The Board of Directors of Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation approved the first round of grants on Friday. Recommendations made by trustees of the Bates Charitable Trust included three grants totaling $480,000, while recommendations by the Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Auxiliary Grants Committee totaled $21,000 for three grants.

Both of these organizations have donor-advised funds within Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation. This fund applies to donors who wish to be actively involved with the foundationÕs staff and board in choosing which organizations will receive grants from their fund.

Grants will be made from the Bates Charitable Trust Fund to:

• Bella Vista Community Arts Center, $100,000 Challenge Grant. To be paid when the organization reaches half of the fund-raising goal of $7.5 million. If the match is not achieved within three years, the funds will revert back to the Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation for support of arts and health organizations in Bella Vista.
• Bentonville/Bella Vista Trailblazers Association, $80,000, for the construction of two bridges that are part of Phase I.
• Bentonville Public Schools - Bentonville High School Performing Arts Center, $300,000, for the construction of the Fine Arts Facility.

Grants will be made from the Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Auxiliary Grants Committee Fund to:

• Bentonville Public Schools, $3,000, general operating support for the Bentonville Education and Enrichment Program.
• Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative, $12,000, general operating support for the Early Childhood Program.
• Washington County Teen Court, $6,000, to purchase equipment and pay for travel expenses.

Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation was founded in 1998 as the Community Foundation of Bentonville/Bella Vista. In November 1999, its purpose was expanded to include all of Northwest Arkansas and to serve as the lead public foundation operated in connection with CommunityCare Foundation Inc.