Report From The Field: The Northwest Arkansas Neighborhood Match Program - Ioby

Republished By Plato

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Do you live in Arkansas’ Benton & Washington Counties? If so, you can be part of ioby’s transformative network of neighborhood leaders that have doubled their impact through our match partnership with the Walton Family Foundation. So far, the program has supported everything from folk music instrumental repairs to a Dia de los Muertos celebration.

What is the Northwest Arkansas Neighborhood Match Program?

The Northwest Arkansas Match Program doubles donations up to $15,000 for all projects in Benton & Washington Counties. This means your fundraising dollars go twice as far than they otherwise would. It’s simple: for every dollar raised, we’ll automatically add another dollar to your fundraiser, up to $1,000 per donor!

This match program specifically focuses on projects that utilize indoor or outdoor public space for social good. Think: public parks, community centers, playgrounds, schools, community gardens, and more. See our full guidelines here.

Already have an idea and ready to get started? Visit ioby.org/idea

However, if you need a little bit of inspiration, don’t worry! Since the launch program began, we’ve seen some truly innovative concepts, and we’ve shared a few of our highlights below. With all of the time, energy, and effort you put into bringing projects to life, the Northwest Arkansas Neighborhood Match Program ensures you can focus on your own unique, vibrant, and growing community.

The Juke Joint Project

Northwest Arkansas has a rich tradition of Delta Blues, Gospel, Soul, and Jazz music, however many residents in the region do not have access to this history. Utilizing the Northwest Arkansas Match Program, the Juke Joint Project plans on touring a life-sized replica of a “juke joint,” a historically Black venue where musicians would perform around the South. In addition to the replica, the Juke Joint Project will share the rich history of blues music throughout the Delta region—including live music, lectures, films, and community gatherings.

“Don’t hesitate to reach out to ioby. They’re very responsive and can give you the answers that you need. I’m looking forward to seeing how I can help other friends [in Northwest Arkansas],” says Juke Joint Project leader Orson W. While crowdfunding for your idea can be intimidating, ioby will be there every step of the way—from the very first matched dollar to cashing out your campaign.

Kidz N Cameras Studio & Community Center

Kidz N Cameras provides young people throughout Northwest Arkansas with photography education and training. Through the Match Program, Kidz N Cameras will be able to transform their current photography center into a full-fledged community hub where students can access studio resources, workshops, and after-school programs. As ioby leader Brandon W writes, “Our goal is to create a world where every young person has the opportunity to harness the power of photography to tell their own stories and share their perspectives on the world.”

And as Brandon notes, none of this is possible without deep community relationships. “This is a great way to get people involved in what you’re trying to do. It’s community led. If the community supports you, then they will obviously match you,” he says. In this way, crowdfunding is a way to deepen community ties, not only raise funds.

Samhati – Durga Puja 2023

Members of Samhati fundraised to host a “three day extravaganza” in celebration of Durga Puja, an annual Hindu festival that pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga. In addition to spreading love and community throughout Northwest Arkansas, their goal was “to provide a platform that enables the Bengali demographic population to pass on their cultural and heritage values through spirituality, dancing, drawing, singing, recitation towards their next generation.” They successfully fundraised $30,000 for cultural events, food, decoration, and much more.

Folk School of Fayetteville – Instrument Fund

The Folk School of Fayetteville works to ensure that all Arkansans can access musical instruments, regardless of someone’s ability to pay. To fulfill this vision, they have an “instrument library” where students can borrow the instrument of their choice—without a time-consuming and costly upfront investment. However, those instruments need maintenance. This fundraiser will allow them to maintain all instruments in the library to ensure their longevity for the future.

Day of the Dead Celebration 2023

Dia de los Muertos is an annual celebration to honor ancestors and deceased loved ones with roots in indigenous Mexican culture. The Latin Organization of Arkansas successfully raised $13,000 to host their ninth annual celebration in Springdale, which included food, arts and crafts, and live performances. They transformed the center of the city, Shiloh Square, into a community-gathering space—celebrating Dia de los Muertos and bringing neighbors together all at once.

These are just a few ideas! If you want to plan an indoor or outdoor neighborhood event, launch a community garden, transform a children’s play space, and more, your donations can go twice as far! Feel inspired and want to launch your own project as part of the Northwest Arkansas Neighborhood Match Program? Start here!

Still have questions or want to learn more? Check out this video we created with program participants that details their experiences and the crowdfunding basics.

ioby is a national crowdfunding nonprofit, but we’re much more than that. We help connect leaders (like you!) with one-on-one coaching and support to raise the money they need from their communities to make our neighborhoods safer, greener, more livable, and more fun.

Have a great idea to get good done in your neighborhood? We want to help! Share your idea with us and we can help get you started.