The Chronicle of Philanthropy ranked Salesforce Chair and CEO Marc Benioff and his wife Lynne Benioff 14th on its annual Philanthropy 50 list of the year’s biggest donors. Since 2010, the Benioffs have appeared on the list 10 times, representing more than $1 billion in giving. 

Driving the news: The Benioffs focused many of their 2024 philanthropic efforts on healthcare, including several major projects in Hawaii. Their donations aimed to expand healthcare access across the islands, connecting Hawaii Pacific Health and Hilo Benioff Medical Center with UCSF Health. 

Since 2010, the Benioffs have appeared on the list 10 times, representing more than $1 billion in giving. 

Beyond healthcare, the Benioffs continued to support affordable housing, environmental conservation, and education. These included multiple grants to support public school students and teachers in Hawaii, as well as significant grants to organizations including UCSF, Stanford University, India Basin Waterfront Park, and the Seva Foundation. 

The article also discussed Marc and Lynne’s approach to philanthropy and why they don’t have a foundation for their giving.

What Marc is saying: “It’s given me a lot of freedom. My wife and I don’t want a lot of bureaucracy in how we’re giving. There’s no board of directors, no CEO to discuss this with. We just make that decision.” 

The Salesforce philanthropic perspective: Marc pioneered Salesforce’s 1-1-1 model, which commits 1% of the company’s equity, technology, and employees’ time to build a more equitable and sustainable world. 

Go Deeper:

• Read more about the Benioff’s commitment to Hawaii here
• Hear from Marc about the importance of his philanthropic efforts in Hawaii here
• Join the Pledge 1% movement
• Learn more about Salesforce’s Annual Giving Back initiatives 

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