FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Fayetteville Public Library Foundation serves as a philanthropic vehicle to serve the Fayetteville Public Library (FPL).
The foundation’s main focus is to advance the FPL by providing free public access to knowledge and opportunities.
The foundation is pushing the Beyond Words: Finish the Chapter campaign. This campaign is aimed at providing free and public access to knowledge, opportunities, and experiences in the community. This allowed the expansion of the library and added the Center for Innovation, Art & Movement Room, Event Center, and Teaching Kitchen. The citizens of Fayetteville have generated $26.7 million because of a vote to create funds in 2016. The remaining $23 million is left to reach the goal needs to be raise privately.
“Back in April we had our inaugural Reading the Greens Fundraiser, which is an indoor putt putt competition,” Director of Development for the FPL Foundation Christina Karnatz said. “It was a ton of fun people loved it because it was not your typical fundraiser. And so we will be doing that again in April of 2024…We were able to raise $51,000 in 2023, and we hope to raise $75,000 next year with this event.”
The FPL has been around since 1916, but the new Blair Library which is the main library standing today began construction in 2000. The Blair Library offers immense access to technology, literacy and various programs all propelled by the FPL Foundation.
An organization that assists many 501c3 non-profits around the Northwest Arkansas area is ONE Arkansas. Although ONE Arkansas is a third-party limited liability company, its focus is assisting University of Arkansas student-athletes in their passions off the field by using their Name Image and Likeness (NiL) to develop their personal brand and help their community.
ONE Arkansas has worked with several organizations across the area in the past. They use strategic planning and the implementation of student athletes to create awareness and a positive outreach for the organizations.
“One thing that non-profits have issues with, or struggle with here is public awareness efforts.” Associate Director of ONE Arkansas NiL, Will Landreth, said. “Especially when it comes to social media because they just don’t have the staff or the time energy and effort to advertise or show the community what they’re doing or what kind of help they need. So what we try to do is get athletes on campus to engage and help promote the nonprofit, and use their social media channels to tell the story of the nonprofit.”