Tech Rich Guys Give it Back

BusinessWeek has published a list of the 50 most generous philanthropists of 2003. With investments of nearly $23 billion into global health and education causes, there’s little surprise that Bill and Melinda Gates topped the list. The article revealed, however, that during this year the Gateses gave away over half their family’s wealth. Cynics of course will grumble that for them, $23 billion is chicken feed. Perhaps, but that chicken feed is significantly greater than the combined sum donated by the other 49 philanthropic families. I’ve written recently about the Gates Foundation and so that’s not what this article is about.

It's more that 16 of the 50 largest family fortunes being redistributed to seemingly worthy causes was amassed by technology community players. About one-third of the 50 largest philanthropists are from the tech sector. Many of the names like Gordon Moore (#2) and Michael Dell (#6) are people who amassed enormous wealth by perceiving, developing and distributing technologies that have changed the world. Now they get to change it again by giving some of it back. BusinessWeek observes tech sector philanthropists are more hands-on than previous moguls who traditionally let their fortunes gather gather dust until they did the same. The new philanthropists, BusinessWeek says, would rather manage their bequests as they managed companies, demanding ROI, thus redefining the nature of non-profit fund management. All this seems to me to be a good thing.

In addition to the Gateses, the 15 tech philanthropists are:

Gordon and Betty Moore, $7 billion to conservation and education; Dr. Moore, an Intel co-founder is father of Moore’s Law; Michael and Susan Dell, this year donated $1.25 billion to children’s health; Patrick McGovern, founder of IDG and his wife Lore, $351 million to brain research; Jeff Skoll, ex-president of eBay, $347 million to social services; Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder, Vulcan Ventures co-founder and Portland Trailblazers owner, $317 million to art and culture; Bill Coleman BEA systems co-founder and wife Claudia, $252 million to cognitive disabilities; Irwin Jacobs, Qualcomm co-founder and his wife Joan, $226 million to the arts and education; Pierre Omidyar founder of eBay and wife Pam, $214 million to building communities; David Duffield, Peoplesoft co-founder and his wife Cheryl, $152 million to animals, humane societies and education; Henry Samueli, Broadcom chairman & founder, $150 million to the arts; Jim Barksdale, Netscape co-founder and his wife Sally, $110 million to Mississippi education and literacy; Philip Berber, CyberCorp.com and his wife Donna, $102 million for Ethiopian anti poverty programs; and Jim Clark, Netscape co-founder whose $95 million for biomedical engineering earned him the 50th spot on the list.

If any are looking for new areas in need, I’d like to discuss subsidizing needy bloggers.

Comments

[VINCENT]

I am down in my kness begging for someone to sponsor for my university education in USA (Mississippi).Kindly please help me,i am financially handicaped.Thanks and may God bless you.

[TOO]

My uncle who was sponsoring me in education died in a road accident and i have applied for a University in USA who have offered me quater(1/4) scholarship,i am kindly looking for someone who can sponsor me the remaining three quater(3/4).May God bless you.

[KIPKOECH]

Praise God,i know you might be busy but please go through this humble request and God whom i serve will bless you.I am a Kenyan from a family of six.I have passed through turbulence in my life that i want to share with you.I have faced land clashes (war erupting because of land dispute),drought and floods.All this left my parents poor because the little we could save from farming have been used to cater for basic needs in the family.I had to move to my uncle's house so that he can pay for my school fees,though i could work almost the all day after school in his farm but i thank God i finished secondary school education.However my uncle died recently in a road accident and my eduction dream went off.But in God i trust that there is always a way out.I applied for admission in a University in USA and admission process is in progress.I requested for scholarship hoping that they could give me full scholarship but they gave me quarter(1/4).The annual fees is $14000 but i was given $4000.On top of that i was told to pay $30 application fee and $500 advanced tuition fee of which sincerely i am unable to pay.So kindly i beg,please if you don't mind then sponsor me the much you can even if you pay me application fee,i will appreciate.The bible says blessed is he who gives than he who receives.God will reward and bless you so much.I know you might have been receiving such e-mails and some at times looks suspicious.But i wish to distance myself from that group by giving you permission to communicate with the school .Kindly you are my last hope,please help me,i beg that you do me this favor.
Thanks in advance and may God bless you so much.I hope to hear from you soon.

[Njoroge]

Kipkoech, get in touch with me

[Thushantha Indrajith Perera]

Hi I am Thushantha Indrajith Perera from Sri Lanka.I am married had bay chilled .My family is five members only. My wife, Bay doter, father, fartheringlow & my self. I am unemployed at now. I am 29 years old. I won’t buy land and built house. That is my manly target but I wont money for thise poupers for me and I would like start my owne bussines in my futher life.If any rich person in any country help for me. please contact me My email address thushan_indrajith@yahoo.com or my contact mobile number :+9477 6044015.I am wating for kind of person for helep thise matter.

Best Regards,
H.D.T.I.Perera.

[Nick Wheeley]

I am a full time care worker and whilst I spend my days looking after everyone else's needs I am not able to financially manage for myself and my daughter. I am looking for someone to kindly help me back on to my feet again. Thank you

[KIPKOECH]

I once again want to beg for your assistance,i have my details above(may 12,2007)i am still waiting for a sponsor.Kindly pliz help me realize my dream.My e-mail address is vincentktoo@yahoo.com.

