Winrock International announces 2026–2028 strategic plan focused on regenerative agriculture and environmental ecosystems
Little Rock, Arkansas — Feb. 9, 2026 — Winrock International today announced the launch of its 2026–2028 strategic plan, sharpening the organization’s focus on two of its foundational areas of expertise: regenerative agriculture and environmental ecosystems, and underpinned for the first time by a unified, organization‑wide theory of change.
“Winrock’s 2026-2028 strategic plan reflects the realities facing rural communities and environmental ecosystems today,” said Winrock President and CEO Maqsoda Maqsodi. “This plan strengthens our focus on the systems that sustain both people and our planet, and positions us to deliver the bold, evidence‑based solutions that this moment demands.”
A core feature of the new plan is Winrock’s first theory of change, which recognizes that rural communities face elevated risks, and that resilience depends on the health and stability of the ecosystems around them. To help communities and ecosystems prosper, Winrock will:
- Center community voices to drive systems‑level change;
- Prove and scale solutions for agriculture and environmental ecosystems; and
- Strengthen those systems through partnerships, technical expertise and evidence‑driven approaches.
Winrock’s new theory of change will guide decisions related to program design, partnerships, resource allocation and investments. Winrock will track progress using new impact indicators, deepen engagement in priority geographies, and continue building capabilities in data, technology and advisory services. The strategy maintains the organization’s longstanding leadership in human rights, as social safeguards are foundational to community resilience.
Winrock also will expand and diversify its partnerships, deepening engagement with foundations, philanthropies, individuals and fee‑for‑service clients while pursuing aligned public sector funding opportunities to advance mission‑critical work.
Winrock’s overarching mission remains unchanged: empowering the disadvantaged, increasing economic opportunity and sustaining natural resources across the globe.
Winrock’s next chapter builds on the enduring vision of founder Winthrop Rockefeller, whose commitment to rural prosperity and environmental stewardship laid the groundwork for an organization that continues to adapt, innovate and respond to global challenges.
“Our founder, Governor Winthrop Rockefeller, built Winrock on the idea that rural communities everywhere hold extraordinary potential,” Maqsodi said. “This plan honors that legacy by sharpening our focus on the systems that sustain them, and by charting a path forward that is as ambitious as the challenges we face today.”
To read more about Winrock’s 2026-2028 strategic plan, please see this letter from President and CEO Maqsoda Maqsodi.