Susan Alice Buffett is an American philanthropist and the eldest child of investor Warren Buffett. Often known as Susie, she is a major force in left of center philanthropy, chairing the Sherwood Foundation and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. Her influence grew substantially in June 2024 when her father revised his estate plan, naming her and her brothers as the unanimous consent trustees for over 99 percent of his fortune upon his death. This positions her to become one of the world's most influential charitable donors, with her foundations' work having significant implications for global health and social justice initiatives, including those with connections to international development efforts relevant to Canadian foreign policy observers.
Early Life and Family Background
Susan Alice Buffett was born on July 30, 1953, in Omaha, Nebraska, as the eldest child and only daughter of Warren Buffett and Susan Thompson Buffett. She grew up with her two younger brothers, Howard and Peter. Despite her father's growing business success, she has stated she was in her early twenties when she first learned about his significant wealth, reportedly from reading an article in the Wall Street Journal. She studied home economics at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and also attended the University of California, Irvine, though she eventually dropped out without completing a degree. Following her education, she found work as an administrative assistant, establishing a life separate from the family's financial prominence during her early adulthood. Her personal life included a marriage to lawyer Allen Greenberg in 1983, a union that connected her to left of center advocacy through his work at Public Citizen, a left of center group.
Philanthropic Leadership and Foundation Roles
Susan Alice Buffett's primary public role is as a philanthropic leader overseeing two major foundations. She is the chair of the Sherwood Foundation, which she founded in 1999, and the board chair of the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named in honour of her mother. The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation was originally known as the Buffett Foundation and was led by her mother, who was its president until her death in 2004. Following her mother's passing, Susan Alice Buffett assumed leadership, guiding its strategic direction. Her ex husband, Allen Greenberg, whom she married in 1983 and divorced in 1995, remains the president of the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation as of 2024. These roles place her at the centre of distributing hundreds of millions of dollars annually to various causes. She also chairs the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, further emphasizing her commitment to early education initiatives that began with her mother's charitable work.
The Sherwood Foundation's Mission and Growth
The Sherwood Foundation was seeded with one billion dollars worth of Berkshire Hathaway stock from her father. It initially focused on local programs in Omaha, particularly early childhood education initiatives. Over time, the foundation expanded its focus to include left of centre social justice advocacy and broadened its geographic reach. By 2024, the foundation was distributing 256 million dollars in annual grants across 830 separate awards, making it one of the largest philanthropic organizations in Nebraska. Grant recipients must agree to support certain values, including support for legalized abortion, providing services without religious bias, and a mission to undo systematic oppression and seek economic justice. The foundation's assets have grown through significant stock infusions from Warren Buffett. The funding history of the Sherwood Foundation includes several major contributions from Warren Buffett's annual donations.
- In 2006, Warren Buffett gave one billion dollars to the Sherwood Foundation as part of his pledge to give away his fortune.
- In November 2022, Warren Buffett donated over 750 million dollars in Berkshire stock to family foundations, with Sherwood receiving 300,000 Class B shares.
- In June 2025, Warren Buffett made his largest single annual donation of six billion dollars to five foundations, with Sherwood receiving 660,366 shares of Berkshire Class B stock.
- The foundation's grantmaking in 2024 involved 830 separate awards totaling 256 million dollars.
The Sherwood Foundation was seeded with one billion dollars worth of stock from Warren Buffett. The foundation later received major stock infusions, including 300,000 Class B shares in November 2022 and 660,366 shares in June 2025. This consistent infusion of capital has allowed the Sherwood Foundation to scale its operations and grantmaking capacity dramatically since its inception. By 2024, the foundation was distributing 256 million dollars in annual grants. The foundation's requirement that healthcare provider recipients must provide access to abortions directly aligns with the broader Buffett family support for reproductive rights.
