Funding TO UNIVERSITIES by the Walton Family Foundation

The Walton Family is a notable family of entrepreneurs whose collective fortune – it is reported – makes them the wealthiest family in the United States.  Their fortune stems from the WalMart retail business, founded by Sam and Helen Walton.  Established in 1987, the Walton Family Foundation is one of the top US family funds and in 2019 it distributed $525m in grants. 

The three core areas of funding are education (pre-university), environment (notably maritime and ocean conservation) and a geographic focus on the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta region, the home region of the Walton Family. Over the five reported years between 2014-18, universities received around 7% of all Walton giving, with most funding going to universities in the United States. However, recently funding has been awarded to some non-US institutions. According to our study of Walton Family Foundation university funding:

• $144m was awarded to 125 universities between 2014-18.

• 99% of its university disbursements went to US higher education institutions. 

• The University of Arkansas is the single biggest recipient of Walton Family Foundation receiving $17.3m between 2014-18.

• Arizona State University has received $16.3m while University of the Ozarks received $10.8m.

• In 2016 the Foundation appeared to begin funding universities outside the US, although it has been funding other non-profit organisations internationally before then.

• Four universities have so far received Walton Family funding. It appears all four received funding for maritime / ocean conservation initiatives:

  • Pontifica Universidad Catolica - $500k in support of maritime conservation research.

  • Stockholm University - $472k in support of its Stockholm Resilience Centre and the Seafood Business for Ocean Stewardship initiative.

  • University of Amsterdam - $200k for undisclosed projects.

  • Memorial University of Newfoundland - $55k for hosting the World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress.