In order to receive a Walton Family Foundation (WFF) Public Charter Startup Grant funding, an applicant must complete each stage of our grant process.  The application process is demanding and time consuming, so please review all of the information on the website before beginning the application process.

To qualify for a WFF Public Charter Startup Grant, school developers must meet our minimum criteria and draw a majority of students from one of our sixteen target districts. Please review the initial criteria section below and then contact the appropriate state grant partner to receive an endorsement.

• Demonstrate strong potential for delivering excellent academic results for K-12 students, as measured by standardized achievement tests;
• Serve significant low-income student populations; 
• Not represent a for-profit entity; 
• Have an endorsement from a Walton Family Foundation program officer or one of our state-based grant partners; 
• Currently be in a "startup" mode which is approved up to the end of the school’s first year of operation; and
• Draw a majority of its students from one of our targeted districts (see below).

Eligibility rules for virtual schools are slightly different.

In addition, a credit report will be run on applicants for Pre-Authorization Startup Grants without a 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS to ensure they meet WFF credit standards.

Only public charter schools drawing a majority of their students from these districts may apply for Walton Family Foundation funds.

If you meet the initial criteria listed above, you are welcome to apply for one of the foundation’s public charter school planning or startup grants through this website. You will need to download the appropriate form for your proposal, complete the form and various attachments, and upload them as indicated in the instructions found on the Types of Startup Grants page.

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