Rich and Nancy Kinder established Kinder Foundation in 1997 to provide major gifts to public causes with the intention of helping people realize healthy and rewarding lives. Since then, the Foundation has focused its grants on projects and programs that enhance urban green space, education and quality of life in the Houston area. The Kinders have publicly stated they intend to give away approximately 95% of their wealth. A portion of that will be given during their lifetimes and the remainder will be given to Kinder Foundation when they pass away, which will then dispense the funds over many years to charitable organizations and causes. As of December 31, 2024, Kinder Foundation has distributed more than $621.4 million of the over $850 million in grants committed.

Rich Kinder, Chairman

As chairman of the Foundation, Rich oversees the vision and strategic leadership of the organization’s major gifts, some of which include the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Kinder Institute on Constitutional Democracy, Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, and Kinder Children Cancer’s Center, among others.

Rich is also Executive Chairman of Kinder Morgan, Inc., one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America, which he co-founded in February 1997. Under his leadership, Kinder Morgan has grown from a small company with 175 employees to a corporation with approximately 11,000 employees. He receives a salary of $1 a year and is the largest shareholder of Kinder Morgan. Kinder Morgan owns an interest in or operates approximately 80,000 miles of pipelines and 140 terminals.

Kinder Morgan is one of Fortune magazine’s Most Admired Companies in America and was previously recognized as the top company among all industries for “Quality of Management.”

Rich is a past recipient of Morningstar’s CEO of the Year award.

Rich received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Missouri and served in Vietnam as a Captain in the U.S. Army. He has served on numerous corporate and non-profit boards and is a life trustee and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston.

Nancy Kinder, President and CEO

As president and CEO of the Foundation, Nancy oversees the vision and strategic leadership of the organization’s major gifts, some of which include Discovery Green, Buffalo Bayou Park, Bayou Greenways, Memorial Park Conservancy, Buffalo Bayou East, and Third Ward, among others.

Nancy is from New Iberia, Louisiana and attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She is the founding chairman of the Discovery Green Conservancy, a non-profit organization that worked in partnership with the city of Houston and other foundations to develop an urban park in downtown Houston.

Currently, she serves as Chairman of The Downtown Park Corp. and President of the Advisory Board of Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research. She also serves on the Greater Houston Partnership’s Executive Committee and as a Life Member on the board of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.