Buffett Foundation, Susan Thompson (fka Buffett Foundation)

Overview: This is the family foundation of Warren Buffett, the second wealthiest man in the US and one of the wealthiest men in the world. Recently, Susan Buffett, president of the foundation, women's rights advocate, and Warren's spouse died. She left $2 billion to the foundation which will take about two years to adjudicate.

Due to gifts received exceeding $2.6 billion, at the close of 2007, the market value of the foundation's assets totaled $3.9 billion, a substantial increase over 2006's value ($457.6 million).

Though it plans few changes to its programs, the foundation has dropped its limit on how many qualified students can receive funds through the Susan Thompson Buffett Scholarship program for low-income Nebraska students, reflecting the sizable increase in assets it received after Susan Buffett's death in 2004.

NOTE: The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation is Warren Buffett's family foundation. The Susan A. Buffett Foundation belongs to his daughter. There is a small ($12,000/annum), New Mexico-based Buffett Foundation and never has been a Warren Buffett or Berkshire Hathaway Foundation.

The foundation has three primary interests:

1) National -- family planning and access to abortion and reproductive health services. The foundation awards grants to chapters of Planned Parenthood like most foundations award grants to affiliates of United Way or the Red Cross. More than 100 PP affiliates received grants ranging from $5,000 to $500,000 during the last three years.

2) Local -- support for youth education and youth/young adult related institutions.

3) Scholarships -- a college scholarship fund for Omaha and Nebraska students.

• Diseases/Disabilities General:
• Education, Classroom Teaching and Learning:
• Education, Higher Education:
• Health Care:
• Health Care, Access:
• Health Care, Prenatal Care:
• Health Policy:
• Health, Global Health & Infectious Diseases:
• Reproductive Health, Family Planning:
• Reproductive Health, Reproductive Rights:
• Reproductive Health, Sexual Health:
• Women & Public Policy:
• Women's Health:
• Women, centers/services:
• Youth Development, Centers/Clubs:
• Youth/Teen Pregnancy Prevention:

Sample Grants
$ 42,640 to Abortion Access Project , Cambridge , MA
$ 100,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Dalton-Whitfield County , Dalton , GA
$ 457,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Omaha , Omaha , NE
$ 71,000 to Downtown Tomorrow , Kalamazoo , MI
$ 140,000 to Engenderhealth , New York , NY
$ 1,178,148 to Family Health International , Research Triangle Park , NC
$ 497,532 to Girls Inc. of Omaha , Omaha , NE
$ 10,000 to Homeless Prenatal Program , CA
$ 170,943 to Johns Hopkins Community Physicians , Baltimore , MD
$ 456,305 to Magee-Womens Health Foundation , Pittsburgh , PA For research
$ 200,000 to Medical Students for Choice , Oakland , CA
$ 300,000 to Milwaukee Center for Independence , Milwaukee , WI
$ 10,300 to Ms. Foundation for Women , New York , NY
$ 170,000 to National Abortion Federation , Washington , DC
$ 575,000 to National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors , Washington , DC
$ 250,000 to National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy , Washington , DC
$ 10,000 to New Rhythms Foundation , Tiburon , CA Aging; Art & music therapy; Mentally disabled; Performing arts, music
$ 10,384 to Northeast Community College , Norfolk , NE
$ 50,000 to Ounce of Prevention Fund , Chicago , IL
$ 267,357 to Planned Parenthood Association of Southwest and Central Florida , Sarasota , FL
$ 250,000 to Planned Parenthood of Alaska , Anchorage , AK
$ 75,000 to Planned Parenthood of Minnesota and South Dakota , Saint Paul , MN
$ 352,000 to Planned Parenthood of San Diego & Riverside , San Diego , CA
$ 28,000 to Planned Parenthood of Shasta-Diablo , Concord , CA
$ 700,000 to Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice , Washington , DC
$ 250,000 to Second Chance Foundation (NE) , Omaha , NE
$ 10,000 to Shanti , San Francisco , CA
$ 100,000 to United Methodist Community Centers , Omaha , NE
$ 10,000 to United for a Fair Economy , Boston , MA
$ 15,140 to University of Alabama , Tuscaloosa , AL
$ 55,000 to University of Puerto Rico , Cayey , PR
$ 75,000 to Womens Commission for Refugee Women and Children , New York , NY

Application Procedures:: Applications for college scholarships are accepted from residents of the state of Nebraska who are either graduating high school seniors or are undergraduate students who have not already earned a bachelor's degree. Applicants must be attending or applying to a Nebraska state public school, be in need of financial assistance, and have maintained a minimum 2.5 GPA throughout high school. College scholarship applications can be found online at: Scholarship Application

Nominations for the Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award may be submitted online at: Nomination Form

No other requests or inquiries will be responded to. However, the foundation does seem to award several grants every year to new recipients. A short letter of inquiry (or several), to executive director Allen Greenberg would be a worthwhile investment, especially for organizations interested in reproductive rights and services.

Grants Paid

2002 ($33,406,132 )

2003 ($29,946,000 )

2004 ($35,644,506 )

2005 ($59,683,343 )

2006 ($100,229,020 )

2008 ($347,911,661 )

  ← back | ↑ top

©2006 Access Philanthropy
2100 Stevens Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55404
phone: 612-886-1362 • 4info@accessphilanthropy.com