Who Are Nancy And Rich Kinder? The Billionaire Couple Donating 95% Of Their Fortune To Charity

Houston billionaires Nancy and Rich Kinder are in the spotlight after announcing that they will donate the vast majority of their wealth to charity. The couple has pledged to give away 95% of their fortune to local causes, including parks, education, and the arts.

Nancy and Rich Kinder—he is the cofounder and executive chairman of Kinder Morgan, one of North America’s largest energy infrastructure companies—told ABC13 Houston’s Melanie Lawson that they plan to donate nearly their entire multi-billion-dollar fortune, approximately $10 billion, to improve the well-being of the city that shaped their success. Kinder Morgan is notably the largest independent terminal operator in North America.

Rich Kinder emphasized that one’s goal should be to leave

the world “a little better” than they found it, adding, “Whatever wealth you accumulate is really the result of a lot of other people helping you along the way.”

The Kinders have previously contributed to numerous welfare initiatives, including Rice University, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Texas Children’s Hospital, and The Giving Pledge—a campaign started in 2010 by Bill Gates, Melinda French Gates, and Warren Buffett.

During a ceremony for the forthcoming $18.5 million expansion of Emancipation Park in Houston’s Third Ward, the couple unveiled their ambitious philanthropic plan.

Nancy and Rich Kinder’s net worth

According to the Houston Chronicle, the couple’s estimated net worth is $11.2 billion, while Forbes’ real-time tracker puts it slightly higher at around $11.3 billion, making them one of the wealthiest couples in the nation.

What is the Kinder Foundation?

Founded in 1997 by Rich and Nancy Kinder, the Kinder Foundation focuses on “providing major gifts to public causes with the intention of helping people realize healthy and rewarding lives,” according to its website.

The foundation prioritizes projects that enhance urban green spaces, education, and quality of life in Houston. Rich Kinder, chairman of the foundation, has played a key role in establishing institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, the Kinder Children’s Cancer Center, and several other initiatives aimed at supporting the city that helped shape their success.