The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation is a private independent foundation based in Omaha, Nebraska, incorporated in 1964. The foundation operates as a non-operating foundation with a dedicated staff and board of directors. It was founded by Warren Buffett and his late wife Susan Thompson Buffett.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.8B
+24.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$908.8M
+30.7% YoY
Grant Count
398
+6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2.3M
+22.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation reported a distributable amount of $115.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on grants primarily for family planning programs and scholarships to residents of Nebraska attending Nebraska public colleges or universities.
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- Family planning programs
- Scholarships for Nebraska college students
- Sexual and reproductive health initiatives
- Maternal and child health programs
Grantmaking
The foundation operates a competitive scholarship program for Nebraska students. Scholarships are awarded to first-time freshmen who:
Grant Range
$352,000-$452,000
Average Grant
award: $1.8 million
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Nebraska for its scholarship program. However, broader grantmaking reaches organizations across 39 states, with significant activity in:
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Nebraska
These three regions account for 42% of all grants. The foundation also operates internationally, with staff and operations in Rwanda, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Switzerland.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total Assets: $2.84 billion
- Total Revenue: $1.72 billion
- Total Expenses: $997 million
- Total Liabilities: $30,500
Historical Growth: Total assets have grown from $2.3 billion in 2011 to $2.84 billion in 2024.
2023 Figures:
- Total Assets: $2.27 billion
- Total Revenue: $1.27 billion
- Total Expenses: $763.3 million
In 2006, Warren Buffett pledged approximately $3 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the foundation to be paid out over time, resulting in significant growth in the foundation's assets and annual giving capacity.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,839,484,794 | $2,272,738,773 | $1,922,627,251 |
| Revenue | $1,717,825,889 | $1,270,458,581 | $958,109,905 |
| Expenses | $996,611,994 | $763,281,148 | $547,735,315 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $987,011,618 | $756,422,797 | $542,860,673 |
| Net Investment Income | $591,728,411 | $370,145,905 | $174,754,263 |
| Distributable Amount | $115,799,032 | $96,991,476 | $82,518,256 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Center for International Reproductive Health Training (cirht) ($30,000,987), African Union Development Agency New Partnership for Africa's Development ($21,003,001), Amhara Regional Health Bureau ($15,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABORTION ACTION MISSOURI FOUNDATION ST LOUIS, MO | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $801,228 |
| ABORTION CARE NETWORK WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $754,104 |
| ABORTION FORWARD ALLIANCE CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $551,191 |
| ABORTION FREEDOM PARTNERSHIP SARATOGA, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $816,144 |
| ACCELERATE CHANGE INC BOSTON, MA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $250,840 |
| ACCELERATE CHANGE INC BOSTON, MA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $1,502,346 |
| ACLU NEBRASKA FOUNDATION INC LINCOLN, NE | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $326,005 |
| ACLU NEBRASKA FOUNDATION INC LINCOLN, NE | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $151,121 |
| ACLU OF CO - CO SIP DENVER, CO | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $99,182 |
| ACLU OF KANSAS OVERLAND PARK, KS | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $101,037 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board & Executive Leadership:
- Susan A. Buffett – Board Chair
- Allen Greenberg – President/Director
- Peter A. Buffett – Director
- Emily Greenberg – Director
Senior Staff:
- Michelle Martinson – Secretary & Treasurer/Vice President Finance
- Loreen Carpentier – Vice President, US Programs
- Senait Fisseha – Vice President, Global Programs
- Randi Clark – Chief Operating Officer & Vice President, Organizational Effectiveness
- Kellie Pickett – Vice President, College Access
- Munir Eshetu Kassa – Director, Service Delivery
The foundation employs 55 people as of the most recent reporting period.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALLEN GREENBERG | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 40 | $854,537 |
| MICHELLE MARTINSON | SEC. & TREAS./VICE PRESIDENT FINANCE | 40 | $394,829 |
| SUSAN A BUFFETT | BOARD CHAIR | 1 | — |
| PETER A BUFFETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ALLISON COWAN | DIRECTOR THRU 11/22/24 | 1 | — |
| GEOFFREY COWAN | DIRECTOR THRU 11/22/24 | 1 | — |
| CAROL LOOMIS | DIRECTOR THRU 11/22/24 | 1 | — |
| PATTI MATSON | DIRECTOR THRU 11/22/24 | 1 | — |
| WALLACE WEITZ | DIRECTOR THRU 11/22/24 | 1 | — |
| EMILY GREENBERG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues active grantmaking with recent partnerships including collaboration with Africa CDC to strengthen sexual and reproductive health epidemiology in Africa. The foundation maintains active scholarship programs through partnerships with University of Nebraska campuses, including the William H. Thompson Scholars Learning Communities initiative.
The Susan Thompson Buffett FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on grants primarily for family planning programs and scholarships to residents of Nebraska attending Nebraska public colleges or universities. The foundation's primary funding areas include: • Family planning programs • Scholarships for Nebraska college students • Sexual and reproductive health initiatives • Maternal and child health programs
How do I apply for a grant from The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Scale:** • The foundation has made 1,082 grants totaling $1.9 billion across its history • Annual giving ranges between $908.8 million and $991 million (2022-2024) • Median grant size: $352,000-$452,000 • Grant range: $3,000 to $61 million • Average grant award: $1.8 million **Scholarship Program:** The foundation operates a competitive scholarship program for Nebraska students. Scholarships are awarded to first-time freshmen who: • Live in Nebraska • Graduate from a Nebraska…
Where does The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Nebraska for its scholarship program. However, broader grantmaking reaches organizations across 39 states, with significant activity in: • District of Columbia • New York • Nebraska These three regions account for 42% of all grants. The foundation also operates internationally, with staff and operations in Rwanda, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Switzerland.
What size grants does The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation award?
In 2024, The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation awarded 398 grants totaling $908.8M — an average of about $2.3M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation reported a distributable amount of $115.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation's EIN?
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-6032365. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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