Walmart heiress Alice Walton has made a significant impact with her charitable giving, having donated an estimated $1.5 billion to various causes throughout her lifetime. Her most recent charitable gift was reported as $390 million through her Fort Worth, Texas-based Art Bridges Foundation, with a substantial portion going towards funding the new Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville, Arkansas. This contribution has solidified Walton’s position as one of the 30 biggest lifetime givers in the United States and the 26th most generous philanthropist.
The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is currently seeking accreditation to offer a unique medical education program that integrates the arts, humanities, and whole health principles. Set to open in 2025, the school will be housed in a 154,000-square-foot facility connected to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, a high-profile philanthropic endeavor supported by Walton’s foundation. The museum, founded by Walton after recognizing a need for such an institution in her family’s hometown, features works by renowned artists like Andy Warhol and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Alice Walton, with an estimated net worth of $91.3 billion, has devoted a significant portion of her wealth to philanthropy. Over the past decade, she has channeled more than $5.7 billion into five family charitable foundations, supporting causes such as education reform, environmental conservation, and the Bentonville region. Additionally, her Art Bridges Foundation has spent over $490 million acquiring and loaning out American artworks to museums across the country, including prestigious institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Despite her substantial giving, there are potentially more donations that are unaccounted for, including $2.3 billion in Walmart stock gifts that Forbes was unable to trace to their charitable recipients. Some of this stock may have been channeled into donor advised funds (DAFs), which do not require disclosure of contributors or immediate philanthropic use of assets. As a result, some of Walton’s donations made through DAFs may not be included in her lifetime giving total. However, she continues to ramp up her philanthropic efforts and is actively involved in various organizations focusing on the arts, health, and well-being.
Looking ahead, Walton seems eager to expand her philanthropic work and deepen her involvement in organizations promoting the arts and health. In a press release announcing her retirement as chair of the Crystal Bridges museum in 2021, she expressed her desire to focus more fully on her board chair roles at these entities. With her generous contributions and commitment to making a positive impact, Alice Walton is poised to continue making a significant difference in the philanthropic landscape for years to come.
