7 Green Philanthropists Making a Difference, $1 Million at a Time
5. Robert Wilson
Photo via Rare
What He Gives: More than $300 million as of April 2009How He Made It: The old-fashioned way: on Wall Street. This retired hedge fund manager was a whiz at short selling, turning a $15,000 investment into an $800 million fortune in about 40 years.
Where He Spends It: Robert Wilson told Portfolio in 2007 that his "aim is to give away 70 percent of my net worth before I die," and he's on the right track: that year, he donated $22 million to the Nature Conservancy and $13.6 million to the Wildlife Conservation Society along with other gifts to the World Monuments Fund and the Environmental Defense Fund. "My primary interest has been conservation," he said, "the idea that but for my money, this building or piece of land or that animal would be gone." Last year, he partnered with the non-profit Rare conservation organization for a fundraising challenge where he promised to match the highest 2009 donation--$6.1 million--by 100 percent.
6. Donald Bren
Photo via Business Week
What He Gives: More than $1.3 billion as of 2008How He Made It: Three words: Location, location, location. Donald Bren has spent nearly five decades in California real estate, from planning and building to long-term investing. As the Los Angeles Times put it, "Orange County looks like Orange County--much of it uniformly manicured and catering to the high life and high tech--because of the influence of Bren."
Where He Spends It: Real estate and conservation don't always seem like they'd go together, but Bren's been active in both: in 1988, his Irvine Company contracted with the city to set aside permanent green space, and, in the '90s, worked with the Nature Conservancy to protect and preserve 50,000 acres of land on Irvine Ranch. He also donates to public schools and enrichment programs, and provides faculty endowments at the University of California.
7. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
Photo via The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
What They Give: About $785 million in grants in 2008How They Made It: William's the Hewlett in Hewlett-Packard, which had its first big success in 1940 with the audio oscillator--and stayed at the forefront of new technologies with computers, printers, laptops, and more. Flora died in 1977 and William in 2001, but the foundation they created in 1966 is still a major philanthropic influence.
Where They Spend It: From its headquarters in California's first LEED Gold-certified building, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation puts environmental and social issues at the top of its priority list with grants that protect ecosystems and slow climate change and others that fund educational programs locally or internationally. Recent recipients include the National Resources Defense Council, Trout Unlimited, and the International Sustainable Systems Research Center.
More About Green Giving
What are the Top Rated Charities?
Encourage Young Do-Gooders with MarkMakers
Help for Haiti Earthquake Aftermath. Giving Green.
