The Rob Walton Foundation
The Rob Walton Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2016 by S. Robson Walton (former chairman of Walmart) and his wife Melani. Based in Bentonville, Arkansas, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization committed to large-scale philanthropic work with a focus on conservation, sustainability, and community impact.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$441.2M
+2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$107.1M
+35.6% YoY
Grant Count
61
-21.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.8M
+73.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Rob Walton Foundation reported a distributable amount of $23.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to "elevate people, planet, and purpose by changing what people feel is possible and know is doable."
The foundation seeks partners who focus on:
- Essential and interconnected elements of sustaining life
- Advancing all forms of knowledge
- Promoting understanding of healing
- Increasing the sustainability of people and planet
Primary funding areas include:
- Environmental conservation and biodiversity protection
- Education
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Human services
- Community well-being and sustainability solutions
Grantmaking
The foundation primarily makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Limited information is available about direct contact methods for unsolicited proposals. Organizations may submit initial inquiries through the foundation's website if projects align with the mission.
Grant Range
$500 to $33,863,725
Average Grant
approximately $3,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has primary geographic focus areas including:
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Canada
- International conservation efforts, particularly in Africa
The foundation supports projects across numerous U.S. states and internationally, with a broad geographic reach in its funding efforts.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $441,215,835 (2024)
- Total assets: $430 million (2023)
- Total revenues: $125,815,076 (2024)
- Total expenses: $114,639,549 (2024)
- Total giving: $107,144,912 (2024)
Staffing:
- 3-5 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $441,215,835 | $430,040,308 | $470,822,935 |
| Revenue | $125,815,076 | $44,639,680 | $-6,803,881 |
| Expenses | $114,639,549 | $85,422,307 | $63,429,826 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $108,474,094 | $79,683,037 | $59,816,448 |
| Net Investment Income | $121,417,969 | $40,338,155 | $8,881,909 |
| Distributable Amount | $23,389,455 | $24,961,460 | $28,656,448 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Conservation International Foundation ($24,572,723), Arizona State University Foundation for A New American University ($8,000,000), African Parks Foundation of America ($5,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| African Parks Foundation of America Washington, DC | To support establishing a Conservation Academy | $1,110,080 |
| African Parks Foundation of America Washington, DC | To support African Parks Incubation Program: Scaling Through Partnerships | $4,805,998 |
| African Parks Foundation of America Washington, DC | To provide operational support for the development and management of national parks and key conservation areas in Africa. | $5,000,000 |
| African Parks Foundation of America Washington, DC | To support important conservation in Africa, including Rewilding of Key Species | $3,500,000 |
| American Friends of the Bugatti Trust Inc Dedham, MA | To support general operations | $5,000 |
| Arizona Aerospace Foundation Inc Tucson, AZ | To support Tucson Military Vehicle Museum | $300,000 |
| Arizona Science Center Phoenix, AZ | To support general operations | $25,000 |
| Arizona State University Foundation for A New American University Tempe, AZ | To support School of Conservation Futures and related programs | $8,000,000 |
| Arkansas Community Foundation Inc Little Rock, AR | Social Services Support | $15,000 |
| Aspen Center for Environmental Studies Aspen, CO | To support general operations | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Duko Hopman: Executive Director
- Rob Walton: Founder; appointed Chair of African Parks Foundation of America
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Rob Walton was appointed Chair of African Parks Foundation of America
Rob Appointed Chair of African Parks Foundation of America \u2014 Rob Walton\The Rob and Melani Walton Foundation made a transformational gift to African Parks to preserve 30 million hectares of biodiversity and bolster sustainability in Africa
Rob Appointed Chair of African Parks Foundation of America \u2014 Rob Walton\The foundation committed to supporting America's Great Rivers
Foundation Commits to America's Great RiversA $115 million gift was announced to establish the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures at Arizona State University
$115 million gift will establish Rob Walton School of Conservation FuturesSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Rob Walton Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to "elevate people, planet, and purpose by changing what people feel is possible and know is doable." The foundation seeks partners who focus on: • Essential and interconnected elements of sustaining life • Advancing all forms of knowledge • Promoting understanding of healing • Increasing the sustainability of people and planet Primary funding areas include: • Environmental conservation and biodiversity protection • Education • Philanthropy and grantmaking • Human se…
How do I apply for a grant from The Rob Walton Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 78-85 grants annually in recent years (79 grants in 2023, 85 in 2022) • Grant range: $500 to $33,863,725 • Average grant size: approximately $3,000 • Total annual giving: $78.1 million (2023), $107.1 million (2024) **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation: $33,863,725 • Conservation International: $24,572,723 • Wildlife Conservation Society: $9,328,315 **Application Process:** The foundation primarily makes contributions t…
Where does The Rob Walton Foundation make grants?
The foundation has primary geographic focus areas including: • Arizona • Arkansas • Colorado • District of Columbia • Canada • International conservation efforts, particularly in Africa The foundation supports projects across numerous U.S. states and internationally, with a broad geographic reach in its funding efforts.
What size grants does The Rob Walton Foundation award?
In 2024, The Rob Walton Foundation awarded 61 grants totaling $107.1M — an average of about $1.8M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Rob Walton Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Rob Walton Foundation reported a distributable amount of $23.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Rob Walton Foundation's EIN?
The Rob Walton Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4259772. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Rob Walton Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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