SPRINGDALE — In a role reversal from giving out $991,025 for 37 grants, the Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation recently accepted a check for $160,000 from the former Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Foundation's board of directors.

The former foundation established a donor-advised fund within the community foundation on Dec. 16 that will be known as the Springdale Memorial Hospital/Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Fund.

"As a member of this particular foundation board, it was important to honor our roots by including the original name and purpose, which was the establishment of the Springdale Memorial Hospital back in 1954. Our board feels very comfortable with the decision to become a donor-advised fund. It gives us the flexibility to focus on the needs of the community through grant-making and yet continue to add to our fund," explained Hugh Means, president and CEO of the Community Foundation board and its supporting organization, CommunityCare Foundation.

The Springdale Memorial Hospital/Northwest Medical Center of Washington County Fund will be a separate grant-making fund within the Community Foundation that gives those establishing the fund a say in how and when grants will be made. In turn, the fund is freed from investment management, tax and legal filings, accounting and other administrative duties.

Serving on the fund are William Walker, chair; Dewey Johnson, vice chair; Rick Parsons, Means and Charles Farmer, all of Springdale.