WASHINGTON – [August 3, 2022] Philanthropy Roundtable is pleased to announce the selection of business leader and philanthropist Kenneth C. Griffin as the winner of the 2022 Simon-DeVos Prize for Philanthropic Leadership. Griffin is the founder and chief executive officer of Citadel, a global alternative investment firm, and one of America’s most significant and catalytic philanthropists. Each year, Philanthropy Roundtable awards the Simon-DeVos Prize to a living philanthropist who has shown exemplary leadership through charitable giving, either directly or through the foundations he or she has created.
Griffin’s data-driven, scalable approach to philanthropy has focused on advancing the American Dream and strengthening communities. He has contributed more than $1.5 billion to expand access to high-quality education at every level, drive upward mobility, advance medical research, reduce violent crime, enhance public spaces and support our country’s world-renowned cultural institutions.
“Ken Griffin’s extraordinary generosity is a shining example of the way that effective charitable giving improves lives and strengthens our communities,” said Philanthropy Roundtable President and CEO Elise Westhoff. “Through his support of organizations and efforts that increase access to education, health care and the arts, he has helped to expand opportunities for people from all backgrounds.”
In response to COVID-19, Griffin donated over $50 million to advance global vaccine development and therapeutics research, alleviate food insecurity and support front line nonprofits and efforts to improve remote learning. He led groundbreaking public-private partnerships to bring free, at-home internet to school-aged kids and their families in Chicago and Miami and is now funding work to expand these efforts to close the digital divide nationally.
Griffin has given over $400 million to education and over $50 million to public safety efforts, through both policing and criminal justice reform. He has supported the cultural institutions and public spaces that help communities thrive, including donating $125 million to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and in 2021 supporting the development of a 10-mile linear park through downtown Miami.
The Simon-DeVos Prize seeks to advance the principles of personal responsibility, resourcefulness, volunteerism, scholarship, individual freedom, faith in God and helping people help themselves. Its purpose is to highlight philanthropy’s powerful and unique role in tackling society’s greatest challenges and seeks to inspire others to strive for excellence in their charitable giving.
As the 2022 Prize recipient, Griffin will receive a $200,000 award, payable to the charity of his choice. In recognition of his achievements, Griffin will be honored during Philanthropy Roundtable’s 2022 Annual Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida in October.
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