Walton Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $548.8 million (2024)
Success Rate: 16% of grants to new grantees (highly competitive)
Decision Time: 2-3 months after invitation to submit full proposal
Grant Range: $20,000 - $30,000,000+ (most grants: $50,000 - $600,000)
Geographic Focus: National (K-12 Education & Environment) + Northwest Arkansas & Arkansas-Mississippi Delta (Home Region)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2030, Bentonville, AR 72712

Contact Page: https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/contact-us

Grant Inquiries: Letters of inquiry should be mailed to the address above, ATTN: Letter of Inquiry

Grants Database: https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/grants-database (searchable database of all grants since near inception)

Overview

Founded in 1987 by Walmart founder Sam Walton and his wife Helen Walton, the Walton Family Foundation has grown into one of America's largest private foundations with over $5 billion in assets. Since its founding, the foundation has distributed over $6.2 billion to approximately 6,300 grantees. In 2024, the foundation awarded $548.8 million in grants. The foundation operates under a 2021-2025 strategic plan emphasizing community-driven solutions, diversity, equity and inclusion, and collaborative partnerships. The foundation focuses on three core areas: improving K-12 education, protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support, and advancing Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. The foundation is headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, with additional offices in Denver, Jersey City, and Washington DC, and employs approximately 120 staff members.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

K-12 Education Program

Focus: Community-designed educational change, supporting diverse coalitions for innovative school models, removing barriers to educational access
Typical Grants: $50,000 - $600,000 (range: $20,000 - $30,000,000+)
Notable Initiatives:
- Charter School Startup Grants (historically $20,000+ per school; supported 100+ new schools in 2015)
- Spark Opportunity Grants for charter school facilities ($15,000 - $50,000)
- Building Equity Initiative ($250 million commitment to expand charter school facilities in 17 cities by 2027)
Historical Impact: Since 1997, supported creation of 2,200+ charter, district, and private schools with $424 million, serving 840,000 children
Application Method: Invitation only (exception: Public Charter Startup Grant Program accepts applications from developers meeting specific criteria)

Environment Program

Focus: Lasting water solutions in three key geographies: Colorado River Basin, Mississippi River Basin, and Oceans
Approach: Conservation solutions that make economic sense, creating partnerships among conservation, business, and community interests
Sub-Programs:
- Oceans: Sustainable fisheries and marine health
- Rivers: Preserving functioning rivers and freshwater quality
- Coastal Gulf of Mexico: Coastal conservation
- Climate-resilient agriculture and policy solutions
Grant Range: Under $50,000 to multi-million dollars
Application Method: Letter of inquiry required; no unsolicited proposals

Home Region Program

Geographic Focus: Northwest Arkansas and Arkansas-Mississippi Delta
Priority Areas:
- Economic vibrancy for startups and entrepreneurs
- Inclusive growth ensuring diverse community participation
- High-quality educational systems
- Affordable housing
- Parks, trails, and green spaces
- Arts, culture, and community spaces
- Design excellence and urban planning
Notable Grantees: Northwest Arkansas Council Foundation, Bentonville Library Foundation, City of Bentonville, City of Rogers, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Children's Museum of Northwest Arkansas, TheatreSquared
Application Method: Invitation only; no unsolicited proposals

Priority Areas

K-12 Education:

Charter school development and facility acquisition
Teacher training and development (grantees include Teach for America, TNTP)
Community-driven educational innovation
Breakthrough innovations removing educational barriers
Student engagement and teacher well-being

Environment:

Water resource management and conservation
Sustainable fisheries
River basin protection (Colorado River, Mississippi River)
Ocean and coastal conservation
Climate-resilient agriculture
Nature-based restoration projects
Policy solutions elevating affected communities' perspectives

Home Region:

Entrepreneurship and economic development
Cultural institutions and community vibrancy
Educational infrastructure
Housing accessibility
Public spaces and design excellence
Local leadership development

What They Don't Fund

Unsolicited proposals (with rare exception for charter school developers)
Higher education (not a main priority, though select universities receive occasional grants)
Projects outside three core focus areas (K-12 education, environment, home region)
Organizations without strategic alignment to specific program goals
Individual scholarships or individual support
The foundation operates separately from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation with independent funding and governance

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Annie Proietti - Board Chair
Carrie Walton Penner - Board Member (formerly Board Chair; granddaughter of founders Sam and Helen Walton; K-12 education advocate with 20+ years in education research, evaluation, advocacy, and philanthropy)
Lukas Walton - Board Member
Tom Walton - Board Member

The board is composed of Walton family members who oversee the foundation's strategic direction.

