Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation awards more than $1 million in grants

The Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation awarded more than $1 million in grants to improve the oral health of Arkansans.

The foundation board of directors approved almost $502,000 in 2024 Community Grants to 22 Arkansas nonprofits and schools, $60,000 in Oral Health Education Grants to two organizations, and close to $536,000 in Strategic Initiative Grants for three statewide projects.

The grants will deliver community-based oral health initiatives to tens of thousands of Arkansans, mainly low-income, uninsured or underinsured residents.

“This chapter of grant-making set records in our foundation’s history,” said Sharon Lanier, Ph.D., the foundation’s executive director. “We received the highest number of Community Grant applications ever, and we awarded our first-ever Strategic Initiative Grant to increase the number of school-based oral health centers in Arkansas, one of our key funding priorities. Countless Arkansans are likely to experience improved oral health and quality of life thanks to these projects.”

Organizations that received a total of $501,892 in Community Grants to provide dental disease treatment and/or prevention include:

1. WelcomeHealth, Benton County, impact area: Northwest Arkansas
2. Lafayette County Dental Clinic, Inc., Lafayette County, impact area: Southwest Arkansas
3. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas, Pulaski County; impact area: Central Arkansas
4. Pediatric Plus Community Connections, Faulkner County, impact area: Northcentral Arkansas
5. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma, Benton County, impact area: Northwest Arkansas
6. CARTI Foundation, Pulaski County, impact area: statewide
7. Conway Regional Health Foundation, Faulkner County, impact area: Central Arkansas
8. Shirley School District, Stone County, impact area: Northcentral Arkansas
9. University of Arkansas Foundation d/b/a University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Foundation, Pulaski County, impact area: Central Arkansas
10. Special Olympics Arkansas, Pulaski County, impact area: statewide
11. Samaritan Community Center, Benton County, impact area: Northwest Arkansas
12. River City Ministry of Pulaski County, Pulaski County; impact area: Central Arkansas
13. Mint Dental Care, Washington County, impact area: Northwest Arkansas
14. St. Francis House NWA, Inc., Washington County, impact area: Northwest Arkansas
15. Community Dental Clinic (a program of CSCDC), Crawford County, impact area: Northwest Arkansas
16. Harmony Health Clinic, Pulaski County; impact area: Central Arkansas
17. Neighbor to Neighbor Inc., Jefferson County, impact area: Central Arkansas
18. UA Little Rock Children International, Pulaski County; impact area: Central Arkansas
19. Literacy Council of Bowie and Miller Counties, Miller County, impact area: Southwest Arkansas
20. United Way of Northwest Arkansas, Benton County, impact area: Northwest Arkansas
21. Shepherd’s Hope Neighborhood Medical Center, Pulaski County; impact area: Central Arkansas
22. Inspired Communities Foundation, Fulton County, impact area: Northeast Arkansas.

The foundation received more Community Grant applications and higher funding requests this year than ever before: 56 applicants for a total of $1.7 million in requests.

Organizations that received a total of $60,000 in Oral Health Education Grants to teach oral hygiene and best oral health practices include:

1. Girl Scouts Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, Sebastian County, impact area: statewide
2. St. Francis House NWA, Inc., Benton County, impact area: Northwest Arkansas.

Organizations that received a total of $535,754 in Strategic Initiative Grants to test innovative ideas for the delivery and cultural perceptions of oral health care include:

1. Arkansas Medical, Dental & Pharmaceutical Association, Pulaski County, impact area: statewide
2. Mainline Health Systems, Inc., Drew County, impact area: statewide
3. School-Based Health Alliance of Arkansas, Pulaski County, impact area: statewide.

Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation offers five grant programs for oral health projects.

Its annual Community Grants are the foundation’s signature grant program to support community partnerships designed to benefit the oral health needs of underserved individuals of all ages, ethnicities, genders, and socio-economic statuses. Grants of up to $40,000 are available for eligible organizations and are awarded based on the applicants’ ability to meet the Foundation’s three strategic funding goals: empowerment and knowledge, equitable access and systemic change.

Applications are typically accepted in mid-summer, with selections made in November and grant funds issued in January.