The Benificus Foundation is a San Carlos, California-based foundation that donates money to environmental- and education-related causes. The foundation is the family foundation of John and Ann Doerr.¹ John, a venture capitalist, is a member of the Bill Gates-led Breakthrough Energy Coalition which seeks to invest in clean energy companies. Ann is a board member of the Environmental Defense Fund.²

Participation in Charitable Causes

The foundation seeks to fund public causes that are of interest to the Doerrs. It does not directly seek to influence policy or elections. However, it does donate to organizations that do so. According to its most recently available financial information, the foundation has donated $8,701,301 to various causes as the end of 2015.³

According to its most recently available Form 990, in 2015 the foundation made three large donations. It donated $2,514,867 to Rice University, $2,388,740 to Khan Academy, and $358,160 to Raphael House.⁴

In 2014, the foundation distributed $125,000, mostly to local homeless charities.⁵

Political and Environmental Affiliations

The foundation was an early supporter of the Alliance for Climate Protection (now the Climate Reality Project), an environmentalist group founded by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, the foundation gave at least $10 million between 2000 to 2012.⁶

In recent years, the Doerrs have given money to the Obama Foundation.⁷They also pledged money towards helping developing countries phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons,⁸ a suspected greenhouse gas.

Funding

Grant Recipients

According to its most recently available IRS filings (Form 990), in 2016 Benificus donated $1,009,918 to the Environmental Defense Fund, among other contributions.⁹

1. “Doerr”. 2017. Glasspockets.Org. Accessed May 20 2017. http://glasspockets.org/philanthropy-in-focus/eye-on-the-giving-pledge/profiles/doerr.
2. “Doerr”. 2017. Glasspockets.Org. Accessed May 20 2017. http://glasspockets.org/philanthropy-in-focus/eye-on-the-giving-pledge/profiles/doerr.
3. “Doerr”. 2017. Glasspockets.Org. Accessed May 20 2017. http://glasspockets.org/philanthropy-in-focus/eye-on-the-giving-pledge/profiles/doerr.
4. 2017. Pdfs.Citizenaudit.Org. Accessed May 20 2017. http://pdfs.citizenaudit.org/2016_08_PF/77-0444504_990PF_201512.pdf.
5. 2017. Pdfs.Citizenaudit.Org. Accessed May 20 2017. http://pdfs.citizenaudit.org/2015_11_PF/77-0444504_990PF_201412.pdf.
6. Lindsay, Drew. “Charities That Have Scored Multiple Multimillion-Dollar ‘Big Bets’”. 2015. The Chronicle Of Philanthropy. Accessed May 20 2017. https://www.philanthropy.com/article/Charities-That-Have-Scored/234265.
7. “Obama Foundation Updates Donor List”. Philanthropy News Digest (PND). 2017. Accessed May 20 2017. http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/obama-foundation-updates-donor-list?_ga=2.224734170.1548843215.1495311451-1187895010.1495311450.
8. “Public-Private Effort Pledges $80 Million For Energy-Efficiency Plan”. Philanthropy News Digest (PND). 2017 Accessed May 20 2017. http://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/public-private-effort-pledges-80-million-for-energy-efficiency-plan?_ga=2.268387022.1548843215.1495311451-1187895010.1495311450.
9. 2017. Guidestar.org. Accessed March 12, 2018. http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2016/770/444/2016-770444504-0e412c43-F.pdf Benificus Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2016