NFWF Announces $5.4 Million in Grants from Walmart's Acres for America Program
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced the award of $5.4 million in grants through Walmart's Acres for America program, the nation's leading public-private land conservation partnership.
The seven awards announced today will support community-driven projects that permanently protect more than 177,000 acres of wildlife habitat throughout California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Virginia. The grants will leverage $135.8 million in public and private matching contributions, generating a total conservation impact of $141.2 million. Additional funding was provided this year by the Life Time Foundation.
"The Acres for America program serves as a national model for the conservation of large, connected landscapes that benefit wildlife, support local economies and open new opportunities for everyone to fish, hunt, hike and otherwise enjoy the outdoors," said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. "Thanks to the support of Walmart, the work of our grantees and all other project supporters across the public and private sectors, these natural landscapes and the wildlife populations they sustain will be protected."
"Walmart's Acres for America program continues to demonstrate how conservation at scale can support wildlife, strengthen communities and expand public access to the outdoors," said Hunter Hart, senior vice president of Walmart Realty. "These projects show what's possible when strong local leadership and public‑private partnerships come together to conserve important landscapes across the country."
One of this year's projects will preserve nearly 20,000 acres of the iconic vistas and landscapes made famous by artist Georgia O'Keeffe through a grant to the New Mexico Land Conservancy. The project will protect Ghost Ranch in northern New Mexico, including five miles of Rio Chama frontage, through a conservation easement that guarantees public access. Supported by an additional contribution from the Life Time Foundation, this effort will safeguard a critical inholding surrounded by two National Forests and Abiquiú Lake by restricting development along Ghost Ranch's waterfront and shortgrass prairie habitat, ensuring long-term landscape connectivity.
"A healthy planet is essential to healthy people and thriving communities everywhere," said Sarah Emola, senior director of the Life Time Foundation. "By investing in the permanent protection of places like Ghost Ranch, we're helping conserve critical wildlife habitat, honor the cultural and natural significance of these landscapes and ensure they remain accessible for generations to come. Efforts like Acres for America reflect the power of partnership in safeguarding natural spaces that support our collective well being."
Another project in southeastern Oklahoma will protect 11,333 acres and establish the state's first official State Forest. Led by The Conservation Fund, the Musket Mountain effort safeguards an ecologically rich landscape within the Ouachita Mountains that supports federally endangered mussels, the threatened leopard darter and numerous species of concern. The project will maintain habitat connectivity across the region and secure long-term public access for recreation.
In Colorado's San Luis Valley, Western Rivers Conservancy will conserve 45,952 acres at the headwaters of the Rio Grande. The project will transfer the property to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management to ensure protection of more than 30 miles of coldwater streams that support native Rio Grande cutthroat trout and important habitat for big game including elk, bighorn sheep and mule deer. The project will keep this vast landscape intact for fish and wildlife, guarantee public access, and preserve important cultural sites.
A complete list of the 2026 grants from Acres for America is available here.
The Acres for America program began in 2005 when Walmart made an initial commitment of $34.5 million over 10 years to preserve an acre of wildlife habitat in the United States for every acre of land developed by the company. Having far surpassed the original goal of 100,000 acres, Walmart renewed the program for another 10 years in 2015 and again in 2025. With the addition of the latest round of grants, Acres for America has helped protect more than 2.2 million acres across 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Over the past 21 years, Acres for America has funded 138 projects and has leveraged Walmart's $73.6 million investment with matching contributions that have generated a total conservation impact of more than $1 billion.
Learn more about Walmart's goal, together with the Walmart Foundation, to protect, more sustainably manage, or restore nature here.
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Chartered by Congress in 1984, NFWF has grown to become the nation's largest conservation foundation. NFWF works with the public and private sectors to sustain, restore and enhance the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats for current and future generations. Since its founding, NFWF has supported more than 7,200 grantee organizations and funded over 23,900 projects that have generated a total conservation impact of $12 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org.
About Walmart
Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) is a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer helping people save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, approximately 240 million customers and members visit approximately 10,500 stores and numerous eCommerce websites in 19 countries. With fiscal year 2023 revenue of $611 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.1 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy, and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting https://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at https://facebook.com/walmart, on X (formerly known as Twitter) at https://twitter.com/walmart, and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/walmart/.
About the Life Time Foundation
The Life Time Foundation, a 501c(3) nonprofit created by Life Time, Inc. (NYSE:LTH) is dedicated to inspiring Healthy People, a Healthy Planet, and a Healthy Way of Life. Through financial grants and direct action, we support Youth Nutrition by helping schools serve wholesome, nourishing, minimally processed food to students; Youth Movement by championing physical movement programs that get children active and excited to move for life; and a Healthy Planet by supporting forestation and conservation initiatives, so everyone can live healthy, happy lives. For more information or to make a tax-deductible donation, visit www.ltfoundation.org.
Matt Winter National Fish and Wildlife Foundation 202-857-0166 matt.winter@nfwf.org