Quote from Annie Proietti, Board Chair: "Solutions require setting ambitious goals, bringing people with different ideas and backgrounds together, and developing innovative approaches."

Executive Leadership

Stephanie Cornell - Executive Director (as of current information; note: Caryl M. Stern was Executive Director during the 2021-2025 strategic plan launch)
Christie Yang - Secretary and General Counsel (appointed November 2021)
Yoo Jin Cheong - Director, Strategy & Operations

Program Directors

Romy Drucker - Education Program Director (promoted November 2021; background as entrepreneur, strategist, and district leader)
Moira McDonald - Environment Program Director
Robert Burns - Home Region Program Director

Supporting Leadership

Sara Guillaume - Director, Grants Management & Operations
Johanna Morariu - Director, Strategy, Learning and Evaluation
Antwann Nourse - Director, Workplace Effectiveness, Belonging and Culture

Quote from Caryl M. Stern, Former Executive Director: "To create meaningful change, we must listen to and learn from those closest to complex challenges."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

CRITICAL: This funder does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation actively identifies organizations aligned with their program goals rather than accepting open applications.

Exception: Public charter school developers meeting specific criteria may apply directly to the Public Charter Startup Grant Program.

Standard Process for Most Applicants:

Letter of Inquiry (LOI) - If invited or if you believe your organization is highly aligned with their work, submit a brief letter of inquiry that includes:
- Description of your organization and proposed project
- Explanation of relevance to a specific Walton funding area and initiative
- Estimated funding amount needed
Mail to:
Walton Family Foundation
ATTN: Letter of Inquiry
P.O. Box 2030
Bentonville, AR 72712
Foundation Review - Staff reviews the letter and responds regarding project relevance
Invitation to Submit Full Proposal - If the project aligns with funding criteria and priorities, applicants receive an invitation to submit formal materials (Word document proposal and Excel budget template)
Performance Measures - Invited applicants must review foundation guides for constructing performance measures in their specific program area

IMPORTANT NOTE: "We receive many more solicited grant proposals than we can fund. The invitation to submit a formal grant proposal does not mean that funding will be approved." - Walton Family Foundation

Alternative: The foundation recommends prospective grantees research alternative funding sources through Foundation Center and GuideStar to identify funders accepting unsolicited proposals.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has a highly relationship-based grantmaking model. Only 16% of grants go to new grantees, significantly below the favorable 40-60% new-to-repeat ratio. This means established relationships are essential.

Specific Strategies Based on Foundation Patterns:

Use their grants database: The foundation maintains a transparent, searchable database of grants dating almost to its founding at https://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/grants-database. Study organizations they fund in your area to understand their grantmaking patterns and identify potential collaborative partners.
Collaborative partnerships: The foundation explicitly seeks "innovative approaches across government, local communities, and private and philanthropic sectors." If your organization is working in coalition with existing Walton grantees, this strengthens your positioning.
Community voices: The foundation's 2021-2025 strategy emphasizes "Champion community-driven change" and ensuring their work "reflects voices and needs of served communities." Organizations that center community leadership and demonstrate community-driven approaches align with their values.
Research their staff: With program-specific directors for Education, Environment, and Home Region, understanding who oversees your area of work can help inform your approach. Staff information is available on their website.
Sector visibility: Maintain visibility in K-12 education reform, conservation, or Northwest Arkansas/Delta community development circles where foundation staff and board members are active.

