David McCormick to lead grantmaking, education initiatives
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (October 16, 2026)—The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas (MFA) has named David McCormick as its full-time Director of Grants and Leadership Ministries, effective November 1.
McCormick will succeed the Rev. Mackey Yokem in a slightly redefined role that takes the position from part-time to full-time, allowing for additional expansion of Foundation programs that have experienced significant growth over the past decade. The grants program, for example, disbursed $850,000 in 2016; in 2025, it distributed more than $2.1 million in funding for initiatives ranging from food security, education and community health to discipleship, diversity and environmental awareness.
“The Foundation’s Board of Directors knew that following Mackey’s retirement from his role, we wanted to be able to build on the momentum he provided for the grants ministry,” said MFA President and CEO the Rev. J. Wayne Clark. “We’ve retooled the position to ensure that our presence in the grantmaking, clergy and lay leadership, and scholarship arenas could have room to expand, and we’re grateful to be bringing David on board to lead the process of making it all happen.”
“David’s experiences—leadership development, strategic planning and grant management, his long history in Methodism and connections across all levels of the UMC—have come together to make him an ideal fit for this role,” said MFA Board member and search committee chair Jill Penick. “We are eager to have him become part of the Foundation’s already excellent staff.”
A Louisiana native and cradle United Methodist, McCormick holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from United Methodist-affiliated Centenary College and an MBA from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He spent a decade in service as a United Methodist missionary in Africa and the U.S., including as a mission advocate for the denomination’s eight-state South Central Jurisdiction, which includes Arkansas. Since early 2025, he has served as Mission Engagement Liaison for two of the UMC’s denominational agencies, the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) and the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM).
About the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas
With a mission to establish and manage charitable funds to strengthen and expand Methodist ministries across Arkansas, the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas manages over $280 million in endowment funds and other charitable assets that benefit local churches and other United Methodist ministries. Founded in 1963, the Foundation has grown into one of the largest United Methodist foundations in the country, managing more than 800 funds that support Methodist ministries. To learn more, visit methodistfoundationAR.org.
