Tyson Foods Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Tyson Foods Foundation supports Hunger relief, food supply, K-12 education, nonprofit capacity building, education and libraries in Arkansas and other places where the Tyson company does business.

FUNDING AREAS: Hunger relief, food supply, K-12 education, nonprofit capacity building, education, libraries

IP TAKE: This is an accessible corporate funder that has nationwide interests but also reserves a good portion of its grantmaking for the Springdale, Arkansas area. Given its company’s contribution to agricultural pollution and animal neglect, perhaps more funding will be made available to these areas down the line.

PROFILE: The Tyson Foods Foundation is a corporate giving program that is based in Springdale, Arkansas. The Tyson company produces about 20 percent of chicken, beef and pork in the U.S. and is a leading protein provider to restaurants and other food service customers through its many brands. The foundation is "committed to helping the communities we serve and where our team members work, live and play.” It funds local efforts for hunger relief, food supply, K-12 education, nonprofit capacity building, education and libraries.

The Tyson Foods Foundation supports its communities through two programs, grants and sponsorships. Open-at-large grants have an open application process and support communities within 20 miles of a Tyson Foods production facility. The funder gives priority to efforts that provide hunger relief and assist hourly Tyson team members and their families in some way. There are also by-invitation grants that support initiatives within a 20-mile radius of company operations and fund urgent food supply needs through food banks. These grants also support K-12 education, helping nonprofits be more self-sufficient and sustainable, a college internship program and a library program to develop projects and collections. The funder provides sponsorships as well to benefit the Springdale, Arkansas community.

Grants range between about $4,000 and $500,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking largely focuses on the state of Arkansas and other places where Tyson does business. There are also company operations in the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Past local grantees include the University of Arkansas Division of Arkansas, Arkansas Mission of Mercy and Philander Smith College.

This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits for its open-at-large grants. The funder has an online grants application process to accept and review new grant and sponsorship requests. Direct general questions to the staff at garrett.dolan@tyson.com or by phone at 479-439-4920 or 479-290-4000.

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LINK:

Company Website