Why Endeavor?

After decades of being known as the Northwest Arkansas Community Foundation, we decided to change our name. We now call ourselves Endeavor or, in formal contexts, Endeavor Foundation. Why in the world would we do that?

We think words matter. Names matter. Identity matters. Truth and meaning matter. We’ve been through a lot of changes here, recently. We’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what we do and how we want to be known and seen in the world – especially here at home in Northwest Arkansas.

The great Sioux holy man, Black Elk, said, “True wisdom is knowing the real name of things.” We agree. We believe Endeavor is our real name. Let us tell you why.

Endeavor’s roots come from an old Middle English word endeveren which surfaced nearly 700 years ago. It arises from the phrase putten in devoir which meant to make an effort and assume responsibility. What word could better represent Northwest Arkansas values?

An endeavor is “a purposeful or industrious undertaking, especially one that requires effort or boldness.” An endeavor is “an earnest and conscientious activity intended to accomplish something.” It is “a systematic or continuous attempt.” As a verb, to endeavor is “to try, to strive, to attempt.”

We love the word endeavor because it is all about getting things done. Making things happen. Striving. It’s about making an effort because one feels a sense of duty about accomplishing something. We love it because it implies an attempt that is systematic and continuous. We believe that real change must happen systematically and strategically. We also believe that it must be continuous. That’s why our work is and will be ongoing.

Northwest Arkansas is one of the best places on Earth that anybody could call home. We’ve been blessed beyond most people’s imagination. But, as good as things are, they are nowhere near as good as they could be. For a lot of folks, things are downright bad. We face some serious challenges, some as a result of growth and some that are stubborn, longstanding problems like poverty. We feel a duty to change things for the better and we will endeavor to do so.

As a community foundation, we are by, of, and for Northwest Arkansas people. We are a gathering of gifts from all kinds of people and organizations. Not only are these gifts mingled, but so too are our fortunes intertwined.

We believe our name Endeavor celebrates our industriousness. It embodies our sense of duty toward one another. It names us as earnest, sincere, and striving people who won’t be turned away from our work.

In 1913, America’s first important dictionary – Webster’s – defined “endeavor” as “to exert one's self strenuously to the fulfillment of a duty.”

We embrace that duty. We promise that fulfillment.