Words by Cheyanne Bryan
American businessman turned full-time philanthropist, John D. Arnold started his charitable journey in 2010, alongside his wife Laura.
But first, he set out in corporate America as an oil analyst before becoming a trader for Enron, a large energy company. He stayed at the company until 2007, when it ceased operation and in that same year, he became the youngest billionaire in America. He went on to work in business for a few more years before deciding to retire in 2012 to focus on philanthropy
With a long history of donating to various charitable organisations and eventually setting up his own, John is a prominent figure in philanthropy.
Throughout his career, John supported many initiatives, especially ones in the field of education and healthcare. They have made significant donations to various organisations such as the Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP), Teach for America, and The City Fund, among others.
In 2010, he and his wife decided to try their hand at starting their own foundation, The Laura and John Arnold Foundation. The idea was to emphasise evidence-based philanthropy to drive systemic change. Through this organisation, the couple supported criminal reform initiatives and healthcare-related grants, going to extra lengths to reduce pharmaceutical drug costs.
As the Arnolds’ interests extended beyond advocating for drug-price reform and criticising donor-advised funds for delaying charitable giving, they transformed their efforts into Arnold Ventures.
In 2019, John and Laura upgraded their foundation to form Arnold Ventures LLC, with the vision to combine philanthropy, research, policy, and advocacy efforts with the goal of removing barriers between data and decisive action.
John has gone on record to say that increasing charitable giving and proposed that foundations and donor-advised funds should spend at least 7% annually to benefit charities. Only one year after the founding of Arnold Ventures, he was recognised as one of ten billionaires who had given away at least 20% of their wealth.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
AdoptAClassroom.org. This is a US-based organisation that offers financial support for classroom supplies and underprivileged families. Find out more.
DirectRelief. This charity operates across the US and internationally to enhance healthcare access by providing doctors and nurses with essential medical supplies for saving lives. Learn more here.
CAF America. This is a worldwide grant-giving organisation aiding businesses, foundations, and individuals, with the goal to simplify the grant allocation process. Support them here.
This article aligns with the UN SDGs Good Health and Wellbeing and Partnerships For The Goals.
