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The Walmart Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.7B
Grant Range
$0K - $0.0M
Decision Time
2mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1.7+ billion (cash and in-kind)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 6-8 weeks
  • Grant Range: $250 - $5,000 (local grants); $250,000+ (national grants)
  • Geographic Focus: National (U.S.) and International

Contact Details

Website: www.walmart.org Email: foundation@walmart.com Phone: 800-530-9925 Location: Bentonville, AR Local Grant Applications: walmart.com/nonprofits Support Email: sparkgoodsupport@walmart.com

Overview

Founded in 1979 by Sam Walton, the Walmart Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of Walmart Inc., operating as an internal corporate foundation controlled and funded by the corporation. In FY2024, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation provided more than $1.7 billion in cash and in-kind donations worldwide. The Foundation's mission is to create opportunities so people can live better, focusing on three strategic priority areas: Community, Opportunity, and Sustainability, with diversity, equity, and inclusion at the heart of their philanthropy. The Foundation disburses 90% of its grants through thousands of Walmart stores and Sam's Clubs across 13 countries. In 2020, Walmart launched the Walmart.org Center for Racial Equity, a five-year, $100 million special initiative that completed its work in June 2025, addressing root causes of gaps in outcomes experienced by Black and African American people in education, health, finance, and criminal justice systems. President of the Walmart Foundation, Kathleen McLaughlin, was named to TIME magazine's inaugural "TIME 100 Climate List" in 2023 and recognized as one of Fortune's "The World's 50 Greatest Leaders" in 2018.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Spark Good Local Grants: $250 - $5,000 (open application)

  • Purpose: Strengthen communities where Walmart and Sam's Club operate by supporting local nonprofit organizations, governments, or educational institutions
  • Application Method: Quarterly application windows via walmart.com/nonprofits
  • 2025 Application Windows:
    • Quarter 1: March 10 – April 15
    • Quarter 2: May 1 – July 15
    • Quarter 3: August 1 – October 15
    • Quarter 4: November 3 – December 31
  • Each year, Walmart U.S. stores, Sam's Clubs, and Distribution Centers award these grants to local organizations

National Giving Program: $250,000+ (invitation only)

  • Purpose: Support organizations operating on a national scale at multiple sites across the U.S. or with innovative initiatives ready for replication
  • Application Method: By invitation only; unsolicited proposals will not be accepted
  • Larger grants support ongoing partnerships between Walmart and national organizations

Note: Currently, Local Community Grants (Spark Good) is the only program that accepts open applications throughout the year. For all other focus areas, grant applications are accepted by invitation only.

Priority Areas

The Foundation focuses on eight funding categories:

  1. Community and Economic Development: Supporting initiatives that strengthen local communities and foster economic growth
  2. Diversity and Inclusion: Programs promoting equity and inclusion across communities
  3. Education: Educational initiatives and access to learning opportunities
  4. Environmental Sustainability: Climate action, waste reduction, nature preservation, and sustainable supply chains
  5. Health and Human Services: Programs addressing health disparities and community wellness
  6. Hunger Relief and Healthy Eating: Food security and nutrition initiatives
  7. Creating Opportunity: Supporting pathways to economic mobility for low-income and minority individuals
  8. Strengthening Community: Local initiatives that bring communities together and build trust

What They Don't Fund

Individuals and Organization Types:

  • Grants to individuals
  • Private foundations or privately operating foundations
  • Non-charities, including organizations recognized as 501(c)(4)s, (c)(6)s, and (c)(19)s (e.g., homeowner's associations, civic leagues, volunteer fire companies)
  • Type III supporting organizations

Specific Exclusions:

  • Association or chamber memberships
  • Athletic sponsorships (teams/events)
  • Faith-based organizations when the proposed grant will only benefit the organization or its members
  • Political causes, candidates, organizations, or campaigns
  • Organizations or projects that benefit people outside Walmart communities
  • In-kind donations (products or gift cards) through the online application system—these requests should be made directly to local Walmart or Sam's Club store management

Discrimination Exclusion:

  • Organizations that deny service, membership, or other involvement on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, veteran, or disability status

Governance and Leadership

Kathleen McLaughlin serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer for Walmart Inc. and President of the Walmart Foundation. She is a recognized leader in corporate philanthropy and sustainability, with significant achievements including:

  • Named to TIME magazine's inaugural "TIME 100 Climate List" in 2023
  • Recognized as one of Fortune's "The World's 50 Greatest Leaders" in 2018
  • Frequent speaker at major forums hosted by The New York Times, Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, and the World Economic Forum

Key Quotes from Leadership:

"We must all take urgent, sustained action to reverse nature loss and emissions before we reach a tipping point from which we will not recover." - Kathleen McLaughlin

"Healthy societies, resilient economies and thriving businesses rely on nature. Our vision at Walmart is to help transform food and product supply chains to be regenerative, working in harmony with nature - to protect, restore and sustainably use our natural resources." - Kathleen McLaughlin

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Spark Good Local Grants (Open Application):

Step 1: Create a Spark Good Account

  • Create a Spark Good account on walmart.com/nonprofits
  • Use an organization email rather than a personal email
  • You will be prompted to create or log into your Walmart.com account

Step 2: Complete Verification

  • Organizations must be verified through Deed, a third-party verification provider
  • Required documentation:
    • Organization's primary email
    • IRS determination letter
    • Current Form 990 or equivalent documentation
    • Organization's bank account information

