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Houston Billionaires Rich and Nancy Kinder Pledge 95% of $11 Billion Fortune to Local Causes

The longtime patrons of Houston will route the giving through the Kinder Foundation with a focus on parks, arts, education, plus health care.

Overview

  • The couple confirmed the plan in an interview with ABC13, saying they intend to give most of their wealth during their lifetimes and through their estate.
  • Forbes’ real-time tracker puts their combined net worth at about $11.3 billion, placing them among the nation’s wealthiest couples.
  • The Kinder Foundation reports more than $621.4 million distributed from over $850 million in committed grants as of December 31, 2024, with total contributions in southeast Texas exceeding $900 million.
  • The announcement coincides with a newly detailed $18.5 million project to expand Emancipation Park in Houston’s Third Ward.
  • Past marquee gifts include Discovery Green downtown, $77 million for Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research, nearly $86 million to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and a $150 million Texas Children’s–MD Anderson pediatric cancer initiative.