New beginnings, new discoveries and more of the news worth noting in local nonprofits.
High Praise & New Beginnings
The Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts selected Little Rock’s Lisa Krannichfield as the recipient of its 2024 Artist Award, noting her work “challenges traditional representations of women with a maximalist approach through the combination of seemingly incompatible materials.”
At its annual meeting, the Downtown Little Rock Partnership awarded its Top of the Rock Award to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts “for its incredible transformation in the heart of the MacArthur Park neighborhood.”
Ferncliff and Ozark Mission Project are teaming up to launch a Little Rock chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an international nonprofit providing beds for kids in need.
Credit: Museum of Discovery
New Discoveries
In the final phase of its Reimagination Campaign, the Museum of Discovery launched a capital campaign to support the renovation of two popular spaces in the building — Room to Grow and the WoW Gallery — as well as the addition of two new early childhood spaces: the Small Fry Fish Camp and Curiosity Spot. Each will feature hands-on learning experiences from developing basic motor skills to building musical instruments, and will open before the end of the year.
“Providing engaging experiences for our youngest guests and their families is at the heart of the Museum of Discovery’s mission,” CEO Kelley Bass says. “Our informal environment for exploring and learning is the perfect complement to the more formal education settings kids benefit from. More than 80% of the children who come to the museum outside of group visits are 1-6 years old versus 7-12, and the percentage among our more than 3,000 member families is over 90.”
Learn more at museumofdiscovery.org/news.
Big Moves
Bri Clark has joined the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas as its program coordinator.
The Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund added Erin Cowger as its first director of development. Meanwhile, longtime ASPSF Executive Director Ruthanne Hill has announced her retirement, and a successor search is underway.
The Baptist Health Foundation added six new board members: Matthew Blaylock, Cara Butler, Jimmy Hammock, Tonya Hooks, Kelly Imhoff and Elizabeth Machen.
The Arkansas Foodbank added five new board members: Sharmane Andrews, Jon Ball, Zack Borchert, Dr. Gerry Jones and Hallie Shoffner.
The UA Little Rock Alumni Association also added five new board members: Donovan Colclough, Cameron Fuller, Grady McCorkle, Bethany Siems and Alfreda Summons.