1/9/01

Minnesotans Among Top U.S. Donors in 2000

Three individuals with Minnesota connections appear on The Chronicle of Philanthropy's list of the nation's largest charitable gifts made by individuals in 2000.

Richard and Sandra Schulze's $50 million donation to the University of Saint Thomas, St. Paul, was the 14th-largest individual gift to charity last year, according to The Chronicle. Richard Schulze is founder, chairman and CEO of Minneapolis-based Best Buy Company, Inc. The couple designated their gift for the university's entrepreneurial education programs, scholarships and the School of Law, which is scheduled to open in 2001.

The Schulzes' gift shared 14th place with four other $50 million gifts, including a donation by Billy Joe (Red) McCombs, owner of the Minnesota Vikings. Last year McCombs contributed $50 million to the Business School at the University of Texas at Austin. The university has renamed the school after McCombs.

The largest individuals donations in 2000 were a $5 billion gift by Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, to endow the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; and a $5 billion pledge by Gordon Moore, chairman emeritus of Intel, and his wife, Betty, to endow the Gordon E. and Betty I. Moore Foundation.

To view The Chronicle's complete list of the largest gifts by individuals in 2000, go to:
philanthropy.com/free/update/2001/01/2001010101.htm

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