Author ORCID Identifier:
Date of Graduation
5-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Sociology (MA)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Sociology and Criminology
Advisor/Mentor
Zajicek, Anna
Committee Member
Norton-Smith, Kathryn
Second Committee Member
Yang, Song
Keywords
Northwest Arkansas; Non-Profit; Barriers; Support
Abstract
Nonprofit services are frequently sought by community members experiencing material hardship, particularly at junctures where employment- and state-based compensation fail to provide sufficiently. While barriers to aid provision have been examined from the perspective of nonprofits, various accessibility issues for community members seeking to obtain support are an under evaluated factor that influence the efficacy of nonprofits in carrying forth their mission. This qualitative study seeks to understand commonly experienced barriers to support facing resource-seeking community members. Semi-structured interviews with Northwest Arkansas community members, a region highly saturated with well-funded nonprofit agencies, shed light on recurring obstacles, and provide theoretical insight toward the broader systemic forces that impact effective resource disbursement despite conditions that would suggest a highly functional nonprofit network.
Streaming Media
Citation
Churchill, K. (2026). You Can Get Your Mail Sent There While You’re Sleeping on the Street: A Community-Forward Analysis on the Role and Function of the Northwest Arkansas Non-Profit Industry. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6237
