Giving away a fortune: What could Warren Buffett's adult children support?
OMAHA, Neb.-- Warren Buffett's adult children — Susie, Howard and Peter Buffett — have long track records as philanthropists, giving away more than $15 billion of their dad's money through their foundations since 2006.
But because they don’t habitually seek publicity about their donations, they've flown under the radar as a force within philanthropy.Now that their father has entrusted them to donate the rest of his fortune following his death, the next generation of Buffetts is poised to become one of the largest donors in the country, tasked with giving away around $144 billion, by today's estimates, within 10 years.The next generation of Buffetts have supported different causes over the years, but their foundations share some characteristics.
They operate with small staffs and when they have spoken publicly about their giving, they talk about taking risks to confront hard problems or fund ventures others might not.The work of the family's foundations may offer some insight into what they might support and how they might operate when the time comes to give away their fortune.Named after Warren Buffett's first wife, it has donated $8.4 billion mainly to reproductive health care organizations, according to the charitable grants database Candid.It also funds access to abortion and contraception, granting hundreds of millions over the years to Planned Parenthood affiliates, the National Abortion Federation, and Population Services International, which works outside the U.S.
The foundation has faced criticism from some in the field of reproductive justice who say funding anonymously without a public grant application process perpetuates inequities.Essentially, those who have connections get funded and those who don't, do not.
The foundation did not respond to an Associated Press request for comment.Susie Buffett's ex-husband, Allen Greenberg, is the foundation's president, Susie Buffett is the board chair and Peter Buffett is a member of the board, according t...