Arkansas Children’s receives record $50M gift from philanthropist Golisano

Arkansas Children’s announced a historic $50 million gift Tuesday from philanthropist and entrepreneur B. Thomas Golisano, marking the largest single philanthropic donation in the health system’s history and accelerating its long-term expansion plans.

The gift supports Arkansas Children’s $371 million, 10-year system-wide growth strategy, which focuses on program development, workforce recruitment, and facility upgrades to meet rising pediatric health needs across the region. In recognition of the donation, the Little Rock campus will be named the Arkansas Children’s Golisano Campus.

Golisano is the founder of Paychex Inc. and a longtime child health advocate who has donated more than $1 billion nationwide to education and health care initiatives. He was ranked No. 8 on The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s 2024 Philanthropy 50 list of the nation’s top donors.

B. Thomas Golisano

With the investment, Arkansas Children’s joins the Golisano Children’s Alliance, a national collaborative of 12 children’s hospitals focused on improving pediatric care delivery, access, and innovation.

Arkansas Children’s President and CEO Marcy Doderer said the gift strengthens the system’s ability to deliver advanced care close to home for families across the region.

The donation builds on other major investments supporting the expansion, including $55 million in opioid and vaping settlement funds committed by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin for a national pediatric opioid research center currently under construction in Little Rock. Additional support includes a $25 million gift in 2023 from the Willard & Pat Walker Charitable Foundation for the Springdale campus.

Arkansas Children’s is an independently governed, freestanding pediatric health system serving families statewide and beyond.