Students are more likely to enjoy school when learning feels meaningful, they have strong relationships with adults, and they feel a sense of belonging. The fourth annual Walton Family Foundation and Gallup Voices of Gen Z Study finds that students with the strongest experiences of engagement, support and belonging are far more likely to feel prepared for the future than those with the fewest, 81% compared with 27%.
New research from the Walton Family Foundation and Gallup finds that extreme weather is straining the community conditions that help people build better futures, including jobs, housing, trusted neighbors and natural spaces.
A new Morning Consult poll commissioned by the Walton Family Foundation finds that Americans across the Colorado River Basin are deeply concerned about the impacts of drought and strongly support action to protect the region's water future. Nearly 9 in 10 voters are concerned about risks including wildfires, threats to clean drinking water and declining water levels in the Colorado River. Most also say addressing these challenges is an important personal priority and believe federal and state leaders should make water security a priority this year.
This practical guide helps small, community-based nonprofits understand how artificial intelligence can strengthen fundraising while keeping relationship-building at the center of their work. Designed for nonprofit leaders and fundraising professionals—particularly those in conservation—it offers guidance on organizational readiness, AI policies, fundraising workflows, recommended tools, and seven interactive prompts that can be used with popular AI platforms to support planning, donor engagement, and communications. The guide was prepared by Strategic By Nature and Virga Labs in partnership with the Walton Family Foundation.
The river that built the American West has run out of time. But the resourcefulness that built the American West is far from running dry. This report examines the biggest challenges to the Colorado River Basin, based on interviews with subject matter experts, reviews of scientific and news articles, and data provided by the Water Resilience Coalition. It also addresses the most promising strategies to mitigate them. Drawing on recent research and insights about ecology, water management and technology, it looks past the zerosum game of fighting over water allocations, and zeroes in on the emerging methods to keep the river running, together.
A new report from Gallup and Making Caring Common, a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, finds that Gen Z wants work that makes a positive difference in the world. Eight in 10 young people hope their future job will focus on helping others, and 72% say helping others outside of work is important.
A new Walton Family Foundation-Gallup survey finds that many teachers are managing growing demands with limited clarity and support. Fewer than half say expectations for teaching excellence are fully realistic, and 77% of teachers facing unrealistic expectations report frequent burnout.
The Delta region of Arkansas and Mississippi holds enormous potential, but has experienced generations of underinvestment and systemic barriers to opportunity. Through 2030, the Walton Family Foundation's Home Region Program will invest in initiatives that ensure all students have access to a high-quality education, help residents build assets and economic mobility and strengthen the capacity of local leaders and community-driven solutions.
