Walmart teams up with customers for local holiday giving program

Walmart has launched a new charitable initiative.

The retail giant’s Spark Good Round Up holiday campaign, part of its new Spark Good giving program, will support local organizations across the country with up to $5 million going to nonprofits this holiday season. The initiative, running from between Nov. 25 and Dec. 25, will give Walmart customers the opportunity to round up purchases, then donate the change to a favorite charity while shopping on Walmart.com and the Walmart app.  

The retailer will match customer contributions on a one-to-one basis up to $1 million. In addition, Walmart is awarding up to 3,000 nonprofits a $1,000 grant when they receive 20 or more Spark Good Round Up donations. The total contribution will be up to $3 million.

The Spark Good Round Up campaign has a number of nonprofits — big and small — for customers to choose. But if a customer can’t find the local cause they want to support, they can send a referral link directly to the 501(c)(3) of their choice.

Walmart unveiled its Spark Good program in September. It brings retailer’s suite of giving resources under one umbrella on Walmart.com, providing easy access to programs and tools for nonprofits while empowering customers and associates to rally support for the causes that matter most to them.

“Last year, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $1.5 billion in cash and in-kind donations to organizations around the world,” said Erin Hogue, a senior director of associate and customer engagement at Walmart. “Giving is in our DNA and it’s clear our customers feel the same. With this $5 million campaign, we’re not only amplifying our customers’ acts of giving through matching donations and grants, we’re also allowing our customers to tell us where they’d like the dollars to go.”

The Spark Good program includes a registry, where public charities can create and manage registries for products they want and need, making it easier for customers to ensure their giving supports areas that will make the greatest impact.