Transforming oral health through collaboration, innovation, education, and service.
A large portion of Delta Dental Plan of Arkansas Inc’s recent giving stays inside the organization’s own Arkansas foundation, with 2024 and 2025 general-support grants of $3,570,334 and $2,597,063. Beyond those internal transfers, the foundation backs Arkansas oral-health work through flexible support for access, education, prevention, and school-based programs. Its active grant programs include Community Grants, Oral Health Education Grants, Mini Grants, Super Smiles at School Grants, Super Smiles at School Mini Grant, and Strategic Initiative Grants, all aimed at Arkansas projects. The recent grants list shows support for a mix of health, civic, and education organizations. Baptist Health Foundation received $10,750 in both 2024 and 2025, while Arkansas State Dental Association received $18,720 in 2025. Other grants reached groups such as Thea Foundation, Mid-America Science Museum, and Arkansas Wrestling Association. The pattern matches the foundation’s stated emphasis on oral health collaboration, innovation, education, and service, with most awards structured as general support rather than narrowly restricted project funding.
Oral health access is the clearest throughline in Delta Dental Plan of Arkansas Inc’s funding. The foundation gave $108,180 in 2025 to the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia as general support, showing that it sometimes supports organizations beyond Arkansas while keeping a health-related orientation. In Arkansas, it has also funded community-serving organizations with an oral-health connection. American Red Cross received $50,000 in 2024 and $30,000 in 2025, both as general support. Thea Foundation received $20,000 in 2025 and $10,000 in 2024, also unrestricted. School-based and youth-facing work is another recurring emphasis in the foundation’s program design. Its active offerings include Super Smiles at School grants and mini grants, both framed around oral health education, prevention, and access to care in Arkansas schools and communities. Strategic Initiative Grants add an innovation and equity angle for testing new ideas.
The typical grant size is modest to mid-sized: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $12,500, and the 75th percentile is $30,000. Most recent awards are general support, and the same recipients can appear in multiple years, such as American Red Cross, Baptist Health Foundation, Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, Mid-America Science Museum, and Thea Foundation. The foundation is an operating grantmaker rather than a funder of individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications.
$2.9M
$184.7M
$234.1M
$241.4M
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$30K
DEBORAH LOWTHARP
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Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local and concentrated in Arkansas, which accounts for 89% of grants by recipient location. The recent-grants list also shows a smaller number of awards outside the state, including Charlottesville, Virginia; Boone, Iowa; Cary, North Carolina; and Arlington, Virginia. Within Arkansas, repeated recipient locations include Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, Hot Springs, Fayetteville, and Bentonville. That pattern matches a statewide Arkansas focus with a few out-of-state general-support awards.
The foundation focuses on oral health, dental education, preventive care, access to care, school-based oral health programs, and community health. Its active grant programs also point to access for underinsured and underserved populations, oral health education, and strategic initiatives that test creative ideas.
Recent grants cluster around smaller awards: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $12,500, and the 75th percentile is $30,000. Active programs include mini grants up to $2,500 and community grants up to $40,000.
Yes. The listed active programs, including Community Grants, Oral Health Education Grants, Mini Grants, Super Smiles at School Grants, Super Smiles at School Mini Grant, and Strategic Initiative Grants, all accept unsolicited applications.
The foundation is geographically local, and 89% of grants go to recipients in Arkansas. The recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based, with most recipients in Arkansas cities such as Little Rock, North Little Rock, Sherwood, Hot Springs, Fayetteville, and Bentonville.
Recent grants are largely general support, and the philosophy tags describe unrestricted, flexible, and core operating support. The top recent awards to Delta Dental of Arkansas Foundation Inc, American Red Cross, and Baptist Health Foundation were all labeled general support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Delta Dental Plan of Arkansas that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Eligible organizations must follow the grant guidelines. Programs should be school-based and focused on oral health education and access to care.
Deadline: Accepting applications year-round, awarded monthly.
Who can apply: Applicants must first submit a Letter of Interest. If the idea matches funding criteria and priorities, the applicant may be invited to submit a formal grant proposal and budget.
Deadline: No deadline stated on the page.
Who can apply: Projects must be primarily focused on oral health education.
Deadline: Accepting applications year-round, awarded quarterly.
Who can apply: Applicants must be an Arkansas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, government agency, school, or charitable dental treatment facility. Grants are not provided to individuals. Programs must have a primary focus in treatment or prevention and benefit underserved and uninsured Arkansans.
Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis year-round and subject to DDARF Board approval quarterly.
Who can apply: Not specified in provided content. Likely nonprofits and organizations working to improve oral health in Arkansas (details must be confirmed on the Foundation's funding page).
Who can apply: Eligible organizations must be Arkansas-based and follow the grant guidelines. Previous projects in the same process must be completed and final reports submitted before another application can be considered. Eligible organizations may be awarded only once per 12-month period in each grant process.
Deadline: Accepting applications year-round, awarded monthly.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS FOUNDATION INC | SHERWOOD, AR | $2,597,063 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RECTOR AND VISITORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $108,180 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | BOONE, IA | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY OF NORTH CAROLINA | CARY, NC | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARKANSAS VENTURE CENTER | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THEA FOUNDATION | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARKANSAS STATE DENTAL ASSOCIATION | SHERWOOD, AR | $18,720 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CORPORATE DIRECTORS | ARLINGTON, VA | $15,319 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| US HARDCOURT PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARKANSAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR | $12,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $10,750 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MID-AMERICA SCIENCE MUSEUM | HOT SPRINGS, AR | $10,350 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF NORTHWEST ARKANSAS | BENTONVILLE, AR | $5,447 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS FOUNDATION INC | SHERWOOD, AR | $3,570,334 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | BOONE, IA | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARKANSAS WRESTLING ASSOCIATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $30,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MID-AMERICA SCIENCE MUSEUM | HOT SPRINGS, AR | $20,700 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARKANSAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR | $12,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BAPTIST HEALTH FOUNDATION | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $10,750 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THEA FOUNDATION | NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE BROYLES FOUNDATION | FAYETTEVILLE, AR | $7,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OUR HOUSE | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $5,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| Baptist Health Foundation | Little Rock, AR | $15,750 | 2023 | General Support |
| Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame | North Little Rock, AR | $12,500 | 2023 | General Support |
| Mid-America Science Museum | Hot Springs, AR | $8,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Women and Children First | Little Rock, AR | $6,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Centers for Youth & Family | Little Rock, AR | $5,100 | 2023 | General Support |
DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS FOUNDATION INC
$2,597,063GENERAL SUPPORT
RECTOR AND VISITORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
$108,180GENERAL SUPPORT
ARKANSAS VENTURE CENTER
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
ARKANSAS STATE DENTAL ASSOCIATION
$18,720GENERAL SUPPORT
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CORPORATE DIRECTORS
$15,319GENERAL SUPPORT
US HARDCOURT PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ARKANSAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME
$12,500GENERAL SUPPORT
DELTA DENTAL OF ARKANSAS FOUNDATION INC
$3,570,334GENERAL SUPPORT
MID-AMERICA SCIENCE MUSEUM
$20,700GENERAL SUPPORT
ARKANSAS SPORTS HALL OF FAME
$12,500GENERAL SUPPORT
OUR HOUSE
$5,500GENERAL SUPPORT
Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame
$12,500General Support
Women and Children First
$6,000General Support
Centers for Youth & Family
$5,100General Support