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation's Global Impact
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation is reportedly the largest private funder of abortion access in the United States and a major global funder of reproductive health and family planning. It is a primary funder of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, its advocacy affiliate Planned Parenthood Action Fund, and a number of Planned Parenthood regional affiliates. A 2012 analysis found the organization had provided Planned Parenthood with 289 million dollars from 2001 to 2012. The foundation's work extends globally, with a significant focus on sub Saharan Africa and Latin America. According to its tax filings, the foundation held assets of 2,272,738,773 dollars and distributed 695,209,110 dollars in grants in 2023. The Organisation for Economic Co operation and Development reported that the foundation's global grantmaking for that year totaled 397.7 million dollars, with the majority directed toward gender equality initiatives. This scale of funding makes it a notable entity in international development sectors often monitored by Canadian NGOs and policymakers. The foundation's financial scale and specific grantmaking priorities are detailed in recent annual data.
| Metric | 2023 Figure |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,272,738,773 |
| Total Grants Distributed | $695,209,110 |
| Global Grantmaking (OECD) | $397.7 million |
| Primary Focus of Global Grants | Gender Equality Initiatives |
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation was renamed in honour of Susan Thompson Buffett after her death. Its endowment originated from her estate, as she left nearly all of her Berkshire Hathaway shares to the foundation that would bear her name. Those shares were valued at nearly three billion dollars at the time of her death. The foundation is a major contributor to what it terms reproductive health and family planning efforts around the world. In 2023 alone, its global grantmaking for this focus totalled 397.7 million dollars.
The 2024 Estate Plan and Future Influence
In June 2024, Warren Buffett announced a major revision to his estate plan, a significant departure from his prior intention to leave the bulk of his fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Under the new plan, more than 99 percent of his remaining estate, estimated at 145 billion dollars, will flow into a new charitable trust upon his death. Susan Alice Buffett and her two brothers, Howard and Peter, were named as the unanimous consent trustees of this trust. This means all three siblings must reach a unanimous agreement on how to disburse the funds. This development potentially makes Susan Alice Buffett one of the most influential philanthropists in the world, given the colossal sum she will help direct alongside her brothers. The trust will operate separately from but alongside the existing family foundations she already chairs. This change followed years during which Warren Buffett had contributed 85 percent of his wealth to the Gates Foundation while also making billion dollar gifts to his children's foundations, setting the stage for their eventual leadership of his entire charitable legacy.
Connection to Susan Thompson Buffett
Susan Alice Buffett's philanthropic path is deeply connected to the legacy of her mother, Susan Thompson Buffett. Her mother was an American activist for civil rights and abortion rights and a director of Berkshire Hathaway, owning 2.2 percent of the company. At the time of her death in 2004, this stake was worth about three billion dollars, making her the 153rd richest person in the world. She was president of the original Buffett Foundation, which contributed millions to educational groups, medical research, and family planning. Upon her death from a cerebral hemorrhage, nearly all of her Berkshire Hathaway shares were left to a foundation that would later bear her name, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. This inheritance formed the core endowment that her daughter now oversees, continuing and expanding upon her mother's charitable vision. The life of Susan Thompson Buffett included several notable personal and family events that shaped the family dynamic.
- She married Warren Buffett in 1952 at Dundee Presbyterian Church in Omaha.
- She had three children: Susan Alice (1953), Howard (1954), and Peter (1958).
- She left the family home in 1977 to pursue a singing career in San Francisco, though remained married.
- She introduced Warren Buffett to Astrid Menks in 1978, who later became his second wife.
- She was diagnosed with oral cancer in October 2003 and contributed six million dollars to its study.
- She died on July 29, 2004, at age 72 in Cody, Wyoming, from a cerebral hemorrhage.
- Her will left approximately 50 million dollars to her children's charity and ten million dollars to each of her children.
Susan Thompson Buffett was an American activist for the causes of civil rights, abortion rights and birth control. Her activism and personal history provided a direct model for her daughter Susan Alice Buffett's own commitment to philanthropy and reproductive rights. Susan Alice Buffett is the chair of the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, which is reportedly the largest non governmental funder of reproductive health and family planning. Susan Thompson Buffett also left eight million dollars to her former partner John McCabe and one million dollars to Ron Parks, illustrating the personal connections maintained throughout her life.
Philanthropic Philosophy and Grant Requirements
The foundations chaired by Susan Alice Buffett operate with a specific set of philosophical and operational requirements for grant recipients. This approach ensures alignment with the Buffett family's long standing support for abortion access and left of center social justice causes. Organizations seeking funding from the Sherwood Foundation must agree to several core tenets as a condition of receiving support. These requirements formalize the foundation's mission and create a clear framework for its charitable activities across the United States. The stipulations reflect priorities that have been consistent across the family's philanthropic endeavors for decades, influencing a wide range of nonprofit organizations that rely on this funding.
