Kinder Foundation
| Company type | Nonprofit organization |
|---|---|
| Industry | Philanthropy |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Founder | Nancy Kinder, Richard Kinder |
| Headquarters | Houston , United States |
Area served | Houston, Texas |
Key people | Nancy Kinder, Richard Kinder |
| Products | Grants and donations for urban parks, education, and quality of life projects |
The Kinder Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Houston, classified as a 501c3, founded in 1997 by Nancy Kinder and Richard Kinder. To date, it has allocated more than $410 million in grants and impactful donations to various projects within Houston.
Major projects
The foundation primarily invests in urban park initiatives throughout Houston, alongside programs focused on education and enhancing quality of life.
Discovery Green
The concept for Discovery Green park was conceived by Nancy Kinder and Maconda Brown O’Connor with the vision of establishing an urban green space in downtown Houston. In 2004, multiple philanthropic organizations collaborated through a public-private partnership with the City of Houston to bring this vision to life, culminating in the park’s completion in 2008. Nancy Kinder served as the inaugural chair of the nonprofit Discovery Green Conservancy board and spearheaded a private fundraising campaign that raised $54 million, including a $10 million donation from the Kinder Foundation, contributing to the overall $125 million project cost. Discovery Green now hosts more than 400 complimentary events annually and has catalyzed $1.4 billion in development around its vicinity as of 2018.
Buffalo Bayou Park
Spanning 160 acres and extending 2.3 miles along Buffalo Bayou, Buffalo Bayou Park underwent significant restoration with support from the Kinder Foundation’s $30 million lead gift in 2010 to the Buffalo Bayou Partnership. In conjunction with the City of Houston and Harris County Flood Control District, efforts focused on returning the landscape to its natural state by reintroducing native vegetation and improving visitor facilities. Finished in 2015, this revitalization project received honors such as the Urban Land Institute's Global Award for Excellence.
Memorial Park
On April 25, 2018, the Kinder Foundation committed $70 million to Memorial Park Conservancy aimed at fast-tracking the implementation of the Memorial Park Master Plan. The funding supports key projects including finalizing the Eastern Glades section of the park, improving trail connectivity to regional networks, creating new internal pathways, relocating sports fields, constructing a running track at the running center, and establishing a Memorial Grove.
Bayou Greenways 2020
In October 2013, the foundation pledged $50 million to the Houston Parks Board for its Bayou Greenways 2020 initiative—one of the nation’s most extensive park development projects. Set for completion by 2020 with a total budget of $220 million, this endeavor aims to add 1,500 acres of new parkland in Houston while linking 150 miles of trails along various bayous.
University of Missouri’s Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy
The Kinder Foundation launched the Kinder Forum on Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri in 2014 to promote enhanced teaching and research on American constitutional heritage. A year later, it endowed $25 million to establish the permanently funded Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy.
Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research
Addressing urban challenges faced by cities such as Houston, Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research received a $15 million grant from the foundation in 2010. This contribution supported broadening urban research efforts worldwide and resulted in renaming the institute in honor of the Kinder Foundation.
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
In January 2015, the Kinder Foundation made a landmark commitment of $50 million as a principal donation to support the redevelopment of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s 14-acre campus. The planned Nancy and Rich Kinder Building, encompassing 164,000 square feet, will include 54,000 square feet of dedicated gallery space for showcasing modern and contemporary art exhibitions and collections.
Other projects
The Kinder Foundation has provided financial support to a variety of organizations such as Cristo Rey Jesuit College Preparatory of Houston, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Southern Methodist University’s Bush Center, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, and the Texas Heart Institute’s Center for Coronary Artery Anomalies.
In October 2016, the foundation acquired permanent naming rights for Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts with a $7.5 million agreement. This decision was approved by the school board despite some controversy, following the foundation’s indication that it might withdraw funding if the proposal was rejected. By April 2017, Richard Kinder proposed relinquishing the naming rights in response to public criticism but did not seek to reinstate the original school name. The renaming is scheduled to become official when the new downtown campus opens, anticipated in January 2019.
Founders
Richard Kinder, executive chairman of Kinder Morgan, Inc., along with his wife Nancy Kinder, committed in 2011 to donate 95% of their fortune through the Giving Pledge. The Kinders were ranked 40th on Forbes’ Top 50 Givers list in 2018 and featured on the Chronicle of Philanthropy's "Philanthropy 50" in both 2016 and a subsequent ranking at number 28, underscoring their substantial contributions to philanthropy.