Alice Walton, the heiress of Walmart, has given an estimated $1.5 billion to charitable causes during her lifetime. Her Fort Worth, Texas-based Art Bridges Foundation distributed $390 million in the year ending September 30, 2023, with $249 million going towards the new Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville, Arkansas, her family’s hometown. This puts her among the 30 biggest lifetime givers in the country and ranks her as America’s 26th-most generous philanthropist.
The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is seeking accreditation to offer a four-year MD program that integrates arts, humanities, and whole health principles into traditional medical education. 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, which received $30 million from Walton’s foundation in 2023. Alice Walton has played a significant role in founding Crystal Bridges and has channeled over $5.7 billion through her family’s charitable foundations.
Walton, with an estimated net worth of $91.3 billion, has been actively involved in philanthropy over the past decade, supporting causes such as education reform, the environment, and the Bentonville region. Her Art Bridges Foundation has been acquiring and loaning out American art to numerous museums around the country. While Forbes was unable to track some of Walton’s Walmart stock gifts, it is believed that she may have donated to donor-advised funds or other grant-making vehicles, which are not required to disclose their contributors or their use of assets for charitable purposes within a specific timeframe.
Despite her significant contributions so far, Alice Walton seems to be just getting started with her personal philanthropy. In a press release announcing her retirement as chairman of the Crystal Bridges museum in 2021, she expressed her intention to focus more fully on her role in other organizations that she has founded in the arts, health, and well-being sectors. Walton’s generosity and dedication to giving back to the community highlight her commitment to making a positive impact on society through her wealth and resources.
As one of the wealthiest women in America, Alice Walton continues to prioritize philanthropy as a way to support various causes and initiatives that align with her values and vision for a better world. Her contributions to the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine and other charitable endeavors reflect her passion for promoting education, health, and the arts, while also making a difference in the lives of individuals and communities in need. Moving forward, Walton’s continued involvement in philanthropy is expected to have a lasting and meaningful impact on the organizations and causes she supports.