- Recipients must support legalized abortion.
- Healthcare providers receiving funds must provide women with access to abortions.
- Services must be provided without a religious bias or proselytization.
- The foundation seeks to support work that aims to undo systematic oppression.
- Grantmaking should pursue economic justice.
The Sherwood Foundation requires recipients to support certain values, including legalized abortion and providing services without religious bias. These requirements guide the distribution of hundreds of millions of dollars annually and shape the profile of nonprofit funding in specific sectors. This creates a distinct identity for Buffett family philanthropy that extends its influence well beyond simple financial contributions. This philosophical framework is applied to the extensive grantmaking conducted by both the Sherwood Foundation and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation in their respective areas of focus.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Susan Alice Buffett?
Susan Alice Buffett is the eldest child and only daughter of billionaire investor Warren Buffett and Susan Thompson Buffett. Born in 1953, she is a prominent American philanthropist who chairs the Sherwood Foundation and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation. In June 2024, she was named a unanimous consent trustee for the vast majority of her father's fortune, positioning her for unprecedented future influence in global philanthropy. She is also known as Susie Buffett and has been involved in left of center philanthropic causes for decades.
What is the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation?
The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation is a charitable organization renamed in honour of Warren Buffett's first wife. It is the largest private funder of abortion access in the United States and a major global funder of reproductive health and family planning. As of 2023, it held over 2.2 billion dollars in assets and distributes hundreds of millions in grants annually, with a significant focus on gender equality initiatives in sub Saharan Africa and Latin America. The foundation is a major funder of Planned Parenthood and its advocacy arm, having contributed 289 million dollars to the organization between 2001 and 2012.
What is the Sherwood Foundation?
The Sherwood Foundation is a philanthropic organization founded by Susan Alice Buffett in 1999, seeded with one billion dollars in Berkshire Hathaway stock. It began by focusing on early childhood education in Omaha but has expanded to support left of centre social justice causes nationwide. By 2024, it was distributing 256 million dollars in annual grants across 830 awards. Recipients must agree to support values including legalized abortion and economic justice. The foundation has received major stock infusions from Warren Buffett, including 660,366 Class B shares in June 2025 as part of a six billion dollar annual donation to family foundations.
How did Warren Buffett's 2024 estate plan affect Susan Alice Buffett?
In June 2024, Warren Buffett revised his estate plan to direct over 99 percent of his estimated 145 billion dollar fortune into a new charitable trust upon his death. He named his three children, including Susan Alice Buffett, as the unanimous consent trustees. This means Susan and her brothers must unanimously agree on all disbursements from the trust, granting her a central role in one of the largest philanthropic endowments in history. This marks a shift from his prior plan which directed 85 percent of his wealth to the Gates Foundation.
What was Susan Alice Buffett's relationship with her mother?
Susan Alice Buffett is the daughter of Susan Thompson Buffett, a noted activist and philanthropist. Her mother's work and the foundation she led directly shaped Susan Alice's philanthropic career. After her mother's death in 2004, Susan Alice assumed leadership of the renamed Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, building upon her mother's legacy in supporting reproductive rights and family planning on a global scale. Her mother's estate, including nearly three billion dollars in Berkshire stock, formed the core endowment of the foundation Susan Alice now chairs.
Does Susan Alice Buffett's work impact Canada?
Susan Alice Buffett's philanthropic work primarily focuses on the United States and international development, with no direct operational focus on Canada. Her foundations, the Sherwood Foundation and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, direct their global grantmaking heavily towards reproductive health and family planning in sub Saharan Africa and Latin America. This work in global health and gender equality aligns with sectors where Canadian non governmental organizations and international development policy are active. Consequently, Canadian observers of philanthropy and global health initiatives often monitor the activities of such major US funders due to their substantial influence. The potential for indirect impact exists through shared global health objectives and the monitoring of influential philanthropic models.
Sources and further reading
- Susan Buffett (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.org
- Susan A. Buffett influencewatch.org
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