How a Microsoft Millionaire Built His Charity

John Wood, who became a millionaire by working at Microsoft, has just published a book that explains how he founded Room to Read, a nonprofit group that has sent millions of books to developing countries, built school libraries across the world, and provided money for 2,000 scholarships for girls, reports The Washington Post.

He attracted donors to his charity in part because “he has the same attributes venture capitalists look for in for-profit entrepreneurs,” the article says.

Don Valentine, a venture capitalist who is a donor to Room to Read, says that Mr. Wood’s intense frugality is attractive. Plus, he likes the idea that the charity requires communities where it works to provide labor or land to build libraries.

Mr. Wood says that, despite his background, he doesn’t want to focus on high-technology approaches to spreading literacy. “These kids in rural Cambodia can’t even read yet,” he says. “What are they going to do with a computer?”

(Read The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s article on Mr. Wood. A paid subscription is required to view this article.)