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Meet the Funders

A panel of area funders and nonprofits will address questions on topics submitted by registered participants.

Meet the Funders is an exchange of knowledge and ideas between area foundations and nonprofits in the form of a panel discussion. It is a chance for grant makers to communicate to potential grantees what information is important to them as a funding organization, for nonprofits to discuss their missions and populations they serve and for both to discuss the grant writing process. Panelists this year include representatives from Arkansas Community Foundation, Arkansas Soul, Art Feeds, FORGE, Inc., United Way of Northwest Arkansas, Walmart Foundation, and Women's Foundation of Arkansas.

Registration opens May 18.

Annetta Tirey | Arkansas Community Foundation

Based in Arkansas Community Foundation’s Northwest Arkansas office, Annetta Tirey serves as the NWA Program Officer and works to advance the Foundation’s grantmaking and community leadership efforts in Northwest Arkansas and across the state.  A graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, Annetta has more than 25 years of experience in the NWA philanthropic community.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Annetta served as Executive Director of the Northwest Arkansas Community College Foundation and spent over 20 years at Tyson Foods in community relations and leading corporate social responsibility efforts, including scholarship management, grantmaking, local and national initiatives to fight hunger, and disaster relief efforts.  Annetta has also been active in nonprofit volunteerism, event planning and execution and small business entrepreneurship.  She and her husband Spencer live in Bella Vista and are the proud parents of two adult daughters.

 Niketa Reed | Arkansas Soul

Niketa Reed is the founder and Executive Director of Arkansas Soul Media - a digital media nonprofit geared toward diverse audiences and the cultivation of talent of color in media. She is a proud member of the Color Congress Initiative for the advancement of BIPOC nonfiction storytelling. Her field of expertise is digital media, through which she advocates for diversity in media and specializes in content strategy/design. She also owns and operates a small digital marketing boutique called Branded by Nikki, serving small businesses and nonprofits in the tri-state area.

Jackie Hancock | United Way of NWA

Jackie Hancock is President and CEO of United Way of Northwest Arkansas, an organization that has been serving the region for over 90 years. He and his team of 21 professionals manage an annual budget of about $5 million. Last month, United Way awarded grants totaling about $2 million to Northwest Arkansas nonprofits focused on delivering direct services in areas that include helping people develop self-sufficiency, expanding quality out-of-school opportunities for children, and supporting Parents as First Teachers programs.

Sandra Carrasco-Quezada | FORGE, Inc. Community Loan Fund

Originally from Chihuahua, Mexico Sandra has lived in the US for over 14 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Arkansas and has spent years in cross-functional roles ranging from operations, engineering, finance, and analytics. She is the co-founder of Bites & Bowls, a locals' favorite in Northwest Arkansas. Currently, she works as the director of Latinx Business Development for the FORGE Fund, helping small owners obtain access to capital. Through her experience as an immigrant, she is committed to helping others succeed. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Sina, and their son, Jahangir.

 Originaria de Chihuahua, México, Sandra ha vivido en los Estados Unidos por más de 14 años. Obtuvo una licenciatura en Ingeniería Industrial de la Universidad de Arkansas y ha pasado años en roles multifuncionales que van desde operaciones, ingeniería, finanzas y análisis. Es la cofundadora de Bites & Bowls, uno de los lugares favoritos de los residentes del noroeste de Arkansas. Actualmente, trabaja como directora de Desarrollo de Negocios Latinx para el Fondo FORGE, ayudando a los pequeños propietarios a obtener acceso a capital. A través de su experiencia como inmigrante, está comprometida a ayudar a otros a tener éxito. Cuando no está trabajando, disfruta pasar tiempo con su esposo, Sina, y su hijo, Jahangir.

Rachel Spencer | Walmart Foundation

Rachel serves on the newly created Community Resilience team for Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. She leads the Northwest Arkansas Giving program, working to align and leverage corporate and philanthropic efforts supporting the needs of the community. In addition to leading the Northwest Arkansas portfolio she also supports Walmart.org’s national food systems work. Prior to joining Walmart, Rachel lead regional farm to school programming for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service Office of Community Food Systems.

Becky Flynn | Women’s Foundation of Arkansas

Becky Flynn is the Director of Development at the Women's Foundation of Arkansas. Becky is an experienced fundraising professional with a background in securing individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants, plus executing large events and comprehensive fundraising campaigns. A central Arkansas native, Becky is enthusiastic about working to better her community and state. She is passionate about the mission of the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas to ensure economic security for Arkansas women and girls, and she enjoys working to fund organizations and programs throughout the state that support this mission. Becky holds a bachelor’s degree from Hendrix College and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

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