This program runs annually as a two-phased application. The RFP is typically released in March, with pre-proposals due around April. Following a review period of about four weeks, appropriate pre-proposals will be selected and applicants will be invited to submit full proposals.
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Walmart’s Acres for America program stands today as the leading public-private land conservation partnership in the United States. The partnership began in 2005, when Walmart and NFWF joined forces to establish Acres for America as a groundbreaking effort to support and catalyze the conservation of lands and wildlife habitat of national significance, and to benefit local communities and local economies.
Partner
Over the past 20 years, Acres for America has proven to be a remarkable success. The program has far surpassed its original goal to permanently conserve 1 acre of wildlife habitat for every acre of land developed by Walmart stores. In November 2024, NFWF and Walmart announced a 10-year renewal to continue this exceptional program’s work for another decade. To explore Acres for America projects that are open to the public for visiting, please use this link.
To date, Walmart’s Acres for America program has funded 126 projects in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico that have:
- Protected more than 2 million acres across the nation;
- Connected millions of acres of protected lands to support landscape-scale conservation and wildlife migrations that are essential to the survival of iconic species like pronghorn and mule deer;
- Provided nearly $4 million in emergency response funding to protect fish and wildlife that were immediately threatened by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012; and,
- Restored urban lands and habitats and connected youth to the outdoors by investing more than $1.8 million in community-based projects located in Albuquerque, N.M., Bridgeport, Conn., Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Portland, Ore., San Diego, and Washington, D.C.
Acres for America priorities include:
- Conserve critical habitats for birds, fish, plants and wildlife;
- Connect existing protected lands to unify wild places and protect migration routes;
- Provide access for people to enjoy the outdoors; and,
- Ensure the future of local economies that depend on forestry, ranching and recreation.
Application Information
Program FAQ
What are the regular grant cycles for this program?
Does this program have any match requirements?
All grant awards require a minimum 1:1 match of cash or contributed goods and services. Federal funds may be considered as match. Larger match ratios and matching fund contributions from a diversity of partners are encouraged and will be more competitive during application review.
Who can I contact if I have questions about a project I am considering for submission?
Before submitting a pre-proposal, applicants are encouraged to discuss project ideas with the program representatives or NFWF’s regional office staff listed in the RFP. They will be able to provide additional guidance on NFWF conservation priorities in the project area.
| Program Fact Sheet | Download the PDF | |
| 2024 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2023 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2022 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2021 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2020 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2019 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2018 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| 2017 Grant Slate | Download the PDF | |
| An Evaluation of Acres for America (2015) | Download the PDF |
Staff Representatives
Director, Rocky Mountain Regional Office
Manager, Rocky Mountain Regional Office
Regional Program Coordinator
Related Species
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Coho salmon
Coho salmon is one of five salmon species along the west coast of the United States, from the Alaskan arctic to Santa Cruz, California. The species is anadromous and populations in the lower portion of its range are severely affected by barriers to stream passage and ocean conditions, freshwater availability and land-use practices.
Grizzly bear
Grizzly bears are the North American subspecies of brown bears which roam throughout Canada and northwestern America. Grizzlies are omnivores, feeding on insects and deer alike. Come winter they descend into a deep sleep called torpor where they do not eat or drink until they emerge in the spring.
Bighorn sheep
Bighorn sheep are agile climbers with specialized hooves that allow them to navigate rugged, rocky slopes where they forage on a variety of seasonal plants and shrubs. Found in the western United States, bighorn sheep live in social groups, but males, or rams, and females, or ewes, only meet to mate.
Bald eagle
The majestic bald eagle was chosen as the emblem of the United States in 1782. The species represents a tremendous conservation success story, with population numbers increasing sharply following a ban on the chemical DDT in 1972, which was poisoning bald eagles when they ate contaminated fish.
Moose
Moose are the largest of the deer species and the tallest mammals in North America. Their populations are limited to the northern forests of the United States and Canada, and they have thick, insulating fur to thermoregulate during the winter months. Moose forage on a variety forest plants and trees, and will also incorporate aquatic vegetation in their diet at certain times of the year.
Desert bighorn sheep
Desert bighorn sheep are a distinct subspecies of bighorn sheep that inhabit hot, dry mountain ranges in North America and are well-adapted to survive in these extreme environments, including the ability to go several days without water. While both sexes develop horns, the horns of an adult male are much larger, and used for fighting and as tools to break open cacti while foraging.
Fisher
Fishers are a forest-dwelling member of the Mustelidae, or weasel family, and have reclaimed much of their historic range after unregulated fur trapping and forest clearing caused severe population declines. They are specialized predators of porcupines and the only carnivore species that deliberately target them as prey.
Red-cockaded woodpecker
The red-cockaded woodpecker is a territorial, highly social bird that inhabits mature fire maintained mature pine forests throughout the southeastern United States. Population declines coincided with extensive logging of longleaf pine stands in the early 20th Century, and led to the species being placed on the Endangered Species List by 1970.
Pronghorn
Pronghorn, also known as "antelope," are sagebrush-dependent ungulate known for their incredible speed. They are the sole-surviving member of their taxonomic family. With an evolutionary history rooted in open-grasslands, pronghorn are reluctant to leap over fences that have been constructed across the west for rangeland management, causing disruptions of their ancient migration routes and reducing access to high-quality habitat.
Northern bobwhite quail
One of the most economically important game birds, the northern bobwhite quail is named for the distinctive 'bob-white' mating call of males throughout the breeding season. Bobwhite quail prefer shrubby areas surrounding grasslands or agricultural fields and live in groups called "coveys" during the fall and winter.
Mule deer
Mule deer are a social, migratory ungulate who are named for their large ears that resemble a mule's ears. An iconic species of the western United States, habitat loss and increased fragmentation of the landscape have caused localized declines in mule deer populations and reduced the function of critical migration paths.
Greater sage-grouse
The greater sage-grouse is a sagebrush-dependent upland game bird and largest of the grouse species. Known for its theatrical mating displays on "leks" or breeding grounds, populations have been in decline due to loss of sagebrush habitat, and their ability to serve as an umbrella species for other sagebrush wildlife emphasizes the need to restore and protect their habitats.
Gopher tortoise
Gopher tortoise are long-lived reptiles native to the upland pine forests of the southeastern United States. Considered a keystone species, more than 350 species of wildlife rely on their their complex burrow systems for shelter and protection, which makes widespread population declines of gopher tortoise of special conservation concern.
Eastern brook trout
The eastern brook trout is the only trout native to the eastern United States and inhabits coldwater rivers and lakes. Sensitive to even small declines in water quality and increases in sedimentation, brook trout can serve as excellent indicators of the health of a stream or river ecosystem.
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