The Walmart Foundation is a charitable organization connected to the Walmart retail company. Formed in 1982, the focus of the Foundation is addressing social issues and making a positive impact on communities; it collaborates with local communities, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholders to address pressing challenges and contribute to the overall well-being of society.

Both the Foundation and Walmart (the company) provide grants. The Foundation oversees numerous initiatives, programs, and grant opportunities designed to assist with:

• Strengthening communities
• Increased sustainability practices
• Create opportunities in education and the workforce
• Improved health and nutrition
• Criminal justice reform
• Racial equity

Examples of philanthropy in the education and workforce area:

• Equity in Education and Workforce Mobility: Walmart partners with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and supports nontraditional pathways to careers through skill development and credentials.
  • The inaugural HBCU Student Summit hosted by Walmart and Sam’s Club provides professional development workshops and interview opportunities for HBCU students.
  • Walmart Makers Studio takes elements of a festival to HBCU campuses, educating and inspiring students in areas like education, leadership, entrepreneurship, health, and financial literacy.
  • Walmart sponsors events like the HBCU New York Football Classic and brings HBCU merchandise to stores.
  • The Foundation engages with North Carolina A&T State University through the Equity in Education Initiative and support non-degree credentialing programs.
• Workforce Training: Walmart and the Walmart Foundation award grants to organizations working on workforce training. Examples:
  • Support to the California Community Colleges to launch an online community college for adult learners.
  • Support to edX for “MicroBachelors” programs.
  • Support workforce initiatives, including expanding the Racial Economic Equity Initiative and co-designing a community-based research agenda with Jobs for the Future (JFF).
  • Support to initiatives of Talent Pipeline Management (TPM), the T3 Innovation Network, and Talent Finance, which address workforce challenges related to skills development, data-driven job matching, and affordable education and skills training.
• Participation in Collaborative Funding: Walmart participates in philanthropic coalitions.
  • Supports SkillsFWD, an initiative aimed at advancing skills-based hiring and economic mobility. SkillsFWD is an initiative managed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors with funding support from various organizations. Its goal is to catalyze a more equitable skills-based hiring ecosystem by leveraging Learning and Employment Records (LERs). LERs are digital records that capture an individual’s skills, experience, and qualifications beyond traditional college degrees.
  • Supported the Bendable library initiative in Indiana. Launched in 2020, the initiative received philanthropic funding from Google’s and Walmart’s corporate foundations, and from Lumina Foundation. Bendable's lifelong learning approach provides online and in-person tailored learning opportunities to library patrons through a browser-based app.
  • Supported the national Credential As You Go initiative, enabling the federally-supported initiative to expand the Credential As You Go network and build tools and playbooks to accelerate incremental credentialing.
• Local grants from Walmart U.S. stores, Sam’s Clubs, and Distribution Centers: Award local cash grants ranging ($250 to $5,000) to address unique community needs.

Resources

Advancing Sustainability

Tools and Resources

Grant Eligibility 

Center for Racial Equity

Community Programs