Decision Timeline

LOI to Response: Timeframe not specified, but foundation responds to letters of inquiry regarding project relevance
Full Proposal to Decision: 2-3 months after invitation to submit (based on historical Charter School Program data)
Overall Process: Applicants should expect several months from initial inquiry to final decision
Notification: Foundation staff communicates decisions directly to applicants

Success Rates

Overall: Highly competitive - only 16% of grants went to new grantees over the last three years
Charter School Program (historical example): 14 schools selected from 250+ applicants (approximately 6% success rate)
Invitation vs. Funding: Even organizations invited to submit full proposals face competition, as the foundation receives more solicited proposals than it can fund
Grant Volume: In 2023, the foundation made 1,125 awards; in 2022, 1,139 awards

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies are not publicly documented. However, the foundation's transparent grants database and their emphasis on "transformational relationships" with proven grantees suggests:

Organizations should demonstrate learning from any previous unsuccessful attempts
Timing of reapplication should consider the foundation's strategic priorities and program cycles
Building relationships and refining strategic alignment before reapplying is advisable

Application Success Factors

Based on foundation statements, strategic priorities, and grantmaking patterns:

Strategic Alignment is Essential

"Strategic alignment is non-negotiable - work must clearly fit within K-12 education, environment (specifically rivers/oceans), or Northwest Arkansas/Arkansas-Mississippi Delta" (Walton Family Foundation communications)
Review their specific program initiatives carefully and articulate precise alignment in your LOI

Community-Driven Approach

The foundation's 2021-2025 strategy prioritizes "Champion community-driven change" to "ensure foundation work reflects voices and needs of served communities"
Demonstrate how your organization centers community voices and leadership
Show evidence that your proposed project is driven by community needs, not imposed externally

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

One of three core priorities in the strategic plan is "Prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion" in grants and stakeholder engagement
Explicitly address how your organization and proposed work advance DEI
Demonstrate diverse leadership and community participation

Collaborative Partnerships

The foundation seeks to "Collaborate with partners" bringing together "government, local communities, private sector, and philanthropic organizations"
Highlight existing partnerships and collaborative approaches
Show how funding would strengthen or enable broader ecosystem change, not just support a single organization

Economic and Business Alignment

For environmental work: "The foundation believes that conservation solutions that make economic sense stand the test of time"
Demonstrate sustainability beyond grant funding
Show how conservation or educational innovations create economic value for communities

Innovation and Breakthrough Approaches

Education priority includes "breakthrough innovations removing barriers"
Highlight what makes your approach innovative or scalable
Show evidence of outcomes, not just activities

Proven Track Record

With only 16% new grantees, the foundation favors organizations with demonstrated results
Include strong evidence of past success and impact
Provide rigorous performance measures (required for all invited proposals)

Recent Grant Examples to Study:

NPR ($1 million, 2024): Expansion of Collaborative Journalism Network and environmental justice coverage
Boston College ($2.225 million): Transform K-12 education nationwide focusing on student engagement and teacher well-being
Environmental Defense Fund, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Foundation, Water Foundation (environment grantees)
Teach for America, TNTP (education grantees)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No unsolicited proposals accepted - This is the most important factor. Do not send unsolicited proposals. The only pathway is through letter of inquiry (LOI) or invitation, with one exception for charter school developers.
Relationship-building is essential - With only 16% of grants going to new grantees, networking and visibility in the foundation's focus areas is critical before approaching them.
Strategic alignment is non-negotiable - Your work must fit precisely within K-12 education, environment (rivers/oceans/coastal), or Northwest Arkansas/Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. Adjacent work or broader missions will not be competitive.
Use their grants database strategically - The foundation maintains a transparent database of nearly all grants since founding. Study their patterns, grant sizes, and funded organizations in your area to refine your approach and identify potential partners.
Emphasize community voice and DEI - The current strategic plan explicitly prioritizes community-driven change and diversity, equity, and inclusion. These must be central to your proposal narrative, not add-ons.
Collaborative approaches win - The foundation seeks "innovative approaches across government, local communities, and private and philanthropic sectors." Solo organizational work is less competitive than collaborative, ecosystem-level change strategies.
Prove impact with rigorous measures - Performance measurement guides are required for invited proposals. Organizations must demonstrate outcomes-focused evaluation capabilities and track records of measurable results.

References

Information accessed December 2025