The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute (the Institute) is a nonprofit organization that serves our mission through a combination of place, people, and process.
People
Our staff, board, clients, guests, and donors are how and why we do this work.
Place
Our campus is on Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller’s former cattle farm atop Petit Jean Mountain in Morrilton, Arkansas.
Process
Our method for solving problems and creating opportunities is called the Rockefeller Ethic.
What is the Rockefeller Ethic?
The Rockefeller Ethic is a leadership and collaboration philosophy rooted in the life and work of Winthrop Rockefeller. It reflects the way he led: by bringing people together across differences to solve complex problems and create meaningful, lasting change.
At its core, the Rockefeller Ethic shows us that transformational change happens when people work together with shared purpose, mutual respect, and diverse perspectives. By intentionally combining these values, the outcomes we create together are stronger, more inclusive, and more impactful than anything we could achieve alone.
How Can I Apply the Rockefeller Ethic?
Our campus and facilities are designed to support four types of convenings where the Rockefeller Ethic comes to life.
The Institute develops programs that apply the Rockefeller Ethic to address critical issues and create sustainable, positive change across Arkansas. Our trained team brings the right people together and guides them through focused conversations that foster collaboration, respect, and diverse perspectives, leading to real outcomes.
We offer professional development workshops that teach participants how to apply the Rockefeller Ethic in their own work.
- Available as standalone sessions or additions to conferences
- Ranging from 90 minutes to a full day
- Led by experienced Institute staff
These workshops equip individuals and teams with practical tools for collaborative leadership and problem solving.
Our campus offers world-class facilities and service in a setting designed to inspire collaboration and transformational thinking. We welcome external organizations — including nonprofits, businesses, universities, associations, and government entities — to host meetings aligned with the Rockefeller Ethic.
Getting started is simple: the Conference Application takes just five minutes to complete.
Our team of highly trained facilitators specializes in meeting design and outcomes-focused facilitation. Over the past year, we’ve delivered 3,000+ hours of facilitation services to more than 500 participants.
Using the Rockefeller Ethic as our foundation, we help groups:
- Identify the root cause of a problem
- Generate a broad range of solutions
- Evaluate pros and cons
- Select a clear strategy
- Create actionable plans for the future
“It is not enough to voice platitudes…to hope that everything will be all right. The desire to work together to make everything all right has to be in the hearts of those on both sides of the table.”
Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller
University of Arkansas System
The Institute is a 509(a)(3) proud supporting organization of the University of Arkansas System. In 2005 the Winthrop Rockefeller Charitable Trust, in coordination with the University of Arkansas System, established the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute and has since supported the Institute’s operations and programmatic activity. The Governor Winthrop Rockefeller Endowment, managed by the University of Arkansas Foundation, ensures that the Institute’s work will continue in perpetuity.