OVERVIEW: The Tyson Foods Foundation supports hunger relief, food supply, and human services in Arkansas and other places where the Tyson company does business.
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. When you apply, don’t overlook the requirement that your organization has a Tyson team member vouch for you. You’ll need to get that sorted out before submitting your application. Given the company’s contribution to agricultural pollution, child labor, 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, and human services.
Grants for Food Security and Community Development
The Tyson Foods Foundation supports its communities through two grant programs, Community Giving and Strategic Philanthropy.
- Community Giving grants offer between $500 and $5,000 in funding to scale existing programs. These grants have an open application process and support communities within 20 miles of a Tyson Foods production facility. Applicants must have a Tyson team member vouch for their organization.
- There are also by-invitation grants that support initiatives within a 20-mile radius of company operations and fund programs that increase access to nutritious food, as well as those that address basic needs and employment.
- Grantees include the Little Rock Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas Foundation, Peoples Community Foundation, and South Sioux City Public Library.
- The funder provides sponsorships as well to benefit the Springdale, Arkansas community.
Important Grant Details
Grants range between about $4,000 and $500,000. The foundation awarded over $300,000 in grants in a recent year.
- 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.
- This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits for its community grants.
- Direct general questions to the staff at dolan@tyson.com or by phone at 479-439-4920 or 479-290-4000.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINK:
Last updated on
