Alice Walton reclaimed her spot as the world's richest woman even after opening her wallet in a big way. The Walmart heiress, who sits in the 18th spot on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with a $100 billion estimated net worth, gave out $390 million in the year ending Sept. 30, 2023, through her Texas-based Art Bridges Foundation, with $249 million of that total going to fund a medical school in the Walton family's hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, Forbes reports, citing a recent tax return. The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, as it is now known, plans to offer a four-year MD program when it opens next year.
Walton's largest single donation raises the only daughter of Walmart cofounder Sam Walton to the title of America's "26th-most generous philanthropist," having donated at least $1.5 billion to charities over the course of her life, according to Forbes. In 2023, Walton's foundation also donated $30 million to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, which is linked to the 154,000-square-foot medical school by woodland trails. Walton is credited with founding the museum, which showcases her $500 million private art collection, and chaired its board for a decade up until 2021.
At 74, Walton "appears to be just getting started with her personal philanthropy," per Forbes, noting she's put "more than $5.7 billion into five family charitable foundations that have so far doled out nearly a quarter of that total." Her wealth has grown by $30 billion this year alone, owing to a 54% increase in Walmart's stock price, per Business Insider. She's thought to own more than 11% of Walmart shares, according to the outlet, which lists many of Walton's other donations in recent years. (More Alice Walton stories.)
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