Walmart commits $5 million to Northwest Arkansas racial equity efforts 

To continue building a Northwest Arkansas where everyone feels welcome, Walmart announced a 3-year, $5 million investment in regional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Walmart generates roughly $1 million of revenue each minute of every day through its global operations.

The $5 million investment follows a $100 million commitment over five years the company announced in 2020 with its Center for Racial Equity that is focused on eradicating systematic disparities experienced by African American communities in the U.S. social systems of finance, health, education and criminal justice.

The company said the new commitment also builds upon Walmart Foundation’s funding of TrueNWA, a 3-year pilot to train, report, uplift and engage the community in equity and inclusion. Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will support programs that help nonprofits and government leaders advance in their diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) work.

The commitment will support local organizations in developing and implementing DEI and bridge building initiatives to foster equitable access to resources in the region. Investments will aim to build a pipeline of inclusive leadership in NWA and focus on increasing representation of Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ leaders.