Dick and Betsy DeVos Lift the Veil On Their $139m in Philanthropy
There’s no question Dick and Betsy DeVos garner lots of
attention — and criticism — for their outsized political
donations. But those are pocket change compared to their
charitable contributions, which add up to nearly $139 million
over their lifetimes.
As U.S. Education Secretary nominee Betsy DeVos’ contributions to
Republican candidates and school choice causes are being
scrutinized ahead of confirmation hearings on Wednesday, the West
Michigan couple is lifting the veil on the millions in
philanthropic giving that’s being funneled through their
foundation.
In 2015 alone, the DeVoses doled out $11.6 million in charitable
contributions, according to a new report on the Dick and Betsy
DeVos Family Foundation website. It’s double the $5.3
million in campaign donations over the last five years that Betsy
DeVos reported to the federal government as part of her vetting
process for the Cabinet post.
The couple are a high-profile part of a family dynasty that has
been a player in Republican politics for decades, led by Dick’s
dad, Amway co-founder Rich DeVos. The elder DeVos and his four
grown children handed out $104 million in charity donations in
2015, landing the family in 24th place on Forbes’ most recent
“America’s Top Givers” list.