Simmons First Foundation

At Simmons First Foundation, our motto is "Make a Difference," and we are honored to support the Pine Bluff School District by providing Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for their schools.

These life-saving devices represent more than just equipment—they are an investment in the safety and well-being of students, educators, staff, and families throughout our community. In an emergency, every second matters, and having access to an AED can make a critical difference.

We believe that creating safer environments for our children to learn and grow is one meaningful way we can live out our mission to Make a Difference.

ATTENTION! June 30 is the deadline to turn in your LOI for the upcoming 2027 grant cycle. For more details about our grant criteria, please visit our website at

Simmons First Foundation Grants Providing grant funding to youth-focused nonprofit organizations.

To all the incredible mothers who inspire positive change and uplift those around them, Happy Mother's Day.

𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐒𝐔-𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐛𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦

BEEBE, AR — Arkansas State University-Beebe Regional Career Center medical professions program at Lonoke was recently awarded a grant from Simmons First Foundation for $5,100. MiMi McAfee, medical professions program instructor, said that the grant will cover the cost to purchase new multi-racial cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) mannequins and automatic external defibrillators for the program.

Pictured, from left, are Robert Love, nursing instructor; Dr. Cindy Smith, director of nursing; Dr. Jennifer Methvin, ASU-Beebe chancellor; Rees Jones, Simmons First Foundation; MiMi McAfee, medical professions instructor; Kirsten Lewis, medical professions student; Shyla Woods, ZaKiya Smith and Kooper Neal, Heber Springs campus practical nursing students; Dr. Jason Goodner, vice chancellor for academics; and Andrea Cole, associate vice chancellor for institutional advancement. For more information about programs offered at ASU-Beebe, call (501) 882-3600 or view the website at www.asub.edu.

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

We are delighted to announce the introduction of our revised grant criteria for the 2026/2027 grant cycle. This year, our focus will be on three distinct categories, and we will require a letter of intent (LOI) prior to extending applications.

Make a Difference Grant
1. Special Education: Focusing on youth K-12 with disabilities

2. Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention: Centered on youth K-12

Environmental Grant:
Solely focusing on youth K-12 with disabilities.

For more detailed information regarding our grant criteria and qualifications in each grant area, please visit our website at

Simmons First Foundation Grants Providing grant funding to youth-focused nonprofit organizations.

We are proud to award a grant to Friends of Heart to purchase life-saving automated external defibrillators (AEDs), advancing the organization’s mission to improve cardiac health outcomes and strengthen emergency response resources within the communities it serves.

On January 21, the Simmons First Foundation gifted $50,000 to support the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence, a nationally unique research center dedicated to advancing waterfowl and wetlands science.

The center, based at UAM, is a partnership with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture (UADA). It was established to address concerns related to waterfowl and wetlands, and UAM’s proximity to waterfowl and wetlands regions provides a geographic advantage in research and education.

“We are grateful to the Simmons First Foundation for their support of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence and UAM’s outstanding waterfowl program,” said Dr. Peggy Doss, chancellor of UAM. “Arkansas has long been a national leader in waterfowl and wetlands conservation, and UAM proudly continues that legacy through critical research conducted at the center. The generous support given by Simmons First Foundation strengthens our ability to assist students as they produce impactful research to direct management of waterfowl and wetlands across the state and beyond.”

Dr. Douglas Osborne, professor of wildlife ecology at UAM and inaugural director of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence and the Dyke-Snowden Endowed Chair of Waterfowl and Wetlands, said, “The generous support of the Simmons First Foundation helps fuel the mission of the Snowden Waterfowl Center of Excellence, to empower us to better serve the students that choose a career path in waterfowl conservation and management.”

To read the full story, visit UAM News: https://www.uamont.edu/news/simmons-first-foundation-contributes-50k-to-uam-uada-waterfowl-research-center.html

Warmest wishes for a Happy New Year from the Simmons First Foundation team. Here's to a prosperous 2026!

Warmest wishes for a Christmas that sparks joy, kindness, and a sense of wonder.