Step 3: Access the Application

  • Access the application from your Spark Good account on walmart.com/nonprofits
  • Submit during one of the quarterly application windows
  • Maximum of 25 applications (pending or approved status) allowed per organization at any time

For National Giving Program (Invitation Only):

  • Applications accepted by invitation only
  • Unsolicited proposals will not be accepted
  • Occasionally, open requests for proposals (RFPs) will be posted for programs that are otherwise invitation only

Decision Timeline

  • Review Period: Expect a decision via email within 6-8 weeks
  • Quarterly Decisions: For Spark Good Local Grants, final decisions are made before the next quarter's application opening
  • Application Active Period: Applications remain active in the system for 90 days
  • Funding Delivery: If approved, grant funds are delivered as a Walmart Community Giving gift card within 2-4 weeks after notification (some programs may take 4-6 weeks for delivery)

Success Rates

The Walmart Foundation does not publicly disclose success rates or the percentage of applications that receive funding. Given the scale of their giving ($1.7+ billion annually) and the wide distribution across thousands of facilities, the Foundation awards a significant number of grants each year, though specific approval percentages are not available.

Reapplication Policy

For Previously Funded Organizations:

  • Once funded, reapplication to the same facility is not allowed within the same fiscal year
  • This restriction applies specifically to organizations that have already received a grant from a particular Walmart facility

For Unsuccessful Applicants:

  • The publicly available guidelines do not specify a mandatory waiting period for unsuccessful applicants before they can reapply
  • Applications remain active for 90 days before automatic rejection
  • Organizations should contact sparkgoodsupport@walmart.com or their local Walmart facility manager for specific guidance about reapplying after an unsuccessful application

Application Success Factors

The Walmart Foundation evaluates applications based on three main criteria that facility managers use when recommending grants:

1. Mission Aligned

The grant addresses a specific need in the community and makes sense for Walmart or Sam's Club to help solve. Applications should clearly demonstrate alignment with one or more of the Foundation's eight funding categories and show direct benefit to the local service area.

2. Builds Trust

The organization is legally compliant and seeks to bring people together without divisiveness. Facility managers are advised to fund trusted organizations in the community where positive relationships exist.

3. Effectiveness

It is clear what the organization does, how funds will be used, and the impact the grant will have. Successful applications articulate concrete outcomes and demonstrate organizational capacity.

Recent Grant Examples

Major National Grants (2024):

  • National Entrepreneurship Network (India): $1.5+ million for AI-based solutions for grain assessment, reaching 300,000+ farmers
  • Cornell University/Tata-Cornell Institute: $990,000 for agricultural innovation and nutrition programs
  • BAIF Development Research Foundation, WOTR, and CGF (India): $3+ million for agricultural development in Maharashtra
  • Trust for Public Land: $2.5 million for community engagement in parks programming
  • Feeding America: $6 million (part of $17 million total) for food bank capacity building

Local Spark Good Grants:

  • Walmart store #1405 (Houston, TX): $500 to Angelton Restoration Project for Hurricane Beryl relief
  • Sam's Club #4768 (Reno, NV): $2,000 to Truckee Meadows Park Foundation for nature area restoration

Tips for Standing Out

Build Local Relationships: Since facility managers make funding decisions for local grants, establishing relationships with your local Walmart or Sam's Club can be valuable. Attend community events where Walmart representatives are present.

Be Specific and Concrete: Clearly articulate your organization's mission, the specific need you're addressing, how grant funds will be used, and measurable outcomes. Vague proposals are less likely to succeed.

Demonstrate Community Impact: Show how your organization brings the community together and creates positive outcomes for people in Walmart's service area.

Use Their Language: Frame your work in terms of creating opportunity, strengthening community, or advancing sustainability—the Foundation's three core focus areas.

Ensure Legal Compliance: Make sure all documentation is current and accurate. Have your IRS determination letter, recent Form 990, and bank account information ready before starting the application.

Apply During the Right Window: For Spark Good Local Grants, submit early in the quarterly window rather than waiting until the deadline.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Local vs. National Divide: Understand that the Walmart Foundation operates on two distinct levels—open applications for local grants ($250-$5,000) and invitation-only for national grants ($250,000+). Most organizations should focus on the accessible Spark Good Local Grants program.

  • Relationship Matters: Local facility managers have significant autonomy in grant decisions and prioritize funding "trusted organizations in the community where positive relationships exist." Building genuine connections with your local Walmart or Sam's Club is valuable.

  • Three-Part Test: Every application is evaluated on whether it is Mission Aligned, Builds Trust, and demonstrates Effectiveness. Structure your application to explicitly address all three criteria.

  • Quarterly Strategy: With four application windows per year, plan strategically about when to apply based on your program timeline. Final decisions are made before the next quarter opens, so you'll have clarity before the next cycle.

  • Verification is Essential: The Deed verification process is mandatory and can take time. Complete this step well before your planned application submission to avoid missing a quarterly window.

  • One Shot Per Year Per Facility: Once you receive funding from a specific Walmart location, you cannot reapply to that same facility within the same fiscal year. Consider whether to pursue grants from multiple nearby facilities if available.

  • Documentation Excellence: With applications remaining active for only 90 days, ensure all required documentation (IRS letter, Form 990, bank information) is current, accurate, and ready to submit to avoid delays or automatic rejection.

References

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