Walton Family Foundation
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The Walton Family Foundation was established as the culmination of the philanthropic interests of the family of Sam M. and Helen R. Walton, owners of Wal-Mart. According to its website, the Foundation's three focus areas are: K-12 education reform, freshwater and marine conservation, and quality of life initiatives in the Arkansas region.[1] Much of the focus of the foundation is on the privatization of the U.S. public school system.
Contents
Small Contributions from Walton Family
The WFF's assets are less than 1.5% of the Walton's net worth.[2]
A 2014 report found that the Walton family gives surprisingly little to the Walton Family Foundation[3] . Key findings included: *Rob Walton, chairman of Walmart’s board of directors, has not made a single contribution to the Foundation.
- Alice Walton, has not given a single dollar to the Foundation.
- Jim Walton made one personal contribution of $3 million to the Walton Family Foundation, more than 15 years ago.
- The total contributions of Rob, Jim, Alice, and Christy Walton, and their family holding company to the Walton Family Foundation amount to $58.49 million, equivalent to:
- 0.04% of their net worth;
- Less than one week’s worth of the Walmart dividends they will receive this year.
- Less than the estimated value of Rob Walton’s collection of vintage sports cars.
Finances
According to its 2012 IRS Form 990 filing, the Walton Family Foundation had $581.4 million in revenue, $441.2 million in expenses, and year end assets with a fair market value of $1.999 billion.[4]
Notable 2012 Grants[5]
- $1.7 million to the Alliance for School Choice
- $325,000 to the Americans for Prosperity Foundation
- $6.15 million to the California Charter Schools Association
- 16.9 million to Charter Fund, Inc.
- $40,000 to the Institute for Humane Studies
- $525,628 to the Institute for Justice
- $11.4 million to Teach for America national
Ties to State Policy Network
The Walton Family Foundation contributed at least $600,000 to State Policy Network member Pioneer Institute between 2012-2018.[6]
Ties to Conservative Advocacy Organizations
In 2006, the New York Times reported that the Walton Family Foundation had given over $2.5 million to "prominent conservative research groups" over six years.[7] These groups, including the American Enterprise Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and the Manhattan Institute then defended the company in the press and in congressional testimony.
School Privatization Efforts
Report on WFF's Influence on School Privatization Movement (2015)
In 2015, In the Public Interest and the American Federation of Teachers released a report, "Brought to You by Walmart? How the Walton Family Foundation's Ideological Pursuit is Damaging Charter Schooling," which according to its own description "explores the radical agenda of the Walton family and the foundation it controls, and how that agenda has taken the U.S. charter school movement away from education quality in favor of a strategy focused only on growth."
Support for Washington, DC Charter Schools
According to an April 2014 New York Times article, the Walton Family Foundation has invested $80 million in education initiatives in Washington, DC, despite not opening a store there until 2013.[8] This includes $1.2 million since 2002 to the four DC Prep charter schools in the city, money to the local charter school board, vouchers for private schools, and support to an advocacy group for charter schools. The Foundation also hired Lori Drummer Armistead as an education program officer, who is the former director of public affairs and the director of the education task force at the American Legislative Exchange Council.[9]
Funding Milwaukee Charter Schools
On January 8, 2013, the Walton Family Foundation announced it had provided $1.4 million to four new charter schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In its press release, the Foundation stated it has spent $6.2 million toward launching 36 new charter schools in Milwaukee since 2001. The Walton Family Foundation is the largest private investor in new charter schools across the country.[10]
Recipients included North Point Lighthouse Charter School (4200 W. Douglas Ave.), Bruce-Guadalupe Community School (1028 and 920 S. 9th St.), Carmen High School of Science and Technology's new north side campus (5496 N. 72nd St.), and Rocketship Milwaukee, opening its first charter school at 2933 W. Cleveland Ave. in the fall of 2013.
Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, the Walton Family Foundation has donated over $84.3 million to charter schools and organizations that support them, such as Green Dot Schools, ICEF schools, and the Los Angeles Parent Union. They have also contributed $1 million to candidates or political action committees which support school privatization efforts.[11]
Support for the American Legislative Exchange Council
The Walton Family Foundation was a "Chairman" level sponsor of 2011 American Legislative Exchange Council Annual Conference, which in 2010, equated to $50,000.[12]
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Core Financials
2015[13]
- Total Revenue: $1,065,818,231
- Total Expenses: $412,081,738
- Contributions, gifts, grants paid: $373,533,421
- Net Assets: $2,003,406,082
2014[14]
- Total Revenue: $620,380,052
- Total Expenses: $388,491,933
- Contributions, gifts, grants paid: $360,527,538
- Net Assets: $1,771,517,963
2013[15]
- Total Revenue: $593,729,358
- Total Expenses: $336,040,265
- Contributions, gifts, grants paid: $311,719,212
- Net Assets: $1,513,828,870
Personnel
Board of Directors
As of June 21, 2017:[16]
- Carrie Walton Penner, Chair
- Alice L. Walton
- Ben Walton Jr.
- S. Robson Walton
- Steuart Walton
Former Board Members
- Jim C. Walton
- Samuel R. Walton
Staff
As of June 21, 2017:[17]
- Kyle Peterson, Executive Director
- Barry Gold, Environment Program Director
- Karen Minkel, Home Region Program Director
- Marc Sternberg, K-12 Education Program Director
- Marc Holley, Evaluation Unit Director
- Daphne Moore, Communications Director
- Naccaman Williams, Special Interest Program Director
- Sharon Schneider, Individually Directed Program Director
- Bob Smith, Accounting and Operations Director
Contact
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 13-3441466
Walton Family Foundation
P.O. Box 2030
Bentonville, Arkansas 72712
Phone: (479).464.1570
info@wffmail.com
Website: http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waltonfamilyfoundation
Twitter: @waltonfamilyfdn
References
- ↑ Walton Family Foundation, "About," organization website, accessed May 6, 2014.
- ↑ Walmart 1 Percent "The Phony Philanthropy of the Walmart Heirs: How the Richest Family in America Uses Their Private Foundation to Mislead the Public and Increase Their Wealth" June 2014
- ↑ Walmart 1 Percent "The Phony Philanthropy of the Walmart Heirs: How the Richest Family in America Uses Their Private Foundation to Mislead the Public and Increase Their Wealth" June 2014
- ↑ GuideStar, "IRS Form 990," organization website, accessed May 6, 2014.
- ↑ GuideStar, "IRS Form 990," organization website, accessed May 6, 2014.
- ↑ Pioneer Institute, Annual Reports, organizational website, accessed December 28, 2020.
- ↑ Michael Barbaro and Stephanie Strom, "Wal-Mart Finds an Ally in Conservatives," New York Times, September 8, 2006.
- ↑ Motoko Rich, "A Walmart Fortune, Spreading Charter Schools," New York Times, April 25, 2014.
- ↑ Walton Family Foundation, "Education Reform Staff," organization website, accessed May 6, 2014.
- ↑ Erin Richards, "Walton Foundation gives millions to new Milwaukee charter schools" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 8, 2013
- ↑ Peter Dreier, "Why Are Walmart Billionaires Bankrolling Phony School 'Reform' In LA?," Huffington Post, February 28, 2013.
- ↑ [American Legislative Exchange Council, 2011 Conference Sponsors, conference brochure on file with CMD, August 11, 2011]
- ↑ Walton Family Foundation, 2015 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, November 11, 2016.
- ↑ Walton Family Foundation, 2014 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, November 12, 2015.
- ↑ Walton Family Foundation, 2013 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, November 14, 2014.
- ↑ Walton Family Foundation, Board of Directors, organizational website, accessed June 21, 2017.
- ↑ Walton Family Foundation, Staff, organizational website, accessed June 21, 2017.
