funds for Iowa 4-H youth via donations, planned giving, and events. Operates with the same Cooperative Extension Service-affiliated model and is the closest structural comparable to Arkansas 4-H Foundation.
• Texas 4-H Foundation: State-level 4-H foundation supporting Texas 4-H youth through scholarships and programs via Extension-affiliated fundraising. Operates a larger-scale version of the same donor/scholarship model as the Arkansas foundation.
• Junior Achievement USA: National nonprofit delivering K-12 financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship education via schools and local JA areas. Overlaps with 4-H on youth education programming, scholarship distribution, and donor-funded local-area operating models.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit with local affiliates that fundraise and deliver one-to-one mentoring programs. Comparable operating model to Arkansas 4-H Foundation (donor-funded scholarships/programs, statewide reach, board governance) within the youth development space.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National nonprofit providing after-school and youth development programming across the U.S. Overlaps with 4-H on positive youth development, scholarship pipelines, and donor-supported program delivery, but operates its own facility/clubs model rather than Extension-based delivery.
• Boy Scouts of America: National youth development organization providing character, leadership, and outdoor programming with similar scholarship, volunteer-driven, and donor-funded operating model to state 4-H foundations. Comparable in mission and donor base though broader in national footprint.
• Girl Scouts of the USA: National youth development and leadership organization supporting K-12 girls through volunteer-led troops and scholarship pipelines. Comparable as a youth-focused donor- and volunteer-supported nonprofit with a state-affiliate structure mirroring state 4-H foundations.
• YMCA of the USA: National nonprofit operating youth programs, camps, and conference/retreat facilities through local Y associations. Comparable to Arkansas 4-H Foundation on owned-facility operations (C.A. Vines Center) and youth programming delivery through local affiliates.

Regional players

• Arkansas Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation operating in Arkansas that manages donor-advised funds, endowments, and grantmaking for Arkansas causes. Comparable as a regional grantmaking entity serving Arkansas donors, though with a broader civic rather than youth-only focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Arkansas4HFoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/arkansas4_hfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about the arkansas 4-h foundation