Wal-Mart recently announced the Golden Spark promotion as part of the company's participation in the Fighting Hunger Together initiative. Through Wal-Mart's new plan, 40 random consumers will receive a $50,000 award to benefit the community of their choosing. Additionally, the discount giant is offering a separate incentive program for its sales associates who volunteer the most time for hunger relief efforts.

Employees who log the most hours before the campaign ends on October 14 can enter to win one of 10 Golden Sparks that will enable winners to donate a total of $500,000 to communities in need. These funds can be used to launch a new backpack program, or expand one that currently exists, as a way to make sure children suffering from food-instability have enough to eat on the weekends when they don't have access to free or reduced meals through school.

Wal-Mart is partnering with Feeding America and large food corporations General Mills, Kraft Foods, ConAgra Foods, Unilever and Kellogg Company to address the growing demand for additional sustenance in the United States.

"By engaging our partners and providing unique and creative opportunities for our customers and associates to join the fight against hunger …  we know we can make an even greater impact and help local communities through this critical time," said Sylvia Mathews Burwell, president of the Wal-Mart Foundation.

Initiatives that receive support from multiple funders might benefit from nonprofit financial management programs to ensure incoming contributions are accurately accounted for and dispersed.