Chuck Feeney

18/07/2023

Over the last four decades, Feeney has donated more than $8 billion to charities, universities and foundations worldwide through his foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies. When I first met him in 2012, he estimated he had set aside about $2 million for his and his wife's retirement. In other words, he's given away 375,000% more money than his current net worth. And he gave it away anonymously. While many wealthy philanthropists enlist an army of publicists to trumpet their donations, Feeney went to great lengths to keep his gifts secret. Because of his clandestine, globe-trotting philanthropy campaign, Forbes called him the James Bond of Philanthropy.

18/07/2023

07/07/2023

Billionaire Charles Feeney Vowed To Give Away His Fortune Before He Dies — And He Just Succeeded

07/07/2023

Chuck Feeney: The billionaire who gave it all away

28/10/2021

Giving While Living: Chuck Feeny, The Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke . . . Is Now Officially Broke

Here’s a heart-warming, good news story from Forbes Magazine I couldn’t resist posting.

Charles “Chuck” Feeney, 89, who cofounded airport retailer Duty Free Shoppers with Robert Miller in 1960, amassed billions while living a life of monklike frugality. As a philanthropist, he pioneered the idea of Giving While Living—spending most of your fortune on big, hands-on charity bets instead of funding a foundation upon death. Since you can’t take it with you—why not give it all away, have control of where it goes and see the results with your own eyes?

“We learned a lot. We would do some things differently, but I am very satisfied. I feel very good about completing this on my watch,” Feeney tells Forbes. “My thanks to all who joined us on this journey. And to those wondering about Giving While Living: Try it, you’ll like it.”

Over the last four decades, Feeney has donated more than $8 billion to charities, universities and foundations worldwide through his foundation, the Atlantic Philanthropies. When I first met him in 2012, he estimated he had set aside about $2 million for his and his wife’s retirement. In other words, he’s given away 375,000% more money than his current net worth. And he gave it away anonymously. While many wealthy philanthropists enlist an army of publicists to trumpet their donations, Feeney went to great lengths to keep his gifts secret. Because of his clandestine, globe-trotting philanthropy campaign, Forbes called him the James Bond of Philanthropy.

15/10/2021

Why Did Chuck Feeney Devote His Wealth to Philanthropy?

“I believe strongly in giving while living. I see little reason to delay giving when so much good can be achieved through supporting worthwhile causes today. Besides, it's a lot more fun to give while you live than to give while you are dead.” – Chuck Feeney

Chuck Feeney’s decision to devote his wealth to philanthropy grew out of a deeply held belief that people of great means should use their wealth to address today’s problems and make a difference now.

He didn’t just make a big gift to fund Atlantic and then leave the scene. Instead, he transferred virtually his entire personal fortune to the foundation and has remained deeply engaged as its Founding Chairman, routinely drawing on the entrepreneurial skills that made him successful in business to guide and influence its grantmaking.

Feeney who once said that people who give in their lifetimes “will have a lot of fun doing so,” elaborated on that in a 2011 letter to fellow philanthropist Bill Gates. He described how his decision to establish Atlantic in 1982, had rewarded him over and over again:

“The process of—and most importantly, the results from—granting this wealth to good causes has been a rich source of joy and satisfaction to me and for my family…The challenges, even setbacks, I have experienced in my decades of personal engagement in philanthropy pale in comparison to the impact and deep personal satisfaction.”

15/10/2021

The 89-year-old American businessman has now achieved that, donating almost $9bn (£7bn) worldwide. And through his private foundation the Atlantic Philanthropies, Mr Feeney, born to Irish-American parents, gave $570m (£447m) to causes in Northern Ireland over four decades