Walmart – Northwest Arkansas Healthier Foods for All Grants (2027)

Corporate Grants Supporting Nutritious Food Access, Nutrition Education, and Federal Nutrition Benefits in Northwest Arkansas

Walmart’s Northwest Arkansas Giving Program will accept applications for its 2027 Healthier Foods for All grants, supporting nonprofit organizations working to improve access to nutritious food and strengthen food security in Benton and Washington counties, Arkansas.

Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), Walmart seeks to support organizations expanding access to healthier food, providing nutrition education, and helping eligible residents connect with federal nutrition benefits.

The program is part of Walmart’s broader commitment to strengthening community resilience and improving quality of life in the region surrounding its corporate headquarters.

Applications open March 29, 2027, and close April 15, 2027. A pre-application webinar is scheduled for March 15, 2027.

Organization: Walmart
Program: Northwest Arkansas Giving – Healthier Foods for All
Support Type: Corporate giving grants
Geographic Focus: Benton and Washington counties, Arkansas
Funding Amount: Not yet published
Application Opens: March 29, 2027
Application Deadline: April 15, 2027
Application Status: Upcoming

About the Funder

Walmart is one of the world’s largest retailers, with its corporate headquarters located in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Northwest Arkansas has played a central role in Walmart’s history since Sam Walton opened his first Walmart store in Rogers in 1962.

Through its Northwest Arkansas Giving Program, Walmart invests in nonprofit organizations working to strengthen communities in Benton and Washington counties.

The program supports initiatives that create opportunity, improve access to essential resources, and help residents build stronger connections.

Healthier Foods for All is one of Walmart’s community resilience funding initiatives, recognizing that access to nutritious food contributes to healthier individuals, families, and neighborhoods.

What This Program Supports

Access to Nutritious Food

Walmart seeks to support organizations expanding access to healthier food throughout Northwest Arkansas.

Potential initiatives may include:

• Programs improving access to fresh and nutritious foods
• Food distribution initiatives
• Community-based food access programs
• Partnerships addressing barriers to healthy eating
• Services reaching households experiencing food insecurity

Applicants should demonstrate how their programs improve access to nutritious food for residents of Benton or Washington county.

Nutrition Education

The program also supports initiatives helping community members develop knowledge and skills related to nutrition.

Potential activities may include:

• Nutrition education programs
• Healthy eating workshops
• Food preparation education
• Community nutrition outreach
• Programs connecting nutrition education with access to healthier foods

Organizations should explain how their educational activities complement broader food access efforts.

Federal Nutrition Benefits

A third priority is expanding access to federal nutrition assistance programs.

Potential initiatives may include:

• Helping eligible households understand available nutrition benefits
• Assistance navigating federal nutrition benefit programs
• Outreach to residents who may qualify for nutrition assistance
• Programs reducing barriers to benefit enrollment
• Community partnerships improving access to nutrition resources

Applicants should demonstrate how their activities help residents obtain available food and nutrition support.

Eligible Support Types

Healthier Foods for All provides financial grants for nonprofit initiatives aligned with the program’s food access priorities.

The published program description identifies support for:

• Healthier food access
• Nutrition education
• Federal nutrition benefit access

Detailed eligible expense categories will be provided in the 2027 RFP.

Organizations should not assume that all food purchases, equipment, capital expenses, or operating costs are eligible until the complete guidelines are released.

Eligibility & Preferences

The program is intended for nonprofit organizations serving Northwest Arkansas.

Geographic Benefit

Proposed programs must directly benefit residents of:

• Benton County, Arkansas
• Washington County, Arkansas

Organizations Based Outside Northwest Arkansas

Organizations do not necessarily need to be headquartered in Northwest Arkansas.

However, their proposed programs must directly benefit Benton County and/or Washington County residents.

Program Alignment

Applicants should demonstrate clear alignment with at least one of the following priorities:

• Increasing access to healthier food
• Providing nutrition education
• Expanding access to federal nutrition benefits

Organizational Requirements

Walmart has not yet published the full eligibility requirements for the 2027 Healthier Foods for All RFP.

Applicants should review the official RFP when released for nonprofit status, documentation, budget, and project requirements.

Geographic Eligibility

Eligible State: Arkansas

Eligible Counties:

• Benton County
• Washington County

This is a geographically restricted funding opportunity for Northwest Arkansas.

Eligible communities may include Bentonville, Rogers, Bella Vista, Springdale, Fayetteville, and surrounding areas within the two counties.

These communities are examples, not an exhaustive list of eligible municipalities.

Organizations headquartered elsewhere may qualify if the proposed program directly benefits residents of Benton or Washington county.

This is not a statewide Arkansas grant or a nationwide Walmart funding opportunity.

Ineligible Requests

Walmart has not yet released the complete 2027 Healthier Foods for All RFP.

The following requests would not align with the published program description:

• Projects without a direct benefit to Benton or Washington county
• Programs unrelated to food access, nutrition education, or federal nutrition benefits
• Requests for product donations or gift cards through this financial grant program
• Proposals submitted before the application opening date

Additional restrictions may be included in the full RFP.

Funding Amounts

Grant Amounts: Not Yet Published

Walmart has not announced minimum or maximum grant amounts for the 2027 Healthier Foods for All funding cycle.

The total funding pool and anticipated number of awards have also not been published.

Applicants should wait for the official RFP before finalizing grant requests.

Timeline & Review

Walmart specifically states that proposals submitted before the opening date will be returned.

Applicants should not submit proposals before March 29, 2027.

Application / Request Process

Step 1: Review Geographic Eligibility

Confirm that the proposed project will directly benefit Benton or Washington county residents.

Step 2: Identify the Funding Priority

Determine how the project supports:

• Access to nutritious food
• Nutrition education
• Federal nutrition benefits

Step 3: Attend the Informational Webinar

Walmart has scheduled a Healthier Foods for All webinar for March 15, 2027, at 12:30 PM Central Time.

The webinar may help prospective applicants understand the program’s priorities and application requirements.

Registration is available through the official program webpage.

Step 4: Review the 2027 RFP

Walmart has not yet published the 2027 RFP document, application link, or invitation code.

These materials are expected to become available through the Northwest Arkansas Giving webpage.

Step 5: Prepare the Proposal

Applicants should be ready to describe:

• The community food access need
• The population served
• The proposed activities
• Expected outcomes
• Geographic impact
• Organizational experience
• Requested funding and project budget

Final requirements will be established in the RFP.

Step 6: Submit During the Application Window

Applications will be accepted March 29 through April 15, 2027.

Do not submit before March 29.

Apply / Learn More:

➡️ https://www.walmart.org/content/walmart-org/en_us/our-work/community/northwest-arkansas-giving-program.html

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity may be especially attractive to organizations that:

• Operate food pantries or hunger relief programs
• Improve access to nutritious food
• Provide community nutrition education
• Help residents access SNAP or other federal nutrition benefits
• Serve low-income households experiencing food insecurity
• Work in Benton or Washington county
• Have established community partnerships
• Can demonstrate measurable improvements in food access

Healthier Foods for All is particularly relevant to organizations addressing hunger and the underlying barriers that prevent residents from obtaining nutritious food.

The program’s focus on nutrition education and federal benefits also makes it suitable for nonprofits that combine direct assistance with outreach, education, and benefits navigation.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Review Type: Competitive RFP
Application Opens: March 29, 2027
Deadline: April 15, 2027
Webinar: March 15, 2027, at 12:30 PM CT
Funding Amount: Not yet published
Geography: Arkansas
Eligible Counties: Benton and Washington
Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit organizations meeting forthcoming RFP requirements
Funding Priorities: Nutritious food access, nutrition education, federal nutrition benefits
Application Method: To be announced
Application Status: Upcoming
Best Suited For: Food pantries, hunger relief organizations, nutrition education providers, and nonprofits helping households access food assistance
Application Strategy: Attend the webinar, monitor publication of the RFP, and demonstrate direct benefits to Northwest Arkansas residents.