Dear Colleagues,

In the two months since I joined the Walton Family Foundation, I have been so impressed by the work undertaken by each of you and by the incredible caliber of the many organizations and people that our foundation partners with. Your willingness to work together to tackle significant challenges stands out. Right now, as our communities begin to address the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, we know that we may all find ourselves confronted with unanticipated challenges.

While we are all listening to news reports and hearing official guidance unfold, we understand that it may be increasingly difficult for you to carry out the essential work of your organization. We are reaching out in the hopes of being helpful. We want you to know that we expect that many of you may be concerned with aspects of your grants, including your ability to meet grant deliverables. Our program officers stand ready to be of assistance. I have asked our program team to reach out proactively, so expect to hear from them. We have many tools at our disposal to resolve issues by working together.

Like everyone, we are actively monitoring this situation and taking precautions related to our staff. For the foreseeable future, all Walton Family Foundation domestic and international staff travel is canceled. We do intend to maintain business as usual, including grantmaking, and are relying on virtual meetings to continue our work and to support that of our grantees.

We deeply appreciate your commitment and the work you do to carry out your missions, especially in trying circumstances. I look forward to collectively celebrating our impact in the future and wish you well during these trying times.

Fondly,

Caryl M. Stern

This message was distributed to Walton Family Foundation grantees on March 12, 2020.