[Catherine]

I injuried my back looking after seniors in Nov. 2004 Worksafe has turned down my appeal. I am losing the place I call home, a home I thought I would retire in.Please some-body help me.

[Catherine]

I injuried my back looking after seniors in Nov. 2004 Worksafe has turned down my appeal. I am losing the place I call home, a home I thought I would retire in.Please some-body help me.

[JJ martin]

If you feel sad, alone and would like to travel.. and of course you have got lots of money, please contact me..you'll have a great experience. THIS IS A SERIOUS AD

[cheyenne]

Hi. I am having a bit of a problem. I have a lawsuit against me and I lost. I have been at the hospital with my disabled five year old daughter for three months so far and I had to quit both of my jobs to tend to her. She is very critical but stable and we don't know when she will be able to come home. This mean I will be without a job for a while and I am left with trying to pay this payment that I can't afford right now. It will be well appreciated if I could get help from someone or organization. This has been very stressful to me and I need to be stress free to help my daughter. Thank You

[zaff103]

My daughter recently went under a brain operation to have a tumor removed. I was out of work for three months. The medical bills surmounting to over $100,000. I fallen behind on all bills, mortgage, etc. My house is hitting foreclosure. I need someone's help to get me out of debt. Please help me and my family. All of us would be grately thankful.

[KUNLE]

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET TO COLLEGE FOR LONG,BUT FOR THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS.I NEED GET MY BACHELORS

[IRUMVA Patient]

Hello I am a student in Informatics at adventist university of central africa in Rwanda,but now I do not have how to pay fees,and i need laptop for practice,my family is not able to do all that,so please if I can find someone to help me it can be well,And i hope that I will find him,God will help me,thank you,This is my cell number:+25008621852,Bye.

[jennifer l culbertson]

Ineed help how can i get my intrest rates down on my home I been paying $525.00 a month for a year and out of that $150.00 went towards the house payment the rest was intrest. I am drawing disability and trying to work a couple of hours a week HELP PLEASE

[L. NDAO]

i am a senegalese man and i am looking for a philantropist to help me financially building my house.

[greg nutter]

on 4/1/2007 i was in a bad car accident. the insurance will only cover the trama center and the hospital stay. i broke my back and have other physical problems. the lady who it me dropped her cellphone. when she went to pick it up she bent down and in the left lane caring us 10 blocks inbeded in the car. i was the sole supporter of the family. my wife had to take care of me at home do to no medical insurance. we have icecream trucks that i was working on to work the season till the accident happened. i need help to get me through and also to help my daughter in college. she is no longer going to a unniversity cause we can not afford it . but now i still don't have the 2,000.00 for the community college. please someone help i know that their are very caring people out there. i was one who donnated alot. now i am loosing so very much and i neep that special someone to help me out financialy. i still have 4 children at home who have had to change there way of life . but now it is getting to a level where we need serious help. please that special someone please help. from the heart

[greg nutter]

i just posted a message about my brfoken back and i need help. if you would like to contact me : gregnut@hotmail.com

greg nutter
p o box 1066
seabrook ,tx
77586

[samanthawesley]

Hi!! my is samanthawesley live and chicago why i`m asking for help because i cann`t affrod a car rigth not can you please help me to get a car to go to work because somebody stolen my car in i still had to pay on this car because the insure people didn`t gave me another car and i had fullcover on the car i don`t no why didn`t get another car so please help me thank you

[samanthawesley]

Hi!! my is samanthawesley live and chicago why i`m asking for help because i cann`t affrod a car rigth not can you please help me to get a car to go to work because somebody stolen my car in i still had to pay on this car because the insure people didn`t gave me another car and i had fullcover on the car i don`t no why didn`t get another car so please help me thank you

[godwin]

hi am godwin looking for help with some one who is interesting to see my achievment in this world of development inthe area of graduate school.am i Tanzania please you rich help the poor.
email; godwinkalokola@yahoo.com

[melwyn]

please sir or medam can you helpme i am begging from my heart i have nice family but all in debt i mean loan totally 10lakh indan rupees i not have money to eat sometime i think to die please save my life any body who have money because our human life is only for 2 days if i have money i can help if u have money you help me in the name of god god will bless you

[Joseph Malembela]

please,
Am a Tanzanian boy aged 21 and I need somebody to sponsor me through my University education. I recently got a place at the University of Greenwich UK but my dad cannot afford the whole cost alone. please do help me if you can am desperate!reply through my e-mail

[Joseph Malembela]

please,
Am a Tanzanian boy aged 21 and I need somebody to sponsor me through my University education. I recently got a place at the University of Greenwich UK but my dad cannot afford the whole cost alone. please do help me if you can am desperate!reply through my e-mail

[Christine]

Hi there, I'm 20 years old and have a student loan of 40 something thousand... My first bill is on october 1st and I have no job and no way to pay it. And I'm stressing out as the due date nears, I was hoping there is a thing where they pay it of so I wouldn't have to be pressured to pay right now and in turn when I do find a job, I will pay whoever paid it of so I won't be pressured and my aunt won't have to pay it because she cosigned