Want to learn more about a key issue in your community? Here are a few ways to dig deeper.

Volunteer

• Looking for a way to get connected to volunteer opportunities in Arkansas? The Engage Arkansas Volunteer Portal is a great way to find statewide opportunities and manage your personal volunteer hours through the self-report tools available. Check out our self-report user guide. In 2023, Engage Arkansas initiated the first statewide Civic Challenge to help Arkansans focus on volunteering goals each month. 

• JustServe.org is a website and free service where the volunteer needs of organizations are posted, and volunteers can search for opportunities to enhance the quality of life in their community. Contact a local specialist to learn more about registering your organization. This is also a great tool for high school students who are needing to acquire service/volunteer hours.

Give

• Arkansas Community Foundation can help you direct your resources to people and charitable organizations that are addressing the most pressing needs in your community. Use our online nonprofit directory, powered through GuideStar by Candid, to search for Arkansas nonprofits by county, issue area or size. Nonprofit organizationscan learn more about how to update your profile in the nonprofit directory using this tutorial from Candid:
  https://learn.guidestar.org/update-nonprofit-report

• We offer tools to help you make your charitable dollars do more for your community.  Through the Community Foundation, you can create a legacy for the charitable causes you care about, all while receiving the maximum tax benefits for your gifts. Find out how we can help you structure a giving option tailored to support the causes you care about most.

Learn

Looking to deepen your knowledge in a particular issue area? Take a look at these resources below.

MySchoolInfo

• At the Arkansas Department of Education’s data portal, you can find comprehensive student testing data organized by school district, county or legislative district. 

Arkansas Research Center

• Arkansas’s statewide longitudinal data system, established at the University of Central Arkansas to provide state agencies with data tracking, analysis and visualization. Here, you’ll find data tools analyzing Pre-K and higher education information. 

Kids Count Data Center

• Produced by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Kids Count data center provides comprehensive information on the status of children in Arkansas (and the US), including not only education indicators but also indicators health, safety, and family and community support. 

Arkansas Department of Health

• Looking for data on the prevalence of stroke, influenza or tuberculosis in Arkansas, or information on hospitals, health professionals or school-based health programs? The Arkansas Department of Health shares research on these topics and more on their website. 

Natural Wonders

• Led by Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Natural Wonders provides a comprehensive look at the state of children’s health in Arkansas, including access to care, food insecurity, sexual health, oral health, immunization and more. 

Prosperity Now Scorecard

• A comprehensive resource for data on household financial health across the US. Search by location or issue to learn more about Arkansans’ net worth, emergency savings, access to credit, bankruptcy rate and more. 

Rural Profile of Arkansas

• Produced by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, this report zeroes in on the social and economic trends that specifically affect rural Arkansas, including jobs and economic factors, population change, education, health and local government.