The Wawa Foundation – Financial Grants

Grants Over $2,500 Supporting Health, Hunger Relief, and Everyday Heroes in Wawa Communities

The Wawa Foundation provides financial grants to nonprofit organizations working to strengthen communities where Wawa operates. Financial Grants are available for requests over $2,500 and support organizations aligned with the foundation’s three focus areas: Health, Hunger, and Everyday Heroes.

Organization: The Wawa Foundation
Support Type: Financial grants over $2,500
Geographic Focus: Wawa communities and service areas

New to corporate grant fundraising?
Read our Corporate Grants for Nonprofits: Ultimate Guide to learn how corporate funding works.

About the Funder

The Wawa Foundation is the charitable giving arm of Wawa, Inc. The foundation supports nonprofit organizations that help build happier, stronger communities through local, regional, and national grants.

The foundation focuses its support on organizations working in health, hunger relief, and everyday heroes. Through its Financial Grants program, The Wawa Foundation provides support for qualified nonprofit organizations that operate in Wawa communities and align with these priority areas.

What This Program Supports

The Wawa Foundation Financial Grants program supports nonprofit organizations in three primary focus areas:

Health

The Wawa Foundation supports organizations committed to saving and improving lives in the communities Wawa serves. This may include programs focused on life-saving research, care for people in need, pediatric institutions, medical research, and care and comfort initiatives.

Hunger

The foundation supports hunger relief efforts that improve access to food and strengthen community food security. This includes programs that help local pantries, food banks, and other hunger relief partners reach more people in need.

Everyday Heroes

The Wawa Foundation supports organizations that recognize and assist the people making a difference every day, including military members, veterans, first responders, and community heroes. This focus area may also include education and mentoring programs for at-risk youth in grades K–12, crisis response, blood drives, and volunteer-supported initiatives.

Eligible Support Types

The Wawa Foundation Financial Grants program may support:

Financial grants over $2,500
Local, regional, and national nonprofit programs
Health-related programs and care initiatives
Hunger relief and food access programs
Programs supporting military, veterans, first responders, and everyday heroes
Youth mentoring and education programs aligned with the Everyday Heroes focus area

Eligibility & Preferences

To be eligible, organizations must:

Be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Operate in Wawa’s service areas or communities
Align with one of The Wawa Foundation’s three focus areas: Health, Hunger, or Everyday Heroes
Submit the request during one of the designated Financial Grant submission windows

Strong-fit requests are likely to:

Clearly align with one of the foundation’s focus areas
Serve communities where Wawa operates
Demonstrate meaningful community benefit
Support health access, hunger relief, youth mentoring, veterans, first responders, or community heroes
Have a clear program plan and measurable impact

Ineligible Requests

The Wawa Foundation does not provide grants or resources for:

Individuals
Private charities or private foundations
Organizations outside the foundation’s three focus areas
Galas, program ads, or marketing and advertising initiatives
Organizations that are not exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
Religious organizations, unless the program benefits a broad portion of the community regardless of religious affiliation
Political causes, candidates, organizations, or campaigns
Organizations whose primary purpose is to influence legislation
Sports sponsorships or performing arts
Commercial business purposes

Funding Amounts

Financial Grants are for requests over $2,500.

Organizations seeking smaller grants may want to review The Wawa Foundation’s Local Connection Grants, which are designed for requests under $2,500.

Timeline & Review

📅 Next Submission Window: July 2026
📅 Other Submission Windows: January, April, July, and October
📅 Review Timeline: Requests are reviewed before the next grant submission window opens
📅 Application Type: Grant requests and Letters of Inquiry accepted during submission windows

The Wawa Foundation accepts Financial Grant requests during designated grant-making cycles throughout the calendar year. For grants over $2,500, qualified organizations may submit grant requests and Letters of Inquiry during the months of January, April, July, and October.

Application / Request Process

Organizations should apply through The Wawa Foundation’s online Apply for Support page. Applicants should review the foundation’s criteria, confirm eligibility, and submit the appropriate Financial Grant request or Letter of Inquiry during an open submission window.

If The Wawa Foundation approves the online Letter of Inquiry, the organization may be asked to submit additional information.

Apply / Learn More:
➡️ The Wawa Foundation Apply for Support

Foundation Information:
➡️ The Wawa Foundation

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a strong fit for nonprofit organizations that:

Serve communities where Wawa operates
Need grant support of more than $2,500
Work in health, hunger relief, or everyday hero support
Support pediatric care, medical research, food access, veterans, first responders, youth mentoring, or crisis response
Can submit during the July 2026 application window
Have a clear community impact and strong alignment with Wawa Foundation priorities

The Wawa Foundation Financial Grants program is best suited for 501(c)(3) nonprofits with established programs that address community needs in Wawa’s core focus areas.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Review Type: Letter of Inquiry / grant request review
Typical Lead Time: Apply during January, April, July, or October submission windows; responses are provided before the next submission window opens
Best Suited For: 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving Wawa communities through health, hunger relief, and everyday hero programs
Support Type: Financial grants over $2,500