Arkansas Children’s has received a landmark $50 million philanthropic donation from entrepreneur and child health advocate B. Thomas Golisano, marking the largest single gift in the health system’s history and significantly strengthening its long-term growth strategy.
The investment will underpin key strategic priorities for the independently governed paediatric health system, including a $371 million expansion programme aimed at meeting rising demand for specialist child health services. The initiative forms part of a 10-year systemwide growth plan focused on programme development, workforce recruitment and major facility upgrades across Arkansas Children’s operations.
Major Backing for Long-Term Expansion
The scale of the donation provides a major boost to Arkansas Children’s ambitions to expand capacity and modernise infrastructure at a time when child health needs are escalating across the United States. The organisation has positioned the expansion as critical to ensuring access to advanced paediatric care, research and innovation for families in Arkansas and the wider region.
B. Thomas Golisano is the founder of Paychex, Inc., the largest human resources company serving small and medium-sized businesses in the US. Through his Golisano Foundation, he has become one of the country’s most prominent philanthropists, supporting initiatives in child health, animal welfare and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. His cumulative charitable contributions exceed $1 billion, and he was ranked eighth on The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s 2024 Philanthropy 50 list of America’s largest donors.
In recognition of the gift, Arkansas Children’s announced that its Little Rock campus will be renamed the Arkansas Children’s Golisano Campus, signalling a long-term partnership between the institution and the philanthropist.
Joining a National Children’s Hospital Network
“Children’s hospitals are essential to the health and future of our communities, and each one serves families with unique needs and challenges,” said Tom Golisano. “Arkansas Children’s has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing pediatric care, expanding access and investing in innovation. I’m proud to support their work and to welcome them into the Golisano Children’s Alliance as we continue building a collaborative network focused on improving outcomes for children nationwide.”
As part of the agreement, Arkansas Children’s will join the Golisano Children’s Alliance, a collaborative network of 12 children’s hospitals across the US. The alliance is focused on improving paediatric healthcare delivery through shared innovation, best practice and expanded access to high-quality care for children and families.
Leadership Emphasises Impact on Care and Research
Executives at Arkansas Children’s said the donation would have a lasting impact on clinical care, research and patient outcomes. “The need for services continues to change and grow — and we are committed to providing the best care, research and outcomes for the patients we serve,” said Marcy Doderer, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Arkansas Children’s. “Mr. Golisano’s extraordinary generosity is an investment in Arkansas Children’s, ensuring access to the best answers medicine can offer. This gift elevates our work as a pediatric health center of excellence, expanding care close to home for the children of America’s heartland.”
Arkansas Children’s operates as a nationally recognised, freestanding paediatric health system. Independent children’s hospitals account for less than one per cent of hospitals in the US, yet they play a crucial role as regional centres for specialised care, education and medical research.
Expansion Supported by Public and Private Funding
The Golisano donation builds on a series of significant public and private investments supporting Arkansas Children’s expansion. The health system’s strategy focuses on addressing complex child health challenges through innovation and advanced treatment models, leveraging new technologies and research capabilities.
One of the most significant recent commitments came from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin, who allocated $55 million from opioid and vaping settlement funds to establish the National Center for Opioid Research & Clinical Effectiveness (NCOR). The centre, currently under construction on the Little Rock campus, is intended to become one of the most ambitious research initiatives in the US dedicated to understanding opioids’ impact on children and is scheduled for completion in early 2027.
Previous Philanthropic Support in Northwest Arkansas
Arkansas Children’s has also benefited from earlier philanthropic backing. In 2023, the Willard & Pat Walker Charitable Foundation, Inc. committed $25 million to expand and transform paediatric healthcare in northwest Arkansas. In recognition of that investment, the Arkansas Children’s Northwest campus in Springdale was named the Pat Walker Campus.
“These landmark investments reflect an extraordinary belief in what Arkansas Children’s is building for families across America’s heartland,” said Fred Scarborough, executive vice president and chief development officer for Arkansas Children’s. “As a health system, we are investing more than $371 million to fuel innovation and expand access. Every gift matters because philanthropy is the margin of excellence — ensuring we can continue to meet the growing needs of children today and well into the future.”
With substantial capital now secured, Arkansas Children’s is positioning itself as a central pillar of paediatric healthcare delivery in the region, with ambitions that extend well beyond state borders.
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