February 10, 2013 | Read Time: 1 minute
Amount donated in 2012: $309.1-million
Top beneficiary: Allen Institute for Brain Science
Background: Mr. Allen founded Vulcan investment company and co-founded Microsoft.
Mr. Allen, 60, pledged $300-million to the Allen Institute for Brain Science to pay for the first phase of a 10-year project to examine how the brain works and what causes neurological disorders. The money will also be used to double the institute’s staff of 350 employees. The money will be paid over four years. Mr. Allen, who founded the institute in 2003, said he plans to evaluate the organization’s progress in four years to decide which types of research will need more or less of his support.
Mr. Allen also gave $8-million to the EMP Museum, which he also founded; and a total of $1.1-million to the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, Ambassadors for Humanity, the Motion Picture & Television Fund Foundation, and the Robin Hood Relief